RE: NANFA-- 2 interesting articles in new Copeia

Denkhaus, Robert (DenkhaR_at_Ci.Fort-Worth.TX.US)
Mon, 18 Feb 2002 15:51:18 -0600

Another interesting article in the new issue has nothing to do with fish but
does relate to many of our collecting activities. The article, "Defensive
Behavior of Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) toward Humans by Gibbons
and Dorcas, describes field tests with 45 snakes. According to the paper,
20% escaped immediately, the other 80% (36 snakes) were subjected to three
tests: being stood beside (with snakeproof boots), being stepped on (again,
with boots), or being picked up by a set of snake tongs modified to resemble
a human arm. The good news is that encounters with cottonmouths present a
higher probability of not being bitten than that of being bitten. None of
those that were stood beside (13 snakes) attempted to bite. Only 2 of 22
snakes that were stepped on attempted to bite but 13 of 36 of those picked
up bit the artificial hand did bite. BUT, most of these bites appeared to
be "dry bites" where very little or no venom is injected.

So, those of us that collect in cottonmouth territory can relax as long as
we don't try to pick any up!

Rob Denkhaus
Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bruce Stallsmith
> Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2002 3:19 PM
> To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> Subject: NANFA-- 2 interesting articles in new Copeia
>
>
> I received the new Copeia yesterday, vol. 2002 no. 1. Two
> articles in it
> would be of interest to NANFA peoples. The first is "Phylogenetic
> Relationships of _Percina_ (Percidae: Etheostomatinae)" by
> Thomas Near, pp.
> 1-14. He tested the hypothesis that the genus _Percina_ is
> monophyletic (a
> good genus) by examining the cytochrome b genes of all member
> species. His
> analysis supports the monophyly of _Percina_, and
> interestingly he also
> states his opinion that these are not ancestral "primitive"
> darters contrary
> to current wisdom.
>
> And Kenneth Lazara on pp. 227-228 writes of the saga of the
> reorganization
> of _Fundulus cingulatus_ into _F. auroguttatus_ and _F.
> rubrifrons_ and why,
> because of a number of mistakes, _auroguttatus_ should revert to
> _cingulatus_ which he has petitioned the ICZN to approve.
>
> There's also a biographic tribute to the late W.L. Minckley.
>
> --Bruce Stallsmith
> Huntsville, AL, US of A
>
>
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/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org