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The objective of this paper is to report on the demography and pathology of 131 Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens), primarily calves, found dead on the northwest coast of Alaska in September 2009. The walrus carcasses extended over approximately 120 km, but most were found where walruses had hauled out for several days on the beach at Icy Cape. The remote location and severe weather made access to the site difficult and limited the number and extent of necropsies. A total of 71 carcasses were examined: nine were necropsied, and 62 were classified externally for age, gender, blubber depth, and other parameters. The most likely causes of death were crushing trauma, particularly of the upper thorax, neck and head, or asphyxiation due to being trampled by larger animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-filled tensiometers are widely used to measure the matric potential of so ii water. It is often assumed that, because these give a direct reading, they are accurate. With a series of laboratory tests with model laboratory systems of increasing complexity we show that the output of water-filled tensiometers can, particularly in drying soils, be in serious error. Specifically, we demonstrated that water-filled tensiometers can indicate a steady matric potential, typically between -60 and -90 kPa, when the soil is much drier. We demonstrate the use of water-filled tensiometers that can measure matric potentials smaller than -100 kPa in the laboratory and in the field. The physics of the failure of water-filled tensiometers is discussed. When the matric potential was greater than -60 kPa, in laboratory and field tests water-filled and porous matrix sensors were in good agreement. In the field environment the porous matrix sensor was useful because it allowed early detection of the failure of water-filled tensiometers. In dry soils (matric potential < -60 kPa) the porous matrix sensor was more reliable and accurate than the water-filled tensiomctcr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific sleeper sharks Somniosus pacificus were captured near Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus rookeries during the period when Steller sea lion pups are most vulnerable to Pacific sleeper shark predation (first water entrance and weaning). Analysis of stomach contents revealed that teleosts were the dominant prey in August and cephalopods were the dominant prey in May ( n = 198). Marine mammals were found in 15% of stomachs regardless of season, but no Steller sea lion tissues were detected. Molecular genetic analysis identified grey whale Eschrichtius robustus and harbour seal Phoca vitulina remains in some Pacific sleeper shark stomachs. Most mammals were cetacean and at least 70% of the cetaceans were probably scavenged. Although Pacific sleeper shark and Steller sea lion ranges overlapped, so predation could potentially occur, the diet study suggested that predation on Steller sea lions is unlikely, at least when pups first enter the water or during weaning. Harbour seals were infrequent prey and may have been consumed alive. Pacific sleeper sharks consume fast-swimming prey like Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus sp., most likely live animals rather than scavenged animals. Pacific sleeper sharks appeared to be opportunistic consumers of the available prey and carrion, feeding both on the bottom and in the water column, and their diet shifted to teleosts and cetacean carrion as the fish grew larger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel poxviruses were identified in skin lesions of several species of cetaceans and pinnipeds using polymerase chain reaction targeting DNA polymerase and DNA topoisomerase I genes of members of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae. With the exception of parapoxviruses, no molecular data of marine mammal poxviruses were available to infer genetic and evolutionary relatedness to terrestrial vertebrate poxviruses. Viruses were assigned to a cetacean poxvirus 1 (CPV-1) group based on nucleotide and amino acid identities of gene fragments amplified from skin lesions of Asian bottlenose ( Tursiops aduncus), Atlantic bottlenose ( Tursiops truncatus), rough-toothed ( Steno bredanensis), and striped ( Stenella coeruleoalba) dolphins. A different poxvirus was detected in skin lesions of a bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus) and provisionally assigned to a CPV-2 group. These viruses showed highest identity to terrestrial poxviruses of the genera Orthopoxvirus and Suipoxvirus. A novel species-specific poxvirus was also identified in skin lesions of Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus). None of these poxviruses were found to have amplifiable hemagglutinin gene sequences. Novel parapoxviruses were also identified in skin lesions of Steller sea lions and spotted seals ( Phoca largha). A significant degree of divergence was observed in sequences of Steller sea lion parapoxviruses, while those of spotted seals and harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina) were highly conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoplasms derived from salivary glands are uncommon in domestic animals and descriptions of neoplasms derived from minor salivary glands are quite rare. A primary neoplasm derived from a minor salivary gland is described in a 13-year-old domestic shorthair cat. The oral neoplasm was locally invasive, and had metastasized to the regional lymph nodes and hilus of the lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]