PACE Lab News

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New paper on the imperiled Rattlesnake-master Borer Moth

Rattlesnake-master Borer Moths, Papaipema eryngii , are an imperiled species, that has had little genetic analysis done. A new paper from INHS PaCE Lab, led by affiliate Donald B. Shepard, examines the genetic diversity of this species across its range, information necessary to accurately inform management actions and Species Status Assessments.

Shepard and colleagues were able to collect legs of 72 specimens from the extensive collections of J. Wiker and J. Bess, representing 6 of the 8 states with historical records of the species. Mitochondrial haplotypes were shared in geographically separated populations indicating they were likely connected when their open grassland habitats were more expansive. Habitat corridors between existing populations can improve gene flow and prevent inbreeding.

Additional sampling and genetic analysis may be necessary to capture the more recent genetic shifts of populations separated by habitat fragmentation.

Read the full paper in Journal of Insect Conservation
Shepard, D. B., J.R. Wiker, J.A. Bess, T.L. Esker, J.A. Crawford, and M.J. Dreslik. 2025. Genetic Diversity and Historical Demography of the Imperiled Rattlesnake-Master Borer Moth (Papaipema eryngii). Journal of Insect Conservation 29 (4): 59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-025-00698-0
 
Find more about our research on Papaipema
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INHS PaCE Lab at Turtle Survival Alliance Symposium

Three members of the INHS PaCE Lab, Dr. Michael Dreslik, Emily Asche, and Claire Dietrich, attended the 23rd Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles, held in Chattanooga, TN July 20-25, 2025.

Emily Asche presented a paper “Assessing Population Structure and Conservation Priorities for the Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys spp.) on California Military Installations.” The paper was co-authored with Matthew Parry, Michael Dreslik, Robert Lovich, and Thomas Akre.

Abstract: The Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys spp.) is currently under review for listing as a Threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Widespread population declines driven by habitat loss, predation, and shell disease have led to its designation as a Species of Special Concern in California, sensitive/critical in Oregon, and endangered in Washington. Despite regional protection, federal listing remains uncertain, emphasizing the urgent need for data to guide conservation. To address critical knowledge gaps, we conducted a two-year demographic study across 13 military installations spanning the species’ California range. Standardized week-long trapping sessions yielding data on body size, life stage, and sex. The metrics were used to estimate local abundance to establish a baseline to inform population health and trajectory. Our analysis revealed variations in demographic composition, site-specific abundance, and growth dynamics across installations, identifying high-risk populations and areas with potential recovery. Our findings are essential for prioritizing conservation actions, informing management of military lands, and contributing to range-wide assessments necessary for the species’ recovery planning.

Claire Dietrich presented a poster “Initial Survey of Freshwater Turtle Assemblages at Thirteen Nature Preserves in Northeastern Illinois.” The poster was co-authored with Michael Dreslik.

Abstract: Urbanization of the Chicago metropolitan area has drastically altered the landscape of northeastern Illinois over the past two centuries. Once dominated by forest and marshy wetlands, the region is now characterized by dense urban centers highly fragmented by several major roadways. The resulting loss of natural habitat has impacted regional abundances of some turtle species, such as the state-endangered Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii). Despite modern environmental protections, fragmentation and degradation of the remaining habitat provide little opportunity for populations to expand or recolonize their former range naturally. We sampled thirteen publicly owned forest preserves, conservation areas, and mitigation sites for aquatic turtles with baited hoop traps to determine species richness, diversity, and evenness of the turtle assemblages. Species richness ranged from 1 to 5, with most assemblages comprising common species considered resilient to anthropogenic disturbance such as the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) and Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). Diversity indices were low overall, ranging from 0 to 1.19, but evenness indices varied from 0.38 to 1. We intend to continually reassess turtle assemblages at the sites on a five-year rotation to gain a long-term temporal understanding of demographic trends.

Dr. Dreslik presented a paper “Population Ecology of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) in Two Isolated Illinois Wetlands,” co-authored with Devin Edmonds, Rose Arnold, and Ethan Kessler.

