Publications

detecting methemoglobinemia in animals with a drop of blood.	a major concern during pesticide development and use is the impact on non-target species, such as raptors or domestic cats and dogs. sodium nitrite and para-aminopropiophenone (papp) are two toxicants currently being studied for the control of invasive species, such as starlings and feral swine. when given to an animal these compounds oxidize hemoglobin, which renders it unable to carry oxygen resulting in methemoglobinemia. this study developed a method to estimate methemoglobin levels in mamma ...	2016	27930713
molecular forensics in avian conservation: a dna-based approach for identifying mammalian predators of ground-nesting birds and eggs.	the greater sage-grouse (centrocercus urophasianus) is a ground-nesting bird from the northern rocky mountains and a species at risk of extinction in in multiple u.s. states and canada. herein we report results from a proof of concept that mitochondrial and nuclear dnas from mammalian predator saliva could be non-invasively collected from depredated greater sage-grouse eggshells and carcasses and used for predator species identification. molecular forensic approaches have been applied to identif ...	2016	26738484
describing a developing hybrid zone between red wolves and coyotes in eastern north carolina, usa.	when hybridizing species come into contact, understanding the processes that regulate their interactions can help predict the future outcome of the system. this is especially relevant in conservation situations where human activities can influence hybridization dynamics. we investigated a developing hybrid zone between red wolves and coyotes in north carolina, usa to elucidate patterns of hybridization in a system heavily managed for preservation of the red wolf genome. using noninvasive genetic ...	2016	27330555
first pediatric case of tularemia after a coyote bite.	bite-transmitted tularemia is a rare event in humans and most of the cases have been associated with cat bites. we report the first pediatric case of tularemia caused by a coyote (canis latrans) bite. coyotes can be healthy carriers of francisella tularensis and transmit this infectious agent through a bite. pediatricians should be aware of this risk after a carnivore bite and implement appropriate antibiotic therapy, as amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium (augmentin) may have prolonged the typica ...	2016	26885419
do coyotes canis latrans influence occupancy of prey in suburban forest fragments?	with the extirpation of apex predators from many north american systems, coyotes canis latrans have become the de facto top predator and are ubiquitous members of most ecosystems. keystone predators aid in maintaining ecosystem function by regulating the mammal community through direct predation and instilling the landscape of fear, yet the value of coyotes regulating systems to this capacity is understudied and likely variable across environments. since coyotes are common in the midwestern unit ...	2016	29491884
polymorphisms in erap1 and erap2 are shared by caninae and segregate within and between random- and pure-breeds of dogs.	specific polymorphisms in the endoplasmic reticulum amino peptidase genes erap1 and erap2, when present with certain mhc class receptor types, have been associated with increased risk for specific cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders in humans. this increased risk has been linked to distinct polymorphisms in both eraps and mhc class i receptors that affect the way cell-generated peptides are screened for antigenicity. the incidence of cancer, infectious disease and autoimmune di ...	2016	27590425
do the antipredator strategies of shared prey mediate intraguild predation and mesopredator suppression?	understanding the conditions that facilitate top predator effects upon mesopredators and prey is critical for predicting where these effects will be significant. intraguild predation (igp) and the ecology of fear are hypotheses used to describe the effects of top predators upon mesopredators and prey species, but make different assumptions about organismal space use. the igp hypothesis predicts that mesopredator resource acquisition and risk are positively correlated, creating a fitness deficit. ...	2016	27239266
comparative morphology and histology of the nasal fossa in four mammals: gray squirrel, bobcat, coyote, and white-tailed deer.	although the anatomy of the nasal fossa is broadly similar among terrestrial mammals, differences are evident in the intricacies of nasal turbinal architecture, which varies from simple scroll-like to complex branching forms, and in the extent of nonsensory and olfactory epithelium covering the turbinals. in this study, detailed morphological and immunohistochemical examinations and quantitative measurements of the turbinals and epithelial lining of the nasal fossa were conducted in an array of ...	2016	27090617
patterns of mhc-drb1 polymorphism in a post-glacial island canid, the newfoundland red fox (vulpes vulpes deletrix), suggest balancing selection at species and population timescales.	as the only native insular newfoundland canid between the extinction of the wolf in the 1930s and the recent arrival of coyotes, the red fox (vulpes vulpes deletrix bangs 1898) poses interesting questions about genetic distinctiveness and the post-glacial colonization history of the island's depauperate mammalian fauna. here, we characterized genetic variability at the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) class ii dr β1 domain (drb1) locus in 28 red foxes from six sampling localities island-wi ...	2016	26894280
differential habitat use or intraguild interactions: what structures a carnivore community?	differential habitat use and intraguild competition are both thought to be important drivers of animal population sizes and distributions. habitat associations for individual species are well-established, and interactions between particular pairs of species have been highlighted in many focal studies. however, community-wide assessments of the relative strengths of these two factors have not been conducted. we built multi-scale habitat occupancy models for five carnivore taxa of new york's adiro ...	2016	26731404
ancient hybrid origin of the eastern wolf not yet off the table: a comment on rutledge et al. (2015).	a recent study of north american canids by rutledge et al. (biol. lett. 11, 20150303 (doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0303)) refutes the hypothesized hybrid origin of the eastern wolf (ew) based on genomic evidence against very recent hybridization. however, the analyses do not rule out the possibility of more ancient hybridization. claims to have resolved the evolutionary origin of the ew are therefore inappropriate. importantly, though, we plead that uncertainty about the ancient history of the taxon sh ...	2016	26843554
whole-genome sequence analysis shows that two endemic species of north american wolf are admixtures of the coyote and gray wolf.	protection of populations comprising admixed genomes is a challenge under the endangered species act (esa), which is regarded as the most powerful species protection legislation ever passed in the united states but lacks specific provisions for hybrids. the eastern wolf is a newly recognized wolf-like species that is highly admixed and inhabits the great lakes and eastern united states, a region previously thought to be included in the geographic range of only the gray wolf. the u.s. fish and wi ...	2016	29713682
