Three species [Ceratinella playa new species, Erigone denticulata Chamberlin & Ivie, Mermessus denticulatus (Banks)] in the spider family Linyphiidae were associated with emergent vegetation in playa wetlands in the Southern High Plains of Texas. Playa wetlands are being rapidly degraded in the Great Plains of the U.S.A. We describe and illustrate the new species Ceratinella playa from a male and female from Briscoe County, Texas. Erigone denticulata is redescribed and illustrated from males and females from Texas. New distributional records are provided for E. denticulata from the U.S.A.: Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. All of these except those from Wyoming are new state records. A new county record of Mermessus denticulatus is reported from Texas. RESUMENTres especies [Ceratinella playa nueva especie, Erigone denticulata Chamberlin & Ivie y Mermessus denticulatus (Banks)] de la familia Linyphiidae fueron asociadas a la vegetación emergente en cuerpos de aguas temporales "playas" de humedales en las Grandes Planicies del sur de Tejas. Los humedales están siendo degradados rápidamente en las Planicies de los E.E.U.U. Se describe e ilustra macho y hembra de la nueva especie Ceratinella playa del condado Briscoe, Tejas. Machos y hembras de Erigone denticulata de Tejas son redescritos e ilustrados. Nuevos datos distribucionales son reportados para E. denticulata para los estados de Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregón, Tejas, Utah y Wyoming. Todos, excepto los de Wyoming, son nuevas citas para estos Estados. Mermessus denticulatus se cita por primera vez para Tejas.

Mass die-offs of amphibian populations pose a challenging problem for conservation biologists. Ranaviruses often cause systemic infections in amphibians and, in North America, are especially virulent and lethal to larvae and metamorphs. In this paper we describe a novel ranavirus isolate as well as the first recorded occurrence of ranavirus in the southern High Plains of Texas and in associated populations of the spotted chorus frog Pseudacris clarkii. The breeding sites were playas, that is, wetlands that fill via isolated thunderstorms that can occur infrequently; thus, not every playa has water or breeding amphibians annually. We did not detect ranavirus in sympatric anurans, but other reports document ranaviruses in Pseudacris spp. elsewhere. The occurrence of multiple isolates of ranavirus in a number of Pseudacris species suggests that this genus of frogs is highly susceptible to ranaviruses and may experience exceptionally high mortality rates from infection. Thus, the virus may contribute to substantial seasonal population declines and low seasonal recruitment, with negative impacts on populations of breeding adults in successive years.

Abstract. Annual spring aerial surveys were initiated in 1992, and repeated in 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 to monitor the population status of and habitat use by Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) migrating northward in southwestern Alaska. Since the timing of migration varies, two to three replicate shoreline surveys were conducted each spring through 1997, to increase the probability of encountering the entire population of eiders as they transited the survey area en route to their arctic breeding grounds. Fiscal constraints and inclement weather in subsequent years resulted in successful completion of only one survey per year, the timing of which was carefully scheduled using satellite sea ice imagery and other available data. The 2005 survey was conducted 4/2 to 4/8. We made visual estimates of Steller's eiders and all other identifiable water birds and marine mammals. The design consisted of a census of shorelines, embayments and shoals where Steller's eiders and other seaducks were known to congregate during migration. To enhance consistency, most flock estimates of Steller's eiders were made by the pilot/port side observer (Larned), who has fulfilled that function for each survey since the project's inception. In each year where multiple surveys were completed, the highest Steller's eider count was used as that year's population estimate. Annual Steller's eider raw counts are