Abstract: Over sixty percent of evaluated freshwater turtle species are assessed as at risk of extinction by the IUCN Red List. Overexploitation is the greatest threat, with habitat degradation, urbanization, pollution, and the ongoing effects of climate change also having large impacts. Consequently, many freshwater turtle populations are small, isolated, and declining, as is the case for the Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata). The species has declined across its range in the eastern U.S., with only two populations remaining in Illinois at the western edge of its distribution. We conducted long-term capture-mark-recapture surveys and leveraged data collected over three decades to create demographic models of growth, survival, and reproductive output formulated into an integral projection model framework. The framework evaluates the probability of population persistence and how changes in vital rates affect population growth. Our results show the benefits of integrating size-based data sources for population assessments and the value of long-term monitoring, with implications for improving conservation efforts for Spotted Turtles in Illinois and throughout their range.

 

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PaCE Lab at 2025 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists

three people in front of a banner
Chitra Basyal, Rose Arnold, and Joey Cannizzaro at JMIH 2025

It’s herpetology conference season. This past week the PaCE Lab was well represented at the 2025 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, held in St Paul Minnesota July 9-13.

Graduate students Rose Arnold, Chitra Basyal, and Joey Cannizzaro captivated audiences with their papers and oral presentations.

woman presenting scientific poster
Rose Arnold presenting at JMIH 2025

Rose Arnold presented a poster “Gauging Population Health in Urbanized Landscapes: A Body Condition Comparison of Illinois’ Remaining Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) Populations.” Abstract: Urbanization has altered the hydrology and vegetation structure of many remaining wetlands in the United States. Hydrological and vegetation shifts can alter food availability and disrupt food chains, thus impairing energy flow among trophic levels. For wetland species to persist in altered habitats, managers should promptly develop strategies prioritizing the most vulnerable populations. In some cases, land managers must evaluate population health using short-term data, which can be difficult with long-lived turtle species due to extreme longevity and delayed sexual maturity. Body condition indices (BCI) are commonly used as proxy measurements of body fat, which are assumed to reflect foraging success and fitness of individuals. Body condition can change rapidly in response to resource availability, disease, and stress, making it a viable surrogate for assessing short-term population health. A population with significantly lower body conditions may indicate chronic stressors or fewer site resources. The two extant Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) populations in Illinois inhabit sites within a heavily urbanized landscape and previous studies revealed differences in demography and microhabitat composition. Here, we compare body conditions between the two remaining populations of Spotted Turtles in Illinois as an additional measure of population health.

Chitra Basyal presenting at JMIH 2025

Chitra Basyal presented a talk “Structure of freshwater turtle assemblages in a highly developed ecosystem.” Abstract: Freshwater turtles play essential ecological roles in wetlands as omnivores, scavengers, food sources, and nutrient recyclers. Studying freshwater turtle assemblages is crucial because they are sentinel species when monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem health. Northern Illinois has undergone significant habitat modifications due to urbanization, agricultural expansion, and wetland loss, negatively impacting turtle populations. However, most studies in northern Illinois have primarily examined specific species rather than entire turtle assemblages. Our study aims to address the existing gap by investigating freshwater turtle assemblages across five urbanized sites in Illinois. Monitoring the sites used capture-mark-recapture surveys over an extended period; thus, we can assess species diversity, evenness, relative abundance, and richness across sites and years. Our research will determine if there are spatial and temporal variations in assemblage structure, highlight vulnerable species, and provide valuable insights into wetland health in northern Illinois.

person explaining poster to another person
Joey Cannizzaro presenting at JMIH 2025

Joseph Cannizzaro presented a poster “Effects of Vegetation Management on Predation Rates in the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake (Sistrurus catenatus). Abstract: Managing habitat to maximize survivorship and population growth is integral to recovering endangered species. Nearly all native tallgrass prairie habitats in the midwestern United States have been anthropogenically converted to agriculture. The decline in remaining habitat due to encroaching woody vegetation and invasive plants impacts many prairie obligate species, including the Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus). Eastern Massasaugas requires open habitats and early successional vegetative assemblages to thermoregulate, forage, and reproduce. To reverse declines, many wildlife managers employ vegetative control practices, such as mechanical mowing and prescribed burns, to maintain early seral stages. However, conflicting evidence suggests reducing vegetative cover could lead to artificially higher or lower predation rates. We investigated the effect of early successional vegetation management on the predation rates of Eastern Massasaugas by conducting a clay model predation study. We placed models into two treatments, habitat recently managed for vegetative succession or adjacent unmanaged habitat, and scored them for predation marks. Additionally, clay models were made in two different body postures, outstretched and coiled, to investigate how body posture potentially influences snake predation rates. Our study presents the impact of recent vegetation management on predation rates and provides insights to inform future conservation efforts.