hdac i inhibition in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus differentially modulates predator-odor fear learning and generalization.	although predator odors are ethologically relevant stimuli for rodents, the molecular pathways and contribution of some brain regions involved in predator odor conditioning remain elusive. inhibition of histone deacetylases (hdacs) in the dorsal hippocampus has been shown to enhance shock-induced contextual fear learning, but it is unknown if hdacs have differential effects along the dorso-ventral hippocampal axis during predator odor fear learning. we injected ms-275, a class i hdac inhibitor, ...	2015	26441495
seeing cooperation or competition: ecological interactions in cultural perspectives.	do cultural models facilitate particular ways of perceiving interactions in nature? we explore variability in folkecological principles of reasoning about interspecies interactions (specifically, competitive or cooperative). in two studies, indigenous panamanian ngöbe and u.s. participants interpreted an illustrated, wordless nonfiction book about the hunting relationship between a coyote and badger. across both studies, the majority of ngöbe interpreted the hunting relationship as cooperative a ...	2015	26431824
navigating natural variation in herbivory-induced secondary metabolism in coyote tobacco populations using ms/ms structural analysis.	natural variation can be extremely useful in unraveling the determinants of phenotypic trait evolution but has rarely been analyzed with unbiased metabolic profiling to understand how its effects are organized at the level of biochemical pathways. native populations of nicotiana attenuata, a wild tobacco species, have been shown to be highly genetically diverse for traits important for their interactions with insects. to resolve the chemodiversity existing in these populations, we developed a me ...	2015	26170304
do biological and bedsite characteristics influence survival of neonatal white-tailed deer?	coyotes recently expanded into the eastern u.s. and potentially have caused localized white-tailed deer population declines. research has focused on quantifying coyote predation on neonates, but little research has addressed the potential influence of bedsite characteristics on survival. in 2011 and 2012, we radiocollared 65 neonates, monitored them intensively for 16 weeks, and assigned mortality causes. we used program mark to estimate survival to 16 weeks and included biological covariates (i ...	2015	25734333
coyote and alders: alex colville.		2015	25647189
pathology in practice. a coyote with sarcoptic mange.		2015	25517327
infectious disease and red wolf conservation: assessment of disease occurrence and associated risks.	infectious diseases pose a significant threat to global biodiversity and may contribute to extinction. as such, establishing baseline disease prevalence in vulnerable species where disease could affect persistence is important to conservation. we assessed potential disease threats to endangered red wolves (canis rufus) by evaluating regional (southeastern united states) disease occurrences in mammals and parasite prevalence in red wolves and sympatric coyotes (canis latrans) in north carolina. c ...	2015	32287383
suspected hypertrophic osteopathy in an ancient canid: differential diagnosis of possible etiologies.	hypertrophic osteopathy (ho) has been reported in numerous mammalian species, but no reports address the range of conditions that can lead to ho, or the implications of those conditions, for archaeological diagnosis. we describe suspected ho from skeletal remains of an ancient large domestic dog recovered in iowa, usa, at the cherokee sewer site. canid remains from this site date 7430-7020calbp. the site is believed to have been a temporary, low-intensity campsite where bison were procured. over ...	2015	29539440
infection of a goeldi's monkey (callimico goeldii) with a european strain of echinococcus multilocularis in a canadian institution.	a 12-yr-old female goeldi's monkey (callimico goeldii) in british columbia, canada was diagnosed with alveolar echinococcosis (ae) on postmortem examination. echinococcus multilocularis has been identified in several species of nonhuman primates, most frequently old world primates, in zoos and research facilities in europe and asia. the strain affecting this monkey was identified as a european haplotype, indistinguishable from e. multilocularis recently identified in several canids in british co ...	2015	26056899
introduced and native haplotypes of echinococcus multilocularis in wildlife in saskatchewan, canada.	recent detection of a european-type haplotype of the cestode echinococcus multilocularis in a newly enzootic region in british columbia prompted efforts to determine if this haplotype was present elsewhere in wildlife in western canada. in coyote (canis latrans) definitive hosts in an urban region in central saskatchewan (sk), we found a single haplotype of e. multilocularis that was most similar to a haplotype currently established in the core of this parasite's distribution in europe and to th ...	2015	26020284
feeding ecology informs parasite epidemiology: prey selection modulates encounter rate with echinococcus multilocularis in urban coyotes.	we investigated the role of urban coyote feeding ecology in the transmission of echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis in humans. as coyotes can play a main role in the maintenance of this zoonotic parasite within north american urban settings, such study can ultimately aid disease risk management. between june 2012 and june 2013, we collected 251 coyote feces and conducted trapping of small mammals (n = 971) in five parks in the city of calgary, alberta, can ...	2015	25768437
cwd prions remain infectious after passage through the digestive system of coyotes (canis latrans).	chronic wasting disease (cwd) is a geographically expanding prion disease of wild and captive cervids in north america. disease can be transmitted directly, animal to animal, or indirectly via the environment. cwd contamination can occur residually in the environment via soil, water, and forage following deposition of bodily fluids such as urine, saliva, and feces, or by the decomposition of carcasses. recent work has indicated that plants may even take up prions into the stems and leaves. when ...	2015	26636258
parasitology and serology of free-ranging coyotes (canis latrans) in north carolina, usa.	coyotes (canis latrans) have expanded recently into the eastern us and can serve as a source of pathogens to domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris), livestock, and humans. we examined free-ranging coyotes from central north carolina, us, for selected parasites and prevalence of antibodies against viral and bacterial agents. we detected ticks on most (81%) coyotes, with amblyomma americanum detected on 83% of those with ticks. fifteen (47%) coyotes were positive for heartworms (dirofilaria immiti ...	2015	25984773
assessing host-specificity of escherichia coli using a supervised learning logic-regression-based analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in intergenic regions.	host specificity in e. coli is widely debated. herein, we used supervised learning logic-regression-based analysis of intergenic dna sequence variability in e. coli in an attempt to identify single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) biomarkers of e. coli that are associated with natural selection and evolution toward host specificity. seven-hundred and eighty strains of e. coli were isolated from 15 different animal hosts. we utilized logic regression for analyzing dna sequence data of three intergen ...	2015	26115845
