The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal)
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"The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone’s Underdog" by Rick McIntyre, 2019. [book review]
No full text"Carnivorous Plants: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution" by Aaron M. Elison and Lubomír Adamec, 2018. [book review]
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"Field Guide to the Flower Flies of Northeastern North America" by Jeffrey H. Skevington, Michelle M. Locke, Andrew D. Young, Kevin Moran, William J. Crins, and Stephen A. Marshall, 2019. [book review]
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Depredation of gravid freshwater turtles by Raccoons (Procyon lotor)
Get PDFDuring summer 2017, we found 19 dead or fatally wounded adult female turtles belonging to three at-risk species at a nesting site on the north shore of Lake Erie, Ontario. Individuals were found flipped onto their carapace, had similar holes in their body cavities, and were eviscerated. Their eggs had also been consumed. Although turtle nest depredation by Raccoons (Procyon lotor) is common, it is unusual for them to target large numbers of gravid turtles within a season. Depredated species included Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina), Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica), and Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii). Our observation represents a spike in additive mortality for these populations, which could have long-term demographic consequences
Albinism in Orange-footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) in Newfoundland
Get PDFOrange-footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa; Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) is a dark-brown species that is broadly distributed in North Atlantic and Arctic waters. Here, we document the rare occurrence of colour morphs showing various degrees of albinism, from totally white to faint orange pigmentation. These unusually coloured individuals were found across a broad distribution range in eastern Canada and northeastern United States, with their occurrence in Newfoundland samples ranging from 0.2% to 0.5%. Two fully albino individuals were noticeably smaller than other colour morphs. The occurrence of rare, unusually coloured sea cucumbers is important from an ecological standpoint and may also have commercial implications
Morphology, reproduction, habitat use, and hibernation of Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) near its northern range limit
Get PDFNorthern regions limit ectotherms to relatively short periods of feeding and breeding interrupted by long periods of inactivity. This may force cool-climate ectotherms into different ecological or demographic trade-offs than their southern conspecifics. Our aim is to examine demography, morphology, reproduction, habitat use, and hibernation by populations of Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) near their northern range limit. This research was conducted in southwestern Manitoba and data on summer activity were collected from April to September 2007–2009 using coverboard and pedestrian surveys. Hibernation sites were monitored over three winters (2007–2008, 2008–2009, and 2009–2010), and thermal profiles of Formica ant mounds were collected in 2008–2009 and 2009–2010. Females reached sexual maturity at a smaller size than most other populations that have been reported but appear to have similar clutch sizes to the rest of the range. The majority of adult females captured at our summer sites were gravid (96%) suggesting annual reproduction, and activity patterns suggest fall breeding. Near its northern range maxima, this species appears to use relatively warm habitat, have rapid reproduction, and co-opt ant mounds to survive in a difficult climatic environment. Much remains unknown and future studies should further examine the variation in size at maturity and the relationship between body size and clutch size. In addition, little is known about diet, benefits of fall mating, use of open prairie habitats, and late-season migration by S. occipitomaculata