Three new sauropod dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Colorado

From 1972 to 1982 three exceptionally large sauropod scapulocoracoids and other equally large sauropod bones were collected from the base of the Brushy Basin Member of the Upper Jurassic, Morrison Formation, in western Colorado. Two of the scapulae are conspecific, but the third represents a second genus and possibly a new family. The two conspecific specimens are described here as: Supersaurus vivianae ; the second genus is described as Ultrasaurus mcintoshi , and a large, robust anterior dorsal vertebra of unique form is described as Dystylosaurus edwini . Various miscellaneous elements are referred to the three genera.         

New species of Astragalus (Leguminosae) from Mesa County, Colorado

Named and described is Astragalus debequaeus Welsh from Mesa County, Colorado.         

Incidence of the leech Helobdella stagnalis on the Colorado River in west central Colorado

Fifty-seven fish of three genera were taken from the Colorado River in west central Colorado and examined for external parasites. No external parasites were found on Ictalurus. Seven percent of the Hybognathus and 100 percent of the Catastomus were infected with a Hirudinean of the species Helobdella stagnalis.        

Electrophoretic study of cutthroat trout populations in Utah

Thirty - nine Utah streams were sampled for cutthroat trout. Of these, 31 contain cutthroat or cutthroat / rainbow hybrid populations. By using starch gel electrophoresis, these populations were segregated into three groups. One group consisted predominately of fish from the Sevier River (of the Bonneville Basin) and Colorado drainages. A second was primarily populations from the Bear River Drainage (Bonneville Basin) as well as some scattered populations along the Wasatch Front (Bonneville Basin). The third consisted of Wasatch Front populations and populations that have hybridized with rainbow trout. Since different subspecies of cutthroat trout are native to the Colorado and Bonneville drainages, one would expect the populations from within the Bonneville Basin to be more similar to one another and less similar to the Colorado River populations. That this did not occur raises questions concerning the evolutionary relationships of the subspecies and the populations. It is clear that at least a northern (Bear River) and southern (Sevier River) form of the Bonneville cutthroat exists. The Wasatch Front may represent an intermediate zone where these two forms intergrade.         

Tundra vegetation of three cirque basins in the northern San Juan Mountains, Colorado

The vegetation of three alpine cirque basins in the northern San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado was inventoried and analyzed for the degree of specificity shown by vascular plant communities for certain types of habitats identified as representative of the basins. A total of 197 vascular plant species representing 31 families was inventoried. Growth forms of all species were noted and a growth form spectrum for all of the communities was derived. The caespitose monocot and erect dicot growth forms are the most important growth forms among the community dominants. The most common growth form among all species is the rosette dicot.           

Helminth parasites of the white-tailed jackrabbit, Lepus townsendi, from northwestern Colorado and southern Wyoming

Helminth parasites of white - tailed jackrabbits, Lepus townsendi , were surveyed from southern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado. A total of eight helminth species were identified, including two species of adult cestodes, Mosgovoyia pectinata and M. varabilis ; three species of larval cestodes, Multiceps serialis , Taenia pisiformis , and Taenis sp. ; and three species of nematodes, Dermatoxys veliger , Passalurus ambiguus , and a filariid, Micipsella brevicauda . In addition, eggs of an unidentified species of Nematodirus were found in pooled fecal samples. The cysticercus larva of Taenia sp. is a species new to science and will be reported elsewhere. Mosgovoyia varabilis and Micipsella brevicauda are new records for the white - tailed jackrabbit.         

Occurrence of the musk ox, Symbos cavifrons, from southeastern Idaho and comments on the genus Bootherium

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} A set of ovibovine horn cores collected from Pleistocene sediments in southeastern Idaho provides additional evidence for sexual dimorphism in the helmeted musk ox, Symbos cavifrons. Specimens previously assigned to Bootherium sargenti are placed in synonomy with Symbos cavifrons as sexual dimorphs (females). Bootherium bombifrons is a valid taxon and is probably not closely related to Symbos.     