influence of habitat and intrinsic characteristics on survival of neonatal pronghorn.	increased understanding of the influence of habitat (e.g., composition, patch size) and intrinsic (e.g., age, birth mass) factors on survival of neonatal pronghorn (antilocapra americana) is a prerequisite to successful management programs, particularly as they relate to population dynamics and the role of population models in adaptive species management. nevertheless, few studies have presented empirical data quantifying the influence of habitat variables on survival of neonatal pronghorn. duri ...	2015	26630484
weather and prey predict mammals' visitation to water.	throughout many arid lands of africa, australia and the united states, wildlife agencies provide water year-round for increasing game populations and enhancing biodiversity, despite concerns that water provisioning may favor species more dependent on water, increase predation, and reduce biodiversity. in part, understanding the effects of water provisioning requires identifying why and when animals visit water. employing this information, by matching water provisioning with use by target species ...	2015	26560518
how scent and nectar influence floral antagonists and mutualists.	many plants attract and reward pollinators with floral scents and nectar, respectively, but these traits can also incur fitness costs as they also attract herbivores. this dilemma, common to most flowering plants, could be solved by not producing nectar and/or scent, thereby cheating pollinators. both nectar and scent are highly variable in native populations of coyote tobacco, nicotiana attenuata, with some producing no nectar at all, uncorrelated with the tobacco's main floral attractant, benz ...	2015	26132861
impacts of mesopredator control on conservation of mesopredators and their prey.	declining large carnivore populations, increased habitat fragmentation, declining interests in fur trapping, and other anthropogenic factors can all lead to increased mesopredator populations and these may negatively impact biodiversity. lethal mesopredator control potentially mitigates some of these effects but can be controversial, largely because impacts on mesopredator populations have not been evaluated. estimating these impacts may reduce controversies while increasing our understanding of ...	2015	26361211
space use and habitat selection by resident and transient coyotes (canis latrans).	little information exists on coyote (canis latrans) space use and habitat selection in the southeastern united states and most studies conducted in the southeast have been carried out within small study areas (e.g., ≤1,000 km2). therefore, studying the placement, size, and habitat composition of coyote home ranges over broad geographic areas could provide relevant insights regarding how coyote populations adjust to regionally varying ecological conditions. despite an increasing number of studies ...	2015	26148130
urbanization, grassland, and diet influence coyote (canis latrans) parasitism structure.	land use change can alter the ecological mechanisms that influence infectious disease exposure in animal populations. however, few studies have empirically integrated the environmental, spatial, and dietary patterns of wildlife epidemiology. we investigate how urbanization, habitat type, and dietary behavior are associated with coyote (canis latrans) parasitism structure along a gradient of rural to urban land cover using multivariate redundancy analyses. coyote fecal samples were collected in e ...	2015	26122205
evaluation of trapper-collected nobuto filter-paper blood samples for distemper and parvovirus antibody detection in coyotes (canis latrans) and raccoons (procyon lotor).	blood samples are often collected from free-ranging wildlife for antibody detection. however, filter-paper (fp) strips are more cost efficient and easy to collect and store. we evaluated trapper-collected fp strips and body-cavity blood for canine distemper (cdv) and parvovirus (cpv-2) antibody detection in raccoons (procyon lotor) and coyotes (canis latrans). from 2008 to 2010, licensed trappers near madison and milwaukee, wisconsin, us collected paired samples from harvested animals. canine di ...	2015	25973631
competition on the range: science vs. perception in a bison-cattle conflict in the western usa.	1. competition between livestock and wild ungulates is commonly perceived to occur on shared rangelands. in the henry mountains (hm) of utah, a free-ranging population of bison bison bison has raised concerns among ranchers holding grazing permits on these public lands. bison are the most conspicuous potential competitors with cattle, but lagomorphs (mainly jackrabbits lepus californicus) are also abundant in this area. the local ranching community is applying political pressure on state and fed ...	2015	25960573
seasonal effects of habitat on sources and rates of snowshoe hare predation in alaskan boreal forests.	survival and predation of snowshoe hares (lepus americanus) has been widely studied, yet there has been little quantification of the changes in vulnerability of hares to specific predators that may result from seasonal changes in vegetation and cover. we investigated survival and causes of mortalities of snowshoe hares during the late increase, peak, and decline of a population in interior alaska. from june 2008 to may 2012, we radio-tagged 288 adult and older juvenile hares in early successiona ...	2015	26717577
evaluating noninvasive genetic sampling techniques to estimate large carnivore abundance.	monitoring large carnivores is difficult because of intrinsically low densities and can be dangerous if physical capture is required. noninvasive genetic sampling (ngs) is a safe and cost-effective alternative to physical capture. we evaluated the utility of two ngs methods (scat detection dogs and hair sampling) to obtain genetic samples for abundance estimation of coyotes, black bears and canada lynx in three areas of newfoundland, canada. we calculated abundance estimates using program capwir ...	2015	25693632
individual variation in anthropogenic resource use in an urban carnivore.	with increasing urbanization, some animals are adapting to human-dominated systems, offering unique opportunities to study individual adaptation to novel environments. one hypothesis for why some wildlife succeed in urban areas is that they are subsidized with anthropogenic food. here, we combine individual-level movement patterns with diet composition based on stable isotope analysis to assess the degree to which a rapidly growing population of coyotes (canis latrans) in chicago consumes anthro ...	2015	25669449
balancing sample accumulation and dna degradation rates to optimize noninvasive genetic sampling of sympatric carnivores.	noninvasive genetic sampling, or noninvasive dna sampling (nds), can be an effective monitoring approach for elusive, wide-ranging species at low densities. however, few studies have attempted to maximize sampling efficiency. we present a model for combining sample accumulation and dna degradation to identify the most efficient (i.e. minimal cost per successful sample) nds temporal design for capture-recapture analyses. we use scat accumulation and faecal dna degradation rates for two sympatric ...	2015	25454561