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New technique aids researchers in finding elusive mussel

A new paper in Ecology by Freshwater Mollusk Ecology and Conservation Program lead Sarah Douglass and colleagues describes the use of emerging technology paired with traditional methods to try to locate a species not seen alive in Illinois in over 100 years.

The Salamander mussel Simpsonaias ambiguahas been proposed for federal listing under the US Endangered Species Act.  Despite intense surveys, live individuals were last documented in Illinois in 1906.

The Salamander Mussel differs from other mussel species in that instead of a fish species, it uses the Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus as host for its glochidia.

The emergence of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques provides a new method to guides surveys for potential populations.

Sarah Douglass and colleagues collected samples at 8 sites in the Sangamon River to test for both Mudpuppy and Salamander Mussel eDNA. Mudpuppy eDNA was detected in samples from 4 sites, 1 of which also contained Salamander Mussel eDNA. A group of surveyors returned to that site and conducted targeted searches of preferred habitat, yielding 12 live Salamander Mussels, the first seen in Illinois in over 100 years.

Read the complete paper here

Douglass, Sarah A., Savanna Palmer, Ashleigh R. McCallum, Olivia P. Reves, Hayley A. Robinson, Allison J. Rutledge, Jordan H. Hartman, Eric R. Larson, and Mark A. Davis. 2025. Environmental DNA Reveals the Salamander Mussel Simpsonaias Ambigua Alive in Illinois, USA , after a Century in Obscurity. Ecology 106 (7): e70145. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.70145.
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Note published on mammal predation on frogs

A ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans) feeding on the frog Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis. Photo by Lonny Pace

Soon to be minted Dr. Edmonds had a paper published recently on an observation he made in Madagascar during his research to conserve endangered frogs.

Edmonds and co-author Lonny Pace documented a pair of ring-tailed vontsira engaging in predation and surplus killing of Aglyptodactylus frogs during an explosive breeding event at Montagne d’Ambre National Park.

Following a cyclone, Edmonds and Pace encountered a water filled depression with several hundred A. madagascariensis as well as two ring-tailed vontsira feeding on the frogs.

Read the full paper and see the video

Edmonds, Devin A. and Lonny Pace. 2025. Predation on a Breeding Aggregation of Madagascar Jumping Frogs (Aglyptodactylus madagascariensis) by Ring-Tailed Vontsira (Galidia elegans). Biotropica: doi.org/10.1111/btp.70059

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New paper on 140 years of Blanding’s Turtle data

Blanding's Turtle
Adult Blanding’s Turtle photo by R Arnold

A new paper integrated Blanding’s Turtle research data collected in Illinois over the past 140 years.  With over 60,000 encounters of approximately 7,000 individual turtles, the researchers were able to analyze causes of mortality, nesting locations, and survival.

Predators represented the greatest cause of mortality and traumatic injury overall. Human caused mortality and traumatic injury was dominated by vehicle strikes (43), followed by machinery (21), and railways (20).

57% of nests were in human modified habitats including railroads and agricultural habitats.

Current protected areas in Illinois are small and crossed by roads and railways, putting Blanding’s Turtles at risk for encountering dangerous situations. Land acquisition and/or barrier/passage systems may help mitigate mortality and improve survival prospects.

Read the full paper “Archival Data Reveals Human Impacts on Blanding’s Turtle Population Persistence”  in Journal for Nature Conservation

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Raising frogs and advancing science

With over 40% of species at risk of extinction, amphibians are among the most imperiled groups on Earth. The biodiversity hotspot of Madagascar is not immune from this problem with nearly 47% of its endemic frog species at risk.

In 2010, Association Mitsinjo began working with IUCN and the government to develop an amphibian breeding facility. PhD Candidate Devin Edmonds has been working with the facility and their conservation programs. In addition to establishing captive assurance populations, this facility has provided important information on frog reproductive biology. The facility has successfully reared and released captive bred endangered Golden Mantella frogs into created habitat.