Growth and reproduction of the flannelmouth sucker, Catostomus latipinnis, in the Upper Colorado River Basin, 1975-76

Growth rates estimated using the scale annuli of flannelmouth sucker, Catostomus latipinnis , did not differ between fish collected from the Gunnison and Colorado rivers, and the Green and Yampa rivers. However, body condition and fecundity were significantly greater in the former population. Age of first maturity for male and female fish from all rivers was IV; and most fish were mature by age VII. The smallest mature female collected was 405 mm, and the smallest mature male was 391 mm total length. Fecundity ranged from 4,000 ova in fish 450 mm long to 40,000 ova in a 500-mm fish: mean ovum diameter was 2.39 mm. Ripe male flannelmouth suckers were collected from early April through June; ripe females were collected from both study areas during May and early June.         

Presettlement vegetation of part of northwestern Moffat County, Colorado, described from remnants

A general botanical inventory of a part of northwestern Moffat County, Colorado, resulted in the location of “ remnants ” of the presettlement vegetation spectrum that are largely unaltered by grazing, logging, or other recent human - related land uses. The 69 samples taken from these remnants were classified into 22 plant associations. Composition, structure, environmental location, geographical range, and response to disturbance are discussed for each association, and a photograph of each is presented. Seven of the 22 associations are apparently restricted to the study area. Restricted associations occur in the more extreme environments of the study area, such as on calcareous substrata or very xeric sites. More mesic sites along ephemeral creeks, on north - facing slopes, or on sandstones support plant associations that have much wider ranges, many of them extending across the northern Great Basin.        

Ecological investigation of a suspected spawning site of Colorado squawfish on the Yampa River, Utah

On 5 July 1981, 13 adult Colorado squawfish were found in spawning condition at river mile 16.5 in the Yampa River, a major tributary to the Green River. An investigation was undertaken to quantitatively describe this section of the river to gain insights on the spawning requirements of this endangered species. The substrate at the suspected spawning site was cobble with large interstitial spaces devoid of organics, silts, or clays. It appeared that larvae of several fish species utilized these cobble areas and the associated voids. Diurnal sampling indicated that larval drift occurred between 0100 and 0125 hours. Substrate size also appeared to be a dominant factor in fish distribution. Feeding intensities of these fish corresponded to macroinvertebrate drift.         

New mites from the Yampa Valley (Acarina: Cryptostigmata: Oribatulidae, Passalozetidae)

A study was made of the soil mites from under different vegetative types near a coal - burning power plant in the Yampa Valley near Hayden, Colorado. The following new species of oribatids were found: Zygoribatula apletosa n.sp., Multoribates haydeni n.sp., Paraphauloppia cordylinosa n.sp., Passalozetes moniles n.sp.       

Floristic analysis of the southwestern United States

A study was made of the distributions of native, terrestrial, vascular plants occurring in 50 local floras from throughout the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau physiographic provinces of the southwestern United States. The objectives of the study were to objectively define and describe the floristic elements-assemblages of species with roughly coincident geographic distribution-occurring in the southwestern United States and to determine what such assemblages reveal about the floristic history of the region. The total flora (native, terrestrial species only) of the Southwest is estimated at 5,458 species, 77% of which were recorded in 1 or more of the local floras. Nearly 22% of these species are endemic to the study region. A majority of the species were found to be relatively rare. The average range of a species included only 4 floras, and 90% of the species were recorded from 11 or fewer floras; only 81 species (1.5%) were recorded from 50% or more of the floras. Trees constitute 2% of the regional flora and have the widest average distribution; perennial herbs constitute 59% of the flora and have the most restricted distributions.  Factor analysis was used to identify seven floristic elements for the region: a Great Basin element, a Mojavean element, a Colorado Plateau element, a Chihuahuan element, an Apachian element, and a Mogollon element. This factor analysis solution was shown to satisfy criteria of interpretability and consistency. The Mojavean, Colorado Plateau, and Apachian elements are believed to be autochthonous. The other four elements show high overlap in species composition with one or more adjacent regions. Each floristic element is mapped to show its geographic form and distribution. Analysis of these maps shows how the existence of objectively defined floristic elements is not contradictory to either the individualistic view of the distribution of a species or local continuity of vegetation and flora. The rarity of the majority of species and the clear association of floristic elements with rather narrowly circumscribed Holocene environments suggests that many Southwestern species have migrated little and are of rather recent, probably postglacial origin. Geographic “principles” derived from the distribution patterns of relatively few, widespread, dominant, usually woody species may not be applicable to entire, regional floras.       