revisiting the concept of behavior patterns in animal behavior with an example from food-caching sequences in wolves (canis lupus), coyotes (canis latrans), and red foxes (vulpes vulpes).	we discuss the history, conceptualization, and relevance of behavior patterns in modern ethology by explaining the evolution of the concepts of fixed action patterns and modal action patterns. we present the movement toward a more flexible concept of natural action sequences with significant degrees of (production and expressive) freedom. an example is presented with the food caching behavior of three canidae species: red fox (vulpes vulpes), coyote (canis latrans) and gray wolf (canis lupus). e ...	2015	25446624
anticoagulant rodenticide exposure and toxicosis in coyotes (canis latrans) in the denver metropolitan area.	anticoagulant rodenticides are widely used in urban areas to control rodent pests and are responsible for secondary poisoning in many nontarget wildlife species. we tested the livers of five coyotes (canis latrans) in the denver metropolitan area, colorado, us, for anticoagulant rodenticides. all five livers were positive for brodifacoum, with values ranging from 95 ppb to 320 ppb, and one liver was positive for bromadiolone, with a value of 885 ppb. both of these rodenticides are second-generat ...	2015	25380355
understanding human--coyote encounters in urban ecosystems using citizen science data: what do socioeconomics tell us?	the coyote (canis latrans) has dramatically expanded its range to include the cities and suburbs of the western us and those of the eastern seaboard. highly adaptable, this newcomer's success causes conflicts with residents, necessitating research to understand the distribution of coyotes in urban landscapes. citizen science can be a powerful approach toward this aim. however, to date, the few studies that have used publicly reported coyote sighting data have lacked an in-depth consideration of ...	2015	25234049
rad sequencing and genomic simulations resolve hybrid origins within north american canis.	top predators are disappearing worldwide, significantly changing ecosystems that depend on top-down regulation. conflict with humans remains the primary roadblock for large carnivore conservation, but for the eastern wolf (canis lycaon), disagreement over its evolutionary origins presents a significant barrier to conservation in canada and has impeded protection for grey wolves (canis lupus) in the usa. here, we use 127,235 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) identified from restriction-site ...	2015	26156129
single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) variation of wolves (canis lupus) in southeast alaska and comparison with wolves, dogs, and coyotes in north america.	there is considerable interest in the genetics of wolves (canis lupus) because of their close relationship to domestic dogs (c. familiaris) and the need for informed conservation and management. this includes wolf populations in southeast alaska for which we determined genotypes of 305 wolves at 173662 single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) loci. after removal of invariant and linked snp, 123801 snp were used to quantify genetic differentiation of wolves in southeast alaska and wolves, coyotes (c. ...	2015	25429025
a continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes.	top-down processes, via the direct and indirect effects of interspecific competitive killing (no consumption of the kill) or intraguild predation (consumption of the kill), can potentially influence the spatial distribution of terrestrial predators, but few studies have demonstrated the phenomenon at a continental scale. for example, in north america, grey wolves canis lupus are known to kill coyotes canis latrans, and coyotes, in turn, may kill foxes vulpes spp., but the spatial effects of thes ...	2015	24930631
a missense mutation in slc45a2 is associated with albinism in several small long haired dog breeds.	homozygosity for a large deletion in the solute carrier family 45, member 2 (slc45a2) gene causes oculocutaneous albinism (oca) in the doberman pinscher breed. an albino lhasa apso did not have this g.27141_31223del (canfam2) deletion in her slc45a2 sequence. therefore, slc45a2 was investigated in this female lhasa apso to search for other possible variants that caused her albinism. the albino lhasa apso was homozygous for a nonsynonymous substitution in the seventh exon, a c.1478g>a base change ...	2015	25790827
analysis of structural diversity in wolf-like canids reveals post-domestication variants.	although a variety of genetic changes have been implicated in causing phenotypic differences among dogs, the role of copy number variants (cnvs) and their impact on phenotypic variation is still poorly understood. further, very limited knowledge exists on structural variation in the gray wolf, the ancestor of the dog, or other closely related wild canids. documenting cnvs variation in wild canids is essential to identify ancestral states and variation that may have appeared after domestication.	2014	24923435
isotopic investigation of niche partitioning among native carnivores and the non-native coyote (canis latrans).	we employed stable carbon (δ(13)c) and nitrogen (δ(15)n) isotopes within a hypothetico-deductive framework to explore potential resource partitioning among terrestrial mammalian carnivores. isotope values were acquired using guard hair samples from bobcat (lynx rufus), coyote (canis latrans), gray fox (urocyon cinereoargenteus), and red fox (vulpes vulpes) in the adirondack park, ny, usa. enrichment along the δ(13)c axis was expected to reflect the use of human sources of food (reflecting a corn ...	2014	24666214
production of hybrids between western gray wolves and western coyotes.	using artificial insemination we attempted to produce hybrids between captive, male, western, gray wolves (canis lupus) and female, western coyotes (canis latrans) to determine whether their gametes would be compatible and the coyotes could produce and nurture offspring. the results contribute new information to an ongoing controversy over whether the eastern wolf (canis lycaon) is a valid unique species that could be subject to the u. s. endangered species act. attempts with transcervically dep ...	2014	24586418
enhanced understanding of predator-prey relationships using molecular methods to identify predator species, individual and sex.	predator species identification is an important step in understanding predator-prey interactions, but predator identifications using kill site observations are often unreliable. we used molecular tools to analyse predator saliva, scat and hair from caribou calf kills in newfoundland, canada to identify the predator species, individual and sex. we sampled dna from 32 carcasses using cotton swabs to collect predator saliva. we used fragment length analysis and sequencing of mitochondrial dna to di ...	2014	23957886
first regional evaluation of nuclear genetic diversity and population structure in northeastern coyotes ( canis latrans).	previous genetic studies of eastern coyotes ( canis latrans) are based on one of two strategies: sampling many individuals using one or very few molecular markers, or sampling very few individuals using many genomic markers. thus, a regional analysis of genetic diversity and population structure in eastern coyotes using many samples and several molecular markers is lacking. i evaluated genetic diversity and population structure in 385 northeastern coyotes using 16 common single nucleotide polymo ...	2014	25075291