A paper, published today, reported on 1,272 captive breeding events from 11 additional frog species, including phenology, clutch sizes, oviposition, and larval development time. This information is often hard to obtain in the field, and these observations were the first described for many of these species.

Most of the species bred seasonally, but one, Mantella betsileanus, bred throughout the year and made up 86% of egg masses. Most species did not require environmental stimuli, aligning their behaviors with natural seasons, however Heterixalus betsileo only bred when placed in a modified rain chamber.

Researchers also learned that Gephyromantis mitsinjo lays eggs on land where tadpoles develop terrestrially within jelly, a behavior previously theorized but never observed.

The findings can help inform other captive breeding programs and increase success of conservation efforts for other imperiled species.

Read the complete paper in Zoobiology: Rakotoarisoa, Justin Claude, Andolalao Rakotoarison, Solonirina Rasoanantenaina, Eric Robsomanitrandrasana, Samina Sidonie Sam Edmonds, Jeanne Soamiarimampionona, Edupsie Tsimialomanana, Sebastian Wolf, Devin Edmonds. 2024. Captive breeding reveals insights into the ecology and reproductive biology of 11 little-known Malagasy frog species. Zoobiology: https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21876

 

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New paper on endangered Harlequin Mantella populations

Mantella cowani frog
photo by Devin Edmonds

The Harlequin Mantella is one of Madagascar’s most threatened frog species, known from 13 localities. The small, strikingly-colored frog that inhabits mountainous streams has been impacted by habitat degradation and illegal collection for the pet trade.

As part of a species conservation plan, PhD Candidate Devin Edmonds and his colleagues surveyed 11 of those sites and detected the frog at eight sites. The species is believed extirpated from the other three sites. Knowledge from local community members revealed two previously unknown locations, highlighting the importance of collaboration and engagement with the community.

Based on repeated surveys of three of the sites between 2015 and 2023, these small frogs can live 9 or more years in the wild as adults encountered in 2015 were still alive in 2023.

Despite finding two new sites, the populations are small and the frog is still imperiled. Conservation recommendations include upgrading the species to Critically Endangered. Continued monitoring of populations and habitats, and protection from poaching are necessary to conserve the species.

Read the paper published today in PeerJLife https://peerj.com/articles/17947

Edmonds, D., R.R. Andriantsimanarilafy, A. Crottini, M.J. Dreslik, J. Newton-Youens, A. Ramahefason, C. J. Randrianantoandro, and F. Andreone. 2024. Small population size and possible extirpation of the threatened Malagasy poison frog Mantella cowanii. PeerJ, DOI 10.7717/peerj.17947

 

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INHS PaCELab at 2024 Turtle Survival Alliance Symposium

This year’s Turtle Survival Alliance conference was held in Tucson Arizona 2024  July 25-28. Several members of the INHS PaCE Lab presented posters and talks, which we’re excited to share with you.
 
Dr. Dreslik gave a featured presentation during the plenary session,
“Freshwater Turtle and Tortoise Growth: What we know and where to go”
co-authored with Drs Lovich (USGS) and Congdon (Savannah River Ecology Lab).

Dr Dreslik at podiumGrowth is a fundamental life history trait expressed as shape, rate, and size at specific times for individuals in a population. Because energy allocated to competing life demands shifts, all expressions have impactful relationships with other life-history traits. In general, the overall growth pattern of turtles is well understood, but representative studies are decidedly lacking for many species and populations. Additionally, we are building a stronger foundation of the drivers and their consequences on growth; few studies have had the luxury of serially examining populations to determine environmental and habitat related effects. Herein, we present the state of knowledge on growth in freshwater turtles, covering aspects such as pattern, seasonality, determinism, dimorphism, extrinsic drivers, maternal effects, and individuality. Finally, we will provide insight into current analytical advances and direction for future work.

