We surveyed the Naval Air Station in Key West, FL, to document state-listed herpetofauna in 2 different vegetation types using 3 motion-detecting infrared cameras centered within radiating drift fences. Cameras were activated on 21 June 2021 and retrieved on 30 November 2021. Of 225,153 photos taken, 1210 were of vertebrates (603 of herpetofauna, 512 of mammals, and 95 of birds). July produced the most photographs of vertebrates per camera day (6.84/camera day), whereas August had the fewest (1.17/camera day), likely due to low precipitation. The mean time of day when vertebrate photos were taken was midday at 1247 hours. We found no Florida-listed birds or herpetofauna present on Navy lands during our camera-trap research; however, we did have 259 photos of the federally endangered Sylvilagus palustris hefneri (Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit). Additionally, 4 species of invasive herpetofauna were detected.

Varanus salvator (Asian Water Monitor) is the second largest species of lizard in the world and is a member of the Varanidae Family. This highly aquatic species can also be found in arboreal environments and is an active predator and scavenger. Originating from southeastern Asia, including parts of India, this species is common in the international pet trade. Its popularity in the pet trade has led to multiple introductions outside of their native range, making this a species of concern as potentially invasive to the southeastern US with ready access to the Caribbean and Latin America. As a generalist species that has already been identified in Florida, there is a high likelihood for establishment as an invasive species. In cases such as these, implementing early detection and rapid response for successful management of invasive species is critical. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary of natural history findings on the Asian Water Monitor, including management methods and potential ecological impacts as an invasive species.

Myotis austroriparius (Southeastern Myotis) traditionally inhabit bottomland hardwood forests along the Atlantic coastal plain and lower Mississippi River Valley. This insectivorous bat is a species of conservation concern in Alabama and Georgia and was thought to be restricted to the Southern Coastal Plain and Southeastern Plains ecoregions. Based primarily on cave, transportation-structure, and mist-netting surveys, we documented occurrences of Southeastern Myotis in 14 Alabama and 20 Georgia counties outside and along the border of the accepted range, including in the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, Interior Plateau, and Southwestern Appalachians ecoregions. We reviewed observations of bats year-round in both states, including pregnant and lactating females and winter hibernacula. Roosting sites included caves, culverts, bridges, and tree cavities. Combined, these observations provide strong evidence that the range of Southeastern Myotis should consist of all Alabama and Georgia except for the Blue Ridge ecoregion. This increase in distribution may result from increased surveying efforts and/or range expansion due to climate change, as observed in other southeastern bat species.

Meleagris gallopavo L. (Wild Turkey) is a valued game species that is sensitive to the timing of hunting seasons, which generally overlap with breeding, but can vary spatially or temporally. Here, we analyze the timing of turkey reproduction across North Carolina by examining camera-trap images collected from 527 sites over 3 years. We found a peak of male strutting behavior at Julian week 13 and, based on the age of poults photographed later in the summer, estimated the peak of egg hatching at week 22. The timing of strutting significantly varied across years but not across the 3 ecoregions of the state. Understanding turkey breeding and reproductive chronology can be useful when agencies set hunting seasons to balance the interest of hunters while minimizing potential impacts to reproduction.

The reproductive output of Malaclemys terrapin (Diamond-backed Terrapin) is highly variable across its geographic range. While much of the literature is based on populations from the Atlantic coast of the United States, little reproductive-output data exists for the Gulf of Mexico populations. We captured female Diamond-backed Terrapins in southwestern Louisiana and assessed their reproductive output using radiographic- and ultrasound-imaging techniques. X-rays identified that average clutch size was 7.2 and average egg width was 21.9 mm. We revealed a positive relationship between female size (plastron length) and both clutch size and egg width, but no relationship between egg size and clutch size. Ultrasound imaging in a subset of individuals revealed large pre-ovulatory follicles and fully shelled eggs concurrently in females, indicating the potential for at least 2 clutches annually in this region. Our results suggest Diamond-backed Terrapins in southwestern Louisiana show variation in reproductive output compared to other populations at similar latitudes, indicating the need for additional study within and between populations in the region.

Dispersal is an important factor in shaping ecosystems and patterns of biodiversity. However, animals use several different modes of dispersal, each of which can have varying impacts on the ecology and evolutionary history of a group. One of these modes is phoresy, when an animal (the phorant) will temporarily attach itself to another animal (the host) as a means of dispersal. This behavior has been described in many groups of animals, but very infrequently in the thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera). Here, we report the collection of 2 species of live thrips, Hoplothrips sp. and Neohydatothrips variabilis, from 2 species of live birds, Cardinalis cardinalis (Northern Cardinal) and Zenaida macroura (Mourning Dove), respectively, in northeast Arkansas. Most previous records of thrips associated with birds were from nesting material or found on deceased birds. The presence of thrips on live birds suggests some thrips are phoretic on birds, or at the very least that interactions between thrips and birds are more frequent than previously assumed.

Ondatra zibethicus (Common Muskrat) are often considered herbivores; however, they also eat animal matter, especially mussels, which comprise a considerable part of their diet in some populations. Common Muskrats also feed on crayfish (Astacoidea), although such behavior is poorly documented. On 21 April 2022, we observed a Common Muskrat repeatedly catching crayfish (Cambaridae) and carrying them to its den. The site in the Coldwater River National Wildlife Refuge, Quitman County, MS, consisted of a ditch with a water-control structure on the edge of a waterfowl impoundment being dewatered. The consumption of crayfish by a Common Muskrat during a time when vegetation was presumably less available has important ramifications for the management of both species.