climatic amplification of the numerical response of a predator population to its prey.	we evaluated evidence of an effect of climate on the numerical response of a coyote (canis latrans) population to their keystone prey, snowshoe hares (lepus americanus), in a canadian boreal forest. six a priori hypotheses of the coyote numerical response were developed that postulated linear, nonlinear, additive, and interactive effects of prey and climate. model selection procedures showed the north atlantic oscillation (nao) had the strongest effect on the coyote numerical response via its in ...	2014	25000747
coyote (canis latrans) mammalian prey diet shifts in response to seasonal vegetation change.	drylands typically have strong seasonal variation in rainfall and primary productivity. this study examines the effects of seasonal change in grass-derived resource availability on the base of the food chain of a mammalian predator. seasonal changes in live grass cover were measured in two vegetation types at the sevilleta national wildlife refuge in central new mexico, usa. non-invasive genetic sampling of scat was used to identify individuals in the local coyote (canis latrans) population. sta ...	2014	24999056
effects of maternal nutrition, resource use and multi-predator risk on neonatal white-tailed deer survival.	growth of ungulate populations is typically most sensitive to survival of neonates, which in turn is influenced by maternal nutritional condition and trade-offs in resource selection and avoidance of predators. we assessed whether resource use, multi-predator risk, maternal nutritional effects, hiding cover, or interactions among these variables best explained variation in daily survival of free-ranging neonatal white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) during their post-partum period (14 may-3 ...	2014	24968318
ecological changes in coyotes (canis latrans) in response to the ice age megafaunal extinctions.	coyotes (canis latrans) are an important species in human-inhabited areas. they control pests and are the apex predators in many ecosystems. because of their importance it is imperative to understand how environmental change will affect this species. the end of the pleistocene ice age brought with it many ecological changes for coyotes and here we statistically determine the changes that occurred in coyotes, when these changes occurred, and what the ecological consequences were of these changes. ...	2014	25551387
using dynamic brownian bridge movement modelling to measure temporal patterns of habitat selection.	accurately describing animal space use is vital to understanding how wildlife use habitat. improvements in gps technology continue to facilitate collection of telemetry data at high spatial and temporal resolutions. application of the recently introduced dynamic brownian bridge movement model (dbbmm) to such data is promising as the method explicitly incorporates the behavioural heterogeneity of a movement path into the estimated utilization distribution (ud). utilization distributions defining ...	2014	24460723
[diversity, relative abundance and activity patterns of medium and large mammals in a tropical deciduous forest in the isthmus of tehuantepec, oaxaca, mexico].	the use of camera traps and mammal track search are complementary methods to monitoring species of which is not well documented their natural history, as in the case of medium and large mammals. to ensure its conservation and good management, it is necessary to generate information about the structure of the community and their populations. the objective of the present study was to estimate the diversity, relative abundance and activity patterns of medium and large mammals in a tropical deciduou ...	2014	25720178
a rapid field test for sylvatic plague exposure in wild animals.	plague surveillance is routinely conducted to predict future epizootics in wildlife and exposure risk for humans. the most common surveillance method for sylvatic plague is detection of antibodies to yersinia pestis f1 capsular antigen in sentinel animals, such as coyotes (canis latrans). current serologic tests for y. pestis, hemagglutination (ha) test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), are expensive and labor intensive. to address this need, we developed a complete lateral flow dev ...	2014	24484483
serologic survey of antibodies to trypanosoma cruzi in coyotes and red foxes from pennsylvania and tennessee.	trypanosoma cruzi is a zoonotic parasite of humans and other mammalian hosts with distribution throughout the americas. domestic and wild canine species are reservoirs for human t. cruzi infections. the present study examined the prevalence of antibodies to t. cruzi in wild canids from the united states. sera from 13 red foxes (vulpes vulpes) and 263 coyotes (canis latrans), originating in pennsylvania and tennessee, were assayed for antibodies to t. cruzi with immunochromatographic tests. antib ...	2014	25632700
prevalence and characterization of escherichia coli and salmonella strains isolated from stray dog and coyote feces in a major leafy greens production region at the united states-mexico border.	in 2010, romaine lettuce grown in southern arizona was implicated in a multi-state outbreak of escherichia coli o145:h28 infections. this was the first known shiga toxin-producing e. coli (stec) outbreak traced to the southwest desert leafy green vegetable production region along the united states-mexico border. limited information exists on sources of stec and other enteric zoonotic pathogens in domestic and wild animals in this region. according to local vegetable growers, unleashed or stray d ...	2014	25412333
isolation of viable neospora caninum from brains of wild gray wolves (canis lupus).	neospora caninum is a common cause of abortion in cattle worldwide. canids, including the dog and the dingo (canis familiaris), the coyote (canis latrans), and the gray wolf (canis lupus) are its definitive hosts that can excrete environmentally resistant oocysts in the environment, but also can act as intermediate hosts, harboring tissue stages of the parasite. in an attempt to isolate viable n. caninum from tissues of naturally infected wolves, brain and heart tissue from 109 wolves from minne ...	2014	24522164
using molecular epidemiology to track toxoplasma gondii from terrestrial carnivores to marine hosts: implications for public health and conservation.	environmental transmission of the zoonotic parasite toxoplasma gondii, which is shed only by felids, poses risks to human and animal health in temperate and tropical ecosystems. atypical t. gondii genotypes have been linked to severe disease in people and the threatened population of california sea otters. to investigate land-to-sea parasite transmission, we screened 373 carnivores (feral domestic cats, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes, and coyotes) for t. gondii infection and examined the distrib ...	2014	24874796
genotyping toxoplasma gondii from wildlife in pennsylvania and identification of natural recombinants virulent to mice.	recent studies indicated the predominance of toxoplasma gondii haplogroup 12 in wildlife in the usa. however, still little is known of the genetic diversity of this parasite circulating in wildlife. in the present study, we tested coyotes (canis latrans), red foxes (vulpes vulpes), white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus), and geese (branta canadensis) from the state of pennsylvania for t. gondii infection. antibodies to t. gondii were found in 160 of 367 animals, including 92 (34.5%) of 266 c ...	2014	24332401