Graduate student Nicholas Dunham presented a poster
“Spatial Ecology of Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in an Agricultural Landscape in Northeast Illinois”
co-authored with Ethan Kessler, John Crawford and Michael Dreslik.
Agriculture in Illinois dominates the landscape, leading to widespread alteration of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Much of Illinois’ freshwater wetlands have been heavily channelized and converted into vast networks of ditches in agricultural drainage systems. Thus, these agricultural ditches may represent some of the only available wetland habitats for turtles. A small population of Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) was discovered living in an agricultural ditch system in Kankakee and Iroquois counties of Northeast Illinois. Blanding’s Turtles use terrestrial and aquatic habitats throughout the season, increasing their mortality risks from farming equipment. To better understand how Blanding’s Turtles utilize an agricultural landscape, we trapped and used VHF radio-telemetry to track 15 individuals (9 females, 6 males) from April to November 2023, totaling 533 locations. Our objectives were to investigate home range sizes, movement rates, and macrohabitat and microhabitat selection by sex and season. The results of our study are preliminary, and data collection will continue from 2024 to 2025. Our results can aid the management of Blanding’s turtles in agricultural-dominated landscapes.
Graduate student Emily Asche presented
“Population Structure of the Declining Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys spp.) Across Thirteen Military Installations in California”
co-authored with Matthew Parry, Thomas Akre, Robert Lovich, and Michael Dreslik.
The Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys spp.) is currently undergoing assessment to be listed as a Threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. It is designated as a species of special concern in California, sensitive/critical in Oregon, and endangered in Washington, indicating an imminent likelihood of listing. Habitat loss, predation, and shell disease have caused significant population declines, yet there remains a scarcity of data necessary for informed management decisions. Understanding the existing population structure of remaining populations is pivotal for initiating effective conservation strategies. We are gathering demographic data from thirteen military installations across their California range to assess the level of concern and identify key management priorities. Data collection spans two seasons, with sampling conducted in week- long intervals using 50 aquatic traps per base, supplemented by relevant data from prior or concurrent studies at each installation. Recorded parameters include body size, life stage, and sex of all individuals to characterize the population structure. Additionally, growth rate and recruitment will be derived from the final dataset. Our study’s objective is to delineate targeted conservation efforts for species recovery.
Rose Arnold presented
“Development of a Detection Model of the Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) to Guide Conservation Prioritization in Illinois”
co-authored with Michael Dreslik
Woman presenting at podiumLike many turtle species, Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) populations are declining range-wide due to the synergistic effects of habitat fragmentation, loss, and degradation. In Illinois, Blanding’s Turtle populations are isolated within urbanized or agricultural landscapes, thus hindering migration. Additionally, the status of the species at many historical locations remains unknown, whereby many populations may already be functionally extirpated. Thus, determining the status of populations in Illinois is the paramount conservation priority. Surveys for Blanding’s Turtles require a substantial investment of resources (time, funds, and effort) through trapping and visual searches. Currently, there are few tools for quantitatively determining the effort needed to confirm site occupancy. Here, we construct a detection probability model considering temporal, effort, habitat, weather, and environmental variables. The model will allow surveyors to calculate how much effort is necessary to determine occupancy status for a given site under a given set of conditions. The findings from the initial model sets suggest temporal factors exert the most influence on detection, particularly when compared to weather. However, even in strong-performing models, predicted detection rates remained low.
Chitra Rehka Basyal presented a poster
“Structure and Health of a Freshwater Turtle Assemblage in a Highly Developed Ecosystem”
co-authored with Michael Dreslik, Ny Aina Tiana Rakotoarisoa, Laura Adamovicz, and Matthew Allender
Turtles have important ecological roles in wetlands as omnivores, scavengers, food sources, and nutrient recyclers. Despite such importance globally, their populations are declining, with the proliferation of infectious diseases emerging as a major threat. Our study aims to assess turtle’s community structure and evaluate the physical health of those turtle individuals. We began a turtle capture-mark-recapture survey at a university wetland to study assemblage, composition and individual health. In our first year (2023), we captured 39 turtles of 6 species. Based on the species composition, our study suggests the site may be used for illegal pet releases. We screened 37 individuals for adenovirus, herpesvirus, ranavirus, and mycoplasma using conventional and quantitative PCR. Two species (Painted Turtle [Chrysemys picta] and Red-eared Slider [Trachemys scripta elegans]) were adenovirus-positive, with the virus strain being 99% similar to Sulawesi Tortoise adenovirus. No mycoplasma, Ranavirus, or herpesvirus was detected. Moreover, the Red-eared Slider is likely a natural host of Sulawesi Tortoise adenovirus (STAdV-1). The study forms a baseline for long-term demographic monitoring and health assessments of the turtle assemblage.