A Field-Test of Rhodamine B as a Biomarker in Raccoons

Rhodamine B is a dye that when ingested results in fluorescent bands in growing hair and whiskers of many mammals. Previous research at Wildlife Services’ (WS) National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) found that rhodamine B is a successful biomarker in raccoon whiskers and that raccoons do not have a taste aversion to the dye when it comprises ≤ 3% of a bait. Our study assessed the ease of bait distribution, whisker collection, and evaluation of the biomarker for potential use in the Oral Rabies Vaccination (ORV) program administered by the WS National Rabies Management Program (NRMP). In collaboration with WS operations personnel from Ohio and Michigan, 750 fishmeal polymer baits each containing 150 mg of rhodamine B were hand distributed at NASA’s Plum Brook Station, Sandusky, Ohio in the summer of 2008. Four weeks after baits were distributed whiskers from 162 raccoons were collected. Wildlife Services biologists and technicians evaluated the whiskers for fluorescence using a handheld UV magnifying lamp. Biologists then sent the whiskers to the NWRC, Ft. Collins, Colorado for confirmation of fluorescence under a UV microscope. Results suggest a high level of agreement between the two methods of evaluation. Surveys completed by biologists confirmed that the ease of use, less invasive sampling techniques and promptness of results obtained through the use of rhodamine B are advantageous to the tetracycline biomarker presently used by the ORV program. All participants recommended further evaluation of rhodamine B for its inclusion in future efforts requiring biomarker evaluation.

The Change from Red to White Meat: The Role of Technology

Since 1950, the composition of the U.S. meat diet has shifted markedly from red meats to poultry. For example, from 1970 to 1984, on a percapita basis, beef consumption has declined by 6.4 percent, while chicken and turkey consumptions have increased by 37.9, and 42.5 percent respectively (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1985). The numerous studies of this phenomenon from the demand side (Chavas, 1983; Braschler, 1983; Nyankori and Miller, 1982; Moschini and Meilke, 1984; Wohlgenant, 1985, Thurman, 1987; Chalfant and Alston, 1988) have failed to achieve a consensus as to whether a change in taste contributed to this shift. One reason for the lack of consensus is that the very large price and quantity changes make it difficult to establish whether consumers are on a new indifference map. But there have been no comparable studies of the nature and causes of the technological change that has made these large consumption and price changes possible. A decrease in the relative price of poultry with respect to red meat is in any case a major explanation of recent shifts in meat consumption patterns. The main reason for such a decrease appears to be a higher rate of technical progress in the poultry industry than in the red meat industry. Substantial productivity gains in both the production and marketing of poultry over the last two decades appears to have been translated into lower retail prices for poultry. Although some productivity gains have taken place in the red meat industry, they have not matched the cost reductions in the poultry industry (Chavas, 1987). Thus, a consumption shift from beef to poultry could possibly be interpreted as a response to changing relative prices, the structural change having occurred in the meat industry. This would imply that, if the beef industry desires to maintain or expand its market, it should seek a decrease in the production and marketing costs of beef.