taenia ovis infection and its control: a canadian perspective.	distributed worldwide, taenia ovis infection is responsible for the condemnation of sheep carcasses in many countries. this review highlights the programme used in new zealand to successfully control t. ovis in sheep, and discusses how similar approaches may be modified for use in canada, given what is currently known about the epidemiology of t. ovis. the lifecycle of the parasite is well known, involving dogs as the definitive host and sheep or goats as the intermediate host. an effective vacc ...	2014	24053136
serologic survey for cross-species pathogens in urban coyotes (canis latrans), colorado, usa.	abstract as coyotes (canis latrans) adapt to living in urban environments, the opportunity for cross-species transmission of pathogens may increase. we investigated the prevalence of antibodies to pathogens that are either zoonotic or affect multiple animal species in urban coyotes in the denver metropolitan area, colorado, usa, in 2012. we assayed for antibodies to canine parvovirus-2, canine distemper virus, rabies virus, toxoplasma gondii, yersinia pestis, and serotypes of leptospira interrog ...	2014	25121408
parasitology, virology, and serology of free-ranging coyotes (canis latrans) from central georgia, usa.	we examined 31 free-ranging coyotes (canis latrans) from central georgia, usa, for select parasites and viral agents. sixteen coyotes had adult heartworms (dirofilaria immitis). serum samples from 27 animals revealed antibodies against canine parvovirus (100%), canine distemper virus (48%), canine adenovirus (37%), and trypanosoma cruzi (7%); none were detected against leishmania spp. twenty-two of 24 (92%) coyotes were positive for toxoplasma gondii. real-time pcr of feces revealed 32% of coyot ...	2014	25098300
unexpected diversity of the cestode echinococcus multilocularis in wildlife in canada.	echinococcus multilocularis is a zoonotic cestode with a distribution encompassing the northern hemisphere that causes alveolar hydatid disease in people and other aberrant hosts. e. multilocularis is not genetically uniform across its distribution, which may have implications for zoonotic transmission and pathogenicity. recent findings of a european-type haplotype of e. multilocularis in wildlife in one location in western canada motivated a broader survey of the diversity of this parasite in w ...	2014	25161905
egg intensity and freeze-thawing of fecal samples affect sensitivity of echinococcus multilocularis detection by pcr.	echinococcus multilocularis is one of the most relevant zoonotic parasites with about 18,000 human cases per year. its detection in wild host is crucial for disease prevention. the present study aimed to determine factors affecting the sensitivity of e. multilocularis detection by pcr using dna extracted from fecal samples of coyotes (canis latrans). fecal samples were screened for the presence of taeniidae eggs through centrifugation and sedimentation. dna was extracted from fecal samples with ...	2014	25082017
spatial heterogeneity and temporal variations in echinococcus multilocularis infections in wild hosts in a north american urban setting.	echinococcus multilocularis, the causative agent of human alveolar echinococcosis, has the potential to circulate in urban areas where wild host populations and humans coexist. the spatial and temporal distribution of infection in wild hosts locally affects the risk of transmission to humans. we investigated the spatial and temporal patterns of e. multilocularis infection in coyotes and rodent intermediate hosts within the city of calgary, canada, and the association between spatial variations i ...	2014	24747533
factors influencing u.s. canine heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) prevalence.	this paper examines the individual factors that influence prevalence rates of canine heartworm in the contiguous united states. a data set provided by the companion animal parasite council, which contains county-by-county results of over nine million heartworm tests conducted during 2011 and 2012, is analyzed for predictive structure. the goal is to identify the factors that are important in predicting high canine heartworm prevalence rates.	2014	24906567
detection of leptospira spp. in wildlife reservoir hosts in ontario through comparison of immunohistochemical and polymerase chain reaction genotyping methods.	a total of 460 kidney samples from wildlife (beavers, coyotes, deer, foxes, opossums, otters, raccoons, skunks) were obtained from road-kill and hunter/trapper donations in ontario between january 2010 and november 2012. the objectives of the study were to detect leptospira spp. by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (pcr), to map presence of leptospires in wildlife relative to livestock and human populations, and to characterize positive samples by sequencing and comparison to le ...	2014	24587507
experimental infection of dogs with various bartonella species or subspecies isolated from their natural reservoir.	dogs can be infected by a wide variety of bartonella species. however, limited data is available on experimental infection of dogs with bartonella strains isolated from domestic animals or wildlife. we report the inoculation of six dogs with bartonella henselae (feline strain 94022, 16s rrna type ii) in three sets of two dogs, each receiving a different inoculum dose), four dogs inoculated with b. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii type i (atcc strain, one mongrel dog) or type ii (coyote strain, two bea ...	2014	24315039
data on the parasitological status of golden jackal (canis aureus l., 1758) in hungary.	in hungary, twenty canis aureus individuals were submitted to parasitological examinations in 2010-2012. two coccidia: cystoisospora canis (15%) and toxoplasma-type oocysts (5%), one trematoda: alaria alata (10%), six cestoda: mesocestoides lineatus (20%), echinococcus granulosus (10%), dipylidium caninums (5%), taenia hydatigena (15%), taenia pisiformis (20%), taenia crassiceps (40%), and nine nematoda: angiostrongylus vasorum (10%), crenosoma vulpis (30%), capillaria aerophila (5%), toxocara c ...	2014	24334089
zoonotic bartonella species in cardiac valves of healthy coyotes, california, usa.	we investigated whether bartonella spp. could cause endocarditis in coyotes or localize to cardiac valves before lesions develop. bartonella dna was amplified more often from coyote cardiac valves than spleen. bartonella infection apparently leads to cardiac valve tropism, which could cause endocarditis, an often lethal complication in mammals, including humans.	2014	25418213
discovery of new populations and dna barcoding of the arapahoe snowfly arsapnia arapahoe (plecoptera: capniidae).	the arapahoe snowfly, arsapnia arapahoe (nelson & kondratieff)was recently discovered in six different first-order streams outside of the cache la poudre river basin where it was previously considered endemic. specimens of a. arapahoe were always collected in much lower relative abundance, 1.09% (±2.3sd), than other sympatric adult capniids. the first mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (dna) barcodes for a. arapahoe and a. coyote (nelson & baumann) are presented and compared with those of a. de ...	2014	25283651
impact of non-native terrestrial mammals on the structure of the terrestrial mammal food web of newfoundland, canada.	the island of newfoundland is unique because it has as many non-native terrestrial mammals as native ones. the impacts of non-native species on native flora and fauna can be profound and invasive species have been identified as one of the primary drivers of species extinction. few studies, however, have investigated the effects of a non-native species assemblage on community and ecosystem properties. we reviewed the literature to build the first terrestrial mammal food web for the island of newf ...	2014	25170923
