2017
BETTER RED THAN DEAD?
Both Garter Snakes and American Toads become more red as you travel farther north in Ontario. Why? Does it have anything to do with the cold temperatures these animals face in the north? Or bird predators that spend their winters in the tropics? Is it better to be red than dead?
Mills P.B. 2017. Better Red than Dead? The Canadian Herpetologist 7(1): 5-10.
Both Garter Snakes and American Toads become more red as you travel farther north in Ontario. Why? Does it have anything to do with the cold temperatures these animals face in the north? Or bird predators that spend their winters in the tropics? Is it better to be red than dead?
Mills P.B. 2017. Better Red than Dead? The Canadian Herpetologist 7(1): 5-10.
| Better Red Than Dead.pdf |
2016
THE SPOTTED SALAMANDER (AMBYSTOMA MACULATUM) CAN OVERWINTER IN LARVAL FORM
In December 2015 I found five larval Spotted Salamanders in a forest-pool in central Parry Sound District. Typically this species would have completed metamorphosis by this time and would overwinter in the terrestrial form. This phenomenon has also been noted from Nova Scotia and a few American States. It appears this is the first documented record for Ontario. Larvae likely forego metamorphosis and spend the winter in the water when cold water temperatures over the summer period inhibit normal growth rates.
Mills P.B. 2016. An instance of the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) overwintering in the larval form in south-central Ontario. The Canadian Herpetologist 6(2): 23-24.
In December 2015 I found five larval Spotted Salamanders in a forest-pool in central Parry Sound District. Typically this species would have completed metamorphosis by this time and would overwinter in the terrestrial form. This phenomenon has also been noted from Nova Scotia and a few American States. It appears this is the first documented record for Ontario. Larvae likely forego metamorphosis and spend the winter in the water when cold water temperatures over the summer period inhibit normal growth rates.
Mills P.B. 2016. An instance of the Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) overwintering in the larval form in south-central Ontario. The Canadian Herpetologist 6(2): 23-24.
| Overwintering Spotted Salamander Larvae.pdf |
POST-GLACIAL COLONIZATION OF THE GREAT LAKES BY THE MUDPUPPY
Mudpuppies entered the Great Lakes Basin from their Mississippi River refugia from a temporary riverine connection at ancient Lake Michigan between four and five thousand years ago. From there, they colonized Ancient Lakes Superior and Huron as well as the Mattawa and Ottawa River Systems. Access to Lake Ontario was available once the St. Lawrence system was reached. Later, colonization into Lake Erie was made possible by changing outlet flow conditions. The Mudpuppy's current range has been dictated by this pattern and subsequent upstream immigration, but is halted at significant barriers like waterfalls. Attached below is also a companion to help with the interpretation of lake levels and outlet flow [from Clark et al. 2012].
Mills P.B., and D.J.E. Hill. 2016. Ancient lake maxima and substrate-dependent riverine migration have defined the range of the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in southern Ontario following the Wisconsinan Glaciation. Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(2): 158-163.
Mudpuppies entered the Great Lakes Basin from their Mississippi River refugia from a temporary riverine connection at ancient Lake Michigan between four and five thousand years ago. From there, they colonized Ancient Lakes Superior and Huron as well as the Mattawa and Ottawa River Systems. Access to Lake Ontario was available once the St. Lawrence system was reached. Later, colonization into Lake Erie was made possible by changing outlet flow conditions. The Mudpuppy's current range has been dictated by this pattern and subsequent upstream immigration, but is halted at significant barriers like waterfalls. Attached below is also a companion to help with the interpretation of lake levels and outlet flow [from Clark et al. 2012].
Mills P.B., and D.J.E. Hill. 2016. Ancient lake maxima and substrate-dependent riverine migration have defined the range of the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in southern Ontario following the Wisconsinan Glaciation. Canadian Field-Naturalist 130(2): 158-163.
| Ancient lake shape and dispersal define the range of the Mudpuppy in Ontario |
| Lake Level Companion from Clark et al. 2012 |
THE SPRING SALAMANDER IN ONTARIO
The Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) is substantiated in Ontario from a single collection record from the Niagara River in 1877. This piece in The Canadian Herpetologist reviews this record and suggests that we should have very low confidence in stating this collection record is valid. It is highly questionable whether this species deserves its formalized "Extirpated" status as designated currently by COSEWIC.
Mills P.B. 2016. The Spring Salamander in Ontario. The Canadian Herpetologist 6(1): 15-16.
