Genetic variation within a species of parasitic nematode, , in skunks.

Carnivores in the families Mustelidae and Mephitidae are essential hosts for the cranial roundworm genus . A high prevalence of has been observed in the striped skunk, . Genetic barcoding studies of other nematodes have successfully used the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial gene to analyze genetic variation and divergence.

High Frequency of Multiple Paternity in Eastern Red Bats, Lasiurus borealis, Based on Microsatellite Analysis.

Most species of bats give birth to only 1 pup each year, although Eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) can produce up to 5 pups per litter. Offspring in a single litter have been documented to be at different stages of development, suggesting that multiple paternity occurs. We tested the null hypothesis of genetic monogamy in red bats using 6 autosomal microsatellites and 1 X-linked microsatellite from 31 parent/offspring groups for a total of 128 bats.

Field Identification Key and Guide for Bats of the United States of America.

Bats are the second most speciose lineage of mammals with more than 1,300 recognized species. Overall, bats are extremely ecologically and morphologically diverse, making them of interest to a wide variety of biologists. Bats are also known reservoirs for an assortment of zoonotic diseases, including rabies, for which they are commonly tested if identified as sick, behaving abnormally, or in instances where there has been a significant human exposure.

Molecular diet analysis finds an insectivorous desert bat community dominated by resource sharing despite diverse echolocation and foraging strategies.

Interspecific differences in traits can alter the relative niche use of species within the same environment. Bats provide an excellent model to study niche use because they use a wide variety of behavioral, acoustic, and morphological traits that may lead to multi-species, functional groups. Predatory bats have been classified by their foraging location (edge, clutter, open space), ability to use aerial hawking or substrate gleaning and echolocation call design and flexibility, all of which may dictate their prey use.

Phylogeography of a widespread small carnivore, the western spotted skunk () reveals temporally variable signatures of isolation across western North America.

We analyzed phylogeographic patterns in the western spotted skunk, Merriam, 1890 (Carnivora: Mephitidae) in relation to historical events associated with Pre-Pleistocene Divergence (PPD) and Quaternary climate change (QCC) using mitochondrial DNA from 97 individuals distributed across Western North America. Divergence times were generated using BEAST to estimate when isolation in putative refugia occurred. Patterns and timing of demographic expansion was performed using Bayesian skyline plot.