perceived damage and areas of needed research for wildlife pests of california agriculture.	many wildlife species cause extensive damage to a variety of agricultural commodities in california, with estimates of damage in the hundreds of millions annually. given the limited availability of resources to solve all human-wildlife conflicts, we should focus management efforts on issues that provide the greatest benefit to agricultural commodities in california. this survey provides quantitative data on research needs to better guide future efforts in developing more effective, practical and ...	2014	24952967
a body, a dog, and a fistful of scats.	dogs and coyotes are the most frequently reported canids responsible for scavenging human remains. we present the case of a 90-year-old woman whose mummified body was found in her home showing partial destruction of the thorax and extremities and absence of the cranium. the victim lived with a beagle dog whose dead body was also found, along with abundant scats throughout the house. scavenging by the decedent's pet was the proposed hypothesis for the partial dismemberment and consumption of her ...	2014	24852762
a protected area influences genotype-specific survival and the structure of a canis hybrid zone.	it is widely recognized that protected areas can strongly influence ecological systems and that hybridization is an important conservation issue. however, previous studies have not explicitly considered the influence of protected areas on hybridization dynamics. eastern wolves are a species of special concern and their distribution is largely restricted to a protected population in algonquin provincial park (app), ontario, canada, where they are the numerically dominant canid. we studied intrins ...	2014	24669720
impacts from control operations on a recreationally hunted feral swine population at a large military installation in florida.	feral swine were targeted for control at avon park air force range in south-central florida to avert damage to sensitive wetland habitats on the 40,000-ha base. we conducted a 5-year study to assess impacts from control to this population that had been recreationally hunted for many years. control was initiated in early 2009. the feral swine population was monitored from 2008 to 2012 using a passive tracking index (pti) during the dry and wet seasons and using recreational hunter take rates from ...	2014	24622991
postfeeding larval dispersal behavior of late season blow flies (calliphoridae) in southern ontario, canada.	postfeeding dispersal involves migration of larvae away from their food source in order to pupate. puparia are difficult to find, yet are important for estimating pmi, and missing puparia during collection can result in inaccurate estimations. this study investigates the late season maggot dispersal patterns for blow flies at coyote carcasses in two habitats with an aim to improving puparia collection procedures. puparia samples collected from various dispersal distances and directions tested th ...	2014	24602116
natural history-driven, plant-mediated rnai-based study reveals cyp6b46's role in a nicotine-mediated antipredator herbivore defense.	manduca sexta (ms) larvae are known to efficiently excrete ingested nicotine when feeding on their nicotine-producing native hostplant, nicotiana attenuata. here we describe how ingested nicotine is co-opted for larval defense by a unique mechanism. plant-mediated rnai was used to silence a midgut-expressed, nicotine-induced cytochrome p450 6b46 (cyp6b46) in larvae consuming transgenic n. attenuata plants producing mscyp6b46 dsrna. these and transgenic nicotine-deficient plants were planted into ...	2014	24379363
assessment of coyote-wolf-dog admixture using ancestry-informative diagnostic snps.	the evolutionary importance of hybridization as a source of new adaptive genetic variation is rapidly gaining recognition. hybridization between coyotes and wolves may have introduced adaptive alleles into the coyote gene pool that facilitated an expansion in their geographic range and dietary niche. furthermore, hybridization between coyotes and domestic dogs may facilitate adaptation to human-dominated environments. we genotyped 63 ancestry-informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 427 ca ...	2014	24148003
zwicknia gen. n., a new genus for the capnia bifrons species group, with descriptions of three new species based on morphology, drumming signals and molecular genetics, and a synopsis of the west palaearctic and nearctic genera of capniidae (plecoptera).	zwicknia murányi, gen. n. is erected for the capnia bifrons species group sensu zhiltzova, 2001 with the description of three new species based on morphology, mating call, and the mitochondrial dna marker cytochrome c oxidase i: z. acuta murányi & orci, sp. n., z. kovacsi murányi & gamboa, sp. n. and z. rupprechti murányi, orci & gamboa, sp. n.. zwicknia bifrons (newman, 1838) comb. n. is selected as the type species and redescribed. the other three species placed into zwicknia, gen. n., z. seva ...	2014	24943267
impact of high predation risk on genome-wide hippocampal gene expression in snowshoe hares.	the population dynamics of snowshoe hares (lepus americanus) are fundamental to the ecosystem dynamics of canada's boreal forest. during the 8- to 11-year population cycle, hare densities can fluctuate up to 40-fold. predators in this system (lynx, coyotes, great-horned owls) affect population numbers not only through direct mortality but also through sublethal effects. the chronic stress hypothesis posits that high predation risk during the decline severely stresses hares, leading to greater st ...	2014	25234370
recommended survey designs for occupancy modelling using motion-activated cameras: insights from empirical wildlife data.	motion-activated cameras are a versatile tool that wildlife biologists can use for sampling wild animal populations to estimate species occurrence. occupancy modelling provides a flexible framework for the analysis of these data; explicitly recognizing that given a species occupies an area the probability of detecting it is often less than one. despite the number of studies using camera data in an occupancy framework, there is only limited guidance from the scientific literature about survey des ...	2014	25210658
coyotes, deer, and wildflowers: diverse evidence points to a trophic cascade.	spatial gradients in human activity, coyote activity, deer activity, and deer herbivory provide an unusual type of evidence for a trophic cascade. activity of coyotes, which eat young mule deer (fawns), decreased with proximity to a remote biological field station, indicating that these predators avoided an area of high human activity. in contrast, activity of adult female deer (does) and intensity of herbivory on palatable plant species both increased with proximity to the station and were posi ...	2014	24728614
comparison of techniques of detecting immunoglobulin-binding protein reactivity to immunoglobulin produced by different avian and mammalian species.	the rationale of this study was to use several immunological assays to investigate the reactivity of immunoglobulin binding protein (ibp) to immunoglobulins from various avian and mammalian species. the ibp studied were staphylococcal protein a (spa), streptococcal protein g (spg), peptostreptococcal protein l (spl) and recombinant protein la (spla). the various immunological techniques used were double immunodiffusion (ouchterlony technique) that tested positive high protein reactivities, direc ...	2013	24171322