New Nevada entities and combinations in Eriogonum (Polygonaceae)

New species and varieties of the plant genus Eriogonum (Polygonaceae) that occur in Nevada are proposed. Eriogonum tiehmii and E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae are endemic to Nevada, and E. lewisii is restricted to extreme northeastern Nevada and adjacent Utah. These entities belong to the subgenus Eucycla. Two varieties of E. umbellatum (of the subgenus Oligogonum) are proposed. The first, var. juniporinum , is found in eastern Nevada and in the desert ranges of southeastern California. The second is var. furcosum , which is restricted to the Sierra Nevada. One new combination is also proposed: E. nudum var. gramineum .         

The genus Eriogonum Michx. (Polygonaceae) and Michel Gandoger

New species and varieties of the plant genus Eriogonum (Polygonaceae) that occur in Nevada are proposed. Eriogonum tiehmii and E. ochrocephalum var. alexanderae are endemic to Nevada, and E. lewisii is restricted to extreme northeastern Nevada and adjacent Utah. These entities belong to the subgenus Eucycla. Two varieties of E. umbellatum (of the subgenus Oligogonum) are proposed. The first, var. juniporinum , is found in eastern Nevada and in the desert ranges of southeastern California. The second is var. furcosum , which is restricted to the Sierra Nevada. One new combination is also proposed: E. nudum var. gramineum .         

Field establishment of fourwing saltbush in processed oil shale and disturbed native soil as influenced by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae

Seedlings of fourwing saltbush ( Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.) were inoculated with indigenous vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in a containerized system and transplanted into processed oil shale and disturbed native soil in a semiarid rangeland environment in northwestern Colorado. After two growing seasons in the field, plants inoculated with VAM had greater aboveground biomass, cover, and height than noninoculated plants. Mycorrhizal plants were more effective in the uptake of water and phosphorus. Infection levels of inoculated plants were greatly reduced in processed shale (from 13.0 at outplanting to 3.8 at harvest), but functional VAM associations could be found after two growing seasons. Results indicate that VAM help make processed oil shale a more tractable medium for the establishment of plants representative of later successional stages by allowing these plants to make effective use of the natural resources that are limiting under conditions of high stress.        

Quaternary paleontology and paleocology of Crystal Ball Cave, Millard County, Utah: with emphasis on mammals and description of a new species of fossil skunk

Crystal Ball Cave is located in a small outlier of the Snake Range in Snake Valley 1.7 km (1 mile) west of Lake Bonneville at its highest level. Original vertebrate skeletal material (mostly mammalian) has been found in shallow dry dust 61 m (200 feet) inside the cave. Radiocarbon dates show that fossils have been accumulating since at least 23,000 Y.B.P. It appears that wood rats and possibly small carnivores transported the fossils into the cave because only the smallest elements of large mammals are represented. The fossil assemblage represents a much more boreal community than the present local fauna. Fish, Ondatra zibethicus , and Mustela cf. vison , which require perennial water, were recovered, as were Ochotona princeps , Lepus cf. Americana , Microtus cf. pennsylvanicus , Vulpes vulpes , and Martes americana , which have also been extirpated from the Snake Range. Marmota flaviventris , Neotoma cinerea , cf. Cervus elaphus , and Ovis Canadensis were recovered but now occur only at higher elevations in the range. Extinct taxa recovered are Smilodon cf. fatalis , Equus species, Camelops cf. hesternus , Hemiauchenia cf. macrocephala , cf. Symbos cavifrons , and a new species of Brachyprotoma , herein named B. brevimala . This is the first recovery of Brachyprotoma from the western United States.      

Distributional records for the Colorado flora II

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