Christopher Beachy, Clifford Fontenot

The salamander family Amphiumidae is intriguing for several reasons. It is species poor (three species), includes two gigantized species (A. means and A. tridactylum), and is likely the sister taxon to the species rich and widespread family Plethodontidae. All three species of Amphiuma are generally paedomorphic in the sense that most of the tissue/organs fail to undergo metamorphosis. However, the gills of Amphiuma experience metamorphosis: they are resorbed after a brief larval period. Little is known about this larval period for all three species because eggs and hatchling/young Amphiuma are either unknown or rare. For A. means, gill resorption has been observed to occur 7-14 days after hatching. We were fortunate to see a herp group report of a found egg clutch of A. tridactylum. We obtained this egg clutch on 19 November 2023 and have used the eggs and hatchlings in a series of experiments. In this report we tested the hypothesis that timing to gill resorption can be influenced by growth and inundation. Upon hatching, we placed individual larvae in three treatments: fed and immersed in water, not fed and immersed in water, and not fed and not immersed in water. We tested that (1) growth history influences metamorphic timing and (2) metamorphosis can develop whether larvae are immersed in standing water or not. Nearly all animals (40 of 42) metamorphosed fully. These results will have significant meaning.

Tanner Broussard, Joseph Hinton, Justin Hoffman

Coyotes (Canis latrans) along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana have been referred to as Gulf Coast canids because they share genetic similarities with the extirpated red wolf (Canis rufus) and are similar in size to known red wolf-coyote hybrids. Thus, these individuals may represent a unique hybrid population. The objectives of this research are to investigate coyote spatial ecology, survival, genetic variation, diet, and disease prevalence. During 2024-2026, coyotes were captured in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas using foothold traps with offset jaws. For each individual, external measurements and blood samples were collected, and a GPS collar was fitted to their neck. Each collar is programmed to collect 4-6 locations/day until collar failure (1–2 years). Currently, thirty coyotes (14 M, 16 F) have been collected. Mean external measurements are: hind foot length (19.97 ± 1.06), body mass (15.69 kg ± 2.51), skull width (9.13 cm ± 0.90), shoulder height (60.05 ± 3.45) and tail length (35.89 cm ± 2.95). Preliminary morphometric data from this population is similar to known coyote-red wolf hybrids, although skull width is smaller than that of typical eastern coyotes. Future research will continue to trap and monitor additional coyotes in southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.

Emily McHugh, Billy Culver

Competition, both intraspecific and interspecific, is a strong selective pressure in all organisms, and those that are efficient competitors generally have an advantage in reproductive success. In this study, we focus on competitive behaviors in black widow and brown widow spiders (Latrodectus geometricus). Black widow spiders are ubiquitous in the United States, and three different species can be found: Latrodectus mactans, Latrodectus variolus, and Latrodectus hesperus. In Louisiana, all three have been observed, along with the brown widow spider. The brown widow spider is an invasive species that was introduced to the southeastern United States. Studies have provided support that brown widow spiders are having a negative impact on native widow species, often showing a higher reproductive success than that of black widow populations. Brown widows have also been found to replace black widow populations entirely. We suspect that competition among these spiders would strongly affect the toxicity of their venom and their behaviors in wrapping their prey. To test this hypothesis, we looked for variation in venom toxicity and wrapping behaviors in these spider species. Our trials show significant differences in wrapping behavior and venom toxicity among these spiders, with brown widows having a significantly more venomous bite and more efficient wrapping behavior. This could explain why black widow populations have been entirely replaced by brown widows.

Richard Condrey

For six days in June 1933, two accomplished ornithologists (19-year-old, LSU undergraduate Geroge Lowery and extension agent John S. Campbell) searched unsuccessfully for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers (IBWOs) in Louisiana’s 81,000-acre Singer Preserve along the Tensas River. Joined by J.J. Kuhn (warden/guide) and Lowery’s father, the search resumed on Christmas Day 1933. Suddenly “when things looked most discouraging—it happened—” they heard, then saw “two males and two females [IBWOs] feeding energetically on a dead tree”.  This effort led to Lowery’s four-part hypothesis that: the Preserve was “in the very heart of this primeval forest” where “wild life is apparently just as plentiful as ever”, IBWOs “occur in small numbers…[perhaps] a dozen”, “it would not be surprising to find them [IBWOs] rather sparingly up and down the alluvial swamps of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers”, and Louisiana “is doing its part” to give IBWO “unlimited protection… and, we hope, [a chance to] survive” (Lowery, G. 1935. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Louisiana. Proceedings of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences 2:84-86).

Here we test Lowery’s hypothesis and propose our own:  Lowery’s paper supports the argument that the Proceedings should be fully accessible to internet search engines.