coyotes in the crosswalks? fuggedaboutit!		2013	24137844
y-chromosome evidence supports asymmetric dog introgression into eastern coyotes.	hybridization has played an important role in the evolutionary history of canis species in eastern north america. genetic evidence of coyote-dog hybridization based on mitochondrial dna (mtdna) is lacking compared to that based on autosomal markers. this discordance suggests dog introgression into coyotes has potentially been male biased, but this hypothesis has not been formally tested. therefore, we investigated biparentally, maternally, and paternally inherited genetic markers in a sample of ...	2013	24101990
population ecology of free-roaming cats and interference competition by coyotes in urban parks.	free-roaming cats are a common element of urban landscapes worldwide, often causing controversy regarding their impacts on ecological systems and public health. we monitored cats within natural habitat fragments in the chicago metropolitan area to characterize population demographics, disease prevalence, movement patterns and habitat selection, in addition to assessing the possible influence of coyotes on cats. the population was dominated by adults of both sexes, and 24% of adults were in repro ...	2013	24058699
adaptive introgression in animals: examples and comparison to new mutation and standing variation as sources of adaptive variation.	adaptive genetic variation has been thought to originate primarily from either new mutation or standing variation. another potential source of adaptive variation is adaptive variants from other (donor) species that are introgressed into the (recipient) species, termed adaptive introgression. here, the various attributes of these three potential sources of adaptive variation are compared. for example, the rate of adaptive change is generally thought to be faster from standing variation, slower fr ...	2013	23906376
ultrastructural characterization of male and female physaloptera rara (spirurida: physalopteridae): feline stomach worms.	physaloptera rara (spirurida: physalopteridae) has been found in dogs, coyotes, raccoons, wolves, foxes, cats, and bobcats in north america. the parasites' developmental cycles involve insects, including beetles, cockroaches, and crickets, as intermediate hosts. the nematodes firmly attach to the wall of the stomach and duodenum, where they feed on the mucosa and suck blood. frequent movement of these nematodes results in erosions and ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract. the present study repor ...	2013	23455940
aleutian mink disease virus in furbearing mammals in nova scotia, canada.	aleutian mink disease virus (amdv) is widespread among ranched and free-ranging american mink in canada, but there is no information on its prevalence in other wild animal species. this paper describes the prevalence of amdv of 12 furbearing species in nova scotia (ns), canada.	2013	23394546
prevalence of antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsia spp. and ehrlichia spp. in coyotes (canis latrans) in oklahoma and texas, usa.	coyotes (canis latrans) are commonly infested with ticks, including amblyomma americanum, the predominant vector of ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia ewingii; dermacentor variabilis, an important vector of rickettsia rickettsii; and amblyomma maculatum, a major vector of rickettsia parkeri, a spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsia. to determine the degree to which coyotes are infected with or exposed to tick-borne bacterial disease agents, serum samples collected from coyotes in oklahoma and tex ...	2013	23778619
establishment of a european-type strain of echinococcus multilocularis in canadian wildlife.	in 2009, a haplotype closely related to european strains of echinococcus multilocularis was detected in a dog from the quesnel region of british columbia, canada. we now report the establishment of this same haplotype in 7 coyotes (canis latrans) trapped within 40 km of quesnel, bc. in addition, 3 coyotes and 1 red fox (vulpes vulpes) harboured adult cestodes morphologically compatible with that of e. multilocularis (overall prevalence 33% in 33 carnivores). none of 156 potential intermediate ho ...	2013	23714582
fecal shedding of toxocara canis and other parasites in foxes and coyotes on prince edward island, canada.	knowledge of parasites shed by wild canids can assist in recognizing risk to human and domestic animal health. our aim was to estimate the prevalence of patent infections with toxocara canis and other parasites in foxes (vulpes vulpes) and coyotes (canis latrans) in prince edward island, canada. identification of parasite species was based on microscopic examination of feces, with the use of a sucrose fecal flotation method. sample collection was performed in winter on carcasses of 271 and 185 h ...	2013	23568915
frequent cross-species transmission of parvoviruses among diverse carnivore hosts.	although parvoviruses are commonly described in domestic carnivores, little is known about their biodiversity in nondomestic species. a phylogenetic analysis of vp2 gene sequences from puma, coyote, gray wolf, bobcat, raccoon, and striped skunk revealed two major groups related to either feline panleukopenia virus ("fpv-like") or canine parvovirus ("cpv-like"). cross-species transmission was commonplace, with multiple introductions into each host species but, with the exception of raccoons, rela ...	2013	23221559
genetic diversity of hepatozoon spp. in coyotes from the south-central united states.	to better define the strains and species of hepatozoon that infect coyotes in the south-central united states, whole blood and muscle samples were collected from 44 coyotes from 6 locations in oklahoma and texas. samples were evaluated by a nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr) using primers amplifying a variable region of the apicomplexan 18s rrna gene as well as histopathology (muscle only) for presence of tissue cysts. hepatozoon spp. infections were identified in 79.5% (35/44) of coyotes te ...	2013	22924920
neospora caninum exposure in overlapping populations of coyotes (canis latrans) and feral swine (sus scrofa).	limited information exists on neospora caninum transmission dynamics in wildlife. this coccidian parasite, whose presence can lead to substantial economic losses in cattle operations, requires a canid definitive host for reproduction. we examined exposure in a definitive host, coyotes (canis latrans), and in overlapping populations of feral swine (sus scrofa) to determine if spatial proximity between a definitive and incidental host influences the likelihood of parasite exposure. eighteen percen ...	2013	24502735
oslerus osleri (metastrongyloidea; filaroididae) in gray wolves (canis lupus) from banff national park, alberta, canada.	oslerus osleri is a filaroid parasite of the respiratory tract of canids. in north america, it is most commonly reported from coyotes (canis latrans) and domestic dogs (canis lupus familiaris), but reports in gray wolves (canis lupus) are infrequent. we report a new geographic record for o. osleri in four gray wolves from banff national park, alberta, canada. adult nematodes found in nodules in the submucosa of the trachea and bronchi were identified as o. osleri based on morphometry of spicules ...	2013	23568921