The Spring Salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) is substantiated in Ontario from a single collection record from the Niagara River in 1877. This piece in The Canadian Herpetologist reviews this record and suggests that we should have very low confidence in stating this collection record is valid. It is highly questionable whether this species deserves its formalized "Extirpated" status as designated currently by COSEWIC.
Mills P.B. 2016. The Spring Salamander in Ontario. The Canadian Herpetologist 6(1): 15-16.
| Spring Salamander in Ontario.pdf |
CYANOBACTERIA LIKE IT HOT
My contribution to this poster was an artistic one--I completed fourteen illustrations of various microorganims used by the research team to address their questions. Salt addition (from road maintenance operations) can lead to positive growth in cyanobacteria populations.
My contribution to this poster was an artistic one--I completed fourteen illustrations of various microorganims used by the research team to address their questions. Salt addition (from road maintenance operations) can lead to positive growth in cyanobacteria populations.
| Cyanobacteria like it hot |
2015
SOMATOCHLORA OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO
A field guide that covers thirteen of Ontario's Emerald species—rare and sought-after dragonflies that are to be found in Canada's numerous bogs and other wetlands. I wrote and illustrated this work over two years, and it was released here in the spring of 2015.
Mills P.B. 2015. Somatochlora of Southern Ontario. Peter B. Mills Natural History, Ontario, Canada.
A field guide that covers thirteen of Ontario's Emerald species—rare and sought-after dragonflies that are to be found in Canada's numerous bogs and other wetlands. I wrote and illustrated this work over two years, and it was released here in the spring of 2015.
Mills P.B. 2015. Somatochlora of Southern Ontario. Peter B. Mills Natural History, Ontario, Canada.
| Somatochlora of Southern Ontario |
DIET AND FEEDING IN TWO ONTARIO TURTLES
A collaborative paper describing the diet and feeding patterns of Painted and Snapping Turtles in Algonquin Park. My contributions included identification of emerging dragonflies that were filmed being eaten by Painted Turtles in Wolf Howl Pond. Observations I made while writing METAMORPHOSIS found that turtle predators do not induce red tail coluration to develop in gray treefrog tadpoles, as happens when these tadpoles are depredated by certain insect predators.
Moldowan P.D., M.G. Keevil, P.B. Mills, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 129(4): 403-8.
A collaborative paper describing the diet and feeding patterns of Painted and Snapping Turtles in Algonquin Park. My contributions included identification of emerging dragonflies that were filmed being eaten by Painted Turtles in Wolf Howl Pond. Observations I made while writing METAMORPHOSIS found that turtle predators do not induce red tail coluration to develop in gray treefrog tadpoles, as happens when these tadpoles are depredated by certain insect predators.
Moldowan P.D., M.G. Keevil, P.B. Mills, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 129(4): 403-8.
| Diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario |
MUDPUPPIES IN ALGONQUIN PARK
In August I found three Mudpuppies in Sec Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, and produced this short write-up regarding its status in this area.
Mills P.B. 2015. The Return of the Lost "Puppy". The Raven: A Natural and Cultural History Digest 56(4).
In August I found three Mudpuppies in Sec Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, and produced this short write-up regarding its status in this area.
Mills P.B. 2015. The Return of the Lost "Puppy". The Raven: A Natural and Cultural History Digest 56(4).
| The Return of the Lost "Puppy" |
2013
LOGGING AND FOREST FIRES INFLUENCE HOGNOSE SNAKE RANGE
Observation suggests that Hognose Snakes have undergone a range contraction in Ontario as clear-cut logging and associated fires have been quelled under modern forestry management practices. This article poses the suggestion that eliminating one force considered "bad" (fires and logging) has neutral, rather than positive, implications when a holistic perspective is used to view the situation.
Mills P.B. 2013. Gone, and in a Puff of Smoke. The Raven: A Natural and Cultural History Digest 54(4).
Observation suggests that Hognose Snakes have undergone a range contraction in Ontario as clear-cut logging and associated fires have been quelled under modern forestry management practices. This article poses the suggestion that eliminating one force considered "bad" (fires and logging) has neutral, rather than positive, implications when a holistic perspective is used to view the situation.
Mills P.B. 2013. Gone, and in a Puff of Smoke. The Raven: A Natural and Cultural History Digest 54(4).
| Gone, and in a Puff of Smoke |