Online Dictionary of Invertebrate Zoology: T

tabula tabular tachyauxesis tachyblastic tachygen tachygenesis tachytelic tactic tactile tactoreceptors taenia taeniate taenidium taenioglossate tagma tagmata tagmosis tail tailfan Takakura's talon talus tandem tangent tangoreceptor tanylobous tapetal tapetum tapinoma-odor Tardigrada tardigrades tarsal tarsation tarsite tarsomere tarsungulus tarsus taste tautonomy tautonym taxa taxes taxis taxis taxodont taxometrics taxon taxonomic taxonomist taxonomy tectiform tectostracum tectum teeth teges tegillum tegmen tegmentum tegula tegular tegulum tegumen tegument tegumentary tela telaform telamon telegonic teleiochrysalis telenchium teleoconch teleodont teleology teleotrocha telepod telescope telescopic teletrophic telioderma teliophan telmophage telocentric telodendria telofemur telogonic telolecithal telomitic telophase telophragma telopod telopodite telorhabdions telosonic telostome telosynapsis telosyndesis telotarsus telotaxis telotroch telson template temporal tenacipeds tenaculum tenent teneral tensor tentacle tentacular tentaculocyst tentaculozooid tentilla tentorial tentorium tenuous teratocyte teratogen teratogenesis teratogyne teratology terebella terebra terebrant terebrate teres terete terga tergal tergite tergolateral tergopleural tergopore tergum tergum termen terminal terminalia termitarium termitophile terranes terrestrial terricolous territory tertiary tertibrach tertibrachial tessellate test testaceology testaceous test-cross testes testis testisac testudinate tetanus tetany tetractinal tetractine tetrad tetradelphic tetramerous tetramorphic tetraploid tetrapod tetrapterous tetrasomic tetrathyridial tetrathyridium tetraxon tetraxonid thalassophilous thallus thamnophilous thanatocoenosis thanatosis theca thecae thecal thecate thelycum thelygenesis thelygenous thelyotokous thelyotoky theory thermocline thermophile thermophobe thermoreceptor thermotaxis thickness thigmotactic thigmotaxis thigmotropism third-form thoraces thoracic thoracomere thoracopod(ite) thorax thoraxes thread thylacium thylacogen thyridial thyridium thyroid thysanuriform tibia tibial tibiotarsal tibiotarsus Tiedemann's tiled timbal tinctorial tine tissue tissue titilla titillae titillator tocopherol tocospermal tocospermia tocostome tokostome tomentose tomentum Tomosvary tone tonic tonofibrillae tonus topochemical topogamodeme topomorph topomorphic toponym topotype tori torma tormogen tornote tornus torose torpid torqueate torsion tortuose torulose torus totipotent totomount toxa toxicognath toxicology toxin toxinosis toxoglossate toxoid trabecula trabeculate trabeculated trachea tracheae tracheal tracheate tracheoblast tracheolar tracheoles trachychromatic tract Tragardh's tragus transad transcoxa transcurrent transect transection transformation transient transitional translocation translucent transmission transposed transscutal transstadial transtilla transverse trapeziform trapezium trapezoid trema tremata Trematoda trenchant trepan triact triactinal triad triaene triage triangle triangular triangulate triaulic triaxial triaxon tribe tribocytic trichite trichobothrium trichobranchia trichobranchiate trichocerous trichodes trichodeum trichodragmata trichogen trichoid trichomes trichophore trichopore trichosors trichostichal trichotomous trichroism tricolumella tricomes tricostate tricrepid tricuspid tricuspidate tridactyl trident tridentate trifid trifurcate triglycerides trignathan trigonal trigoneutism trilabiate trilateral trilobate trilocular trimorphic trimorphism Trinominal triordinal tripartite tripectinate triplet triploblastic triploid triquetral triquetrous triradiate triradiates tritocerebral tritocerebrum tritocerebrum tritonymph tritosternum triturate triungulin triungulinid trivial trivium trivoltine trixenic troch trochal trochalopodous trochantellus trochanter trochanteral trochantin trochi trochiform trochlea trocholophous trochophore trochosphere trochus troglobiont troglodytic troglophile trogloxene tropeic trophal trophallactic trophallaxis trophamnion trophi trophic trophidium trophobiont trophobiont trophobiosis trophobiotic trophocytes trophodisc trophogeny trophoporic trophorhinium trophosome trophotaxis trophothylax trophozooid trophus tropis tropism tropotaxis trumpet truncate truncation trunk trypsin tryptic tryptophan tryptophane T-tubule tube tube-feet tubercle tubercula tuberculate tuberculose tuberiferous tubicolous tubifacient tubule tubulus tubus tuft Tullgren tumefaction tumescence tumid tumulus tunic tunica tunicary tunicate turbinate turgid turreted turriculate tychoparthenogenesis tylasters tylenchoid tyli tyloid tyloides tylosis tylostyle tylote tylus tymbal tympanal tympanal tympanic tympanum Tyndall type typhlosole typologist typolysis typostasis