Stephen J. Mullin @ Eastern Illinois University

The Herpetology Lab	Eastern Illinois University
	Stephen J. Mullin, Ph.D. Department of Biological Sciences Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL 61920.3099 tel: 217.581.6234 fax: 217.581.7141 e-mail

Shameless plugs –
    : Snakes: Ecology & Conservation (ed. S.J. Mullin and R.A. Seigel). Available from Cornell Univ. Press,
    and now available on a Kindle platform.
    : Field Herpetology of the Southwest, a 10-day experience at the Southwest Research Station (American Museum of Natural History),
    featuring a combination of lectures, lab exercises, and plenty of field trips.

Professional Activities (Mullin's webpage)	Courses Offered
Research Projects : Graduates : Undergraduates Former graduate students Student publications	Graduate Herpetology (Bio4952) Ethics Seminar (Bio5150) Undergraduate Animal Diversity (Bio1300g) Honors Environmental Life Science (Bio2092g) Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (Bio3620) Vertebrate Natural History (Bio3950) Sociobiology (EIU4118g) Honors Seminar (Bio4666)

On-going research projects
The framework for my research interests is centered on predator-prey interactions and has two focal concepts: the ecological influence of physical structure on interspecific interactions; and, the environmental and developmental cues that stimulate the expression of behavior. Subtle changes in the structural complexity of a microhabitat may influence not only the expression of animal behavior, but also patterns of habitat selection and the frequency of organismal interactions. Studies of this type can elucidate the factors regulating the population dynamics of species within particular habitat types, and have implications in conservation biology where the choice of sites appropriate for preservation is often debated. The following links contain information concerning research on two snake species – Midland Brownsnakes (Storeria dekayi) and Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon).

: Graduate Student

Corissa Lennon (B.S. in biology from Truman State University) –– diet analyses of North American Racers (Coluber).
Meagan Thomas (B.S. in biology from Towson University). –– trophic ecology of a leaf-litter snake community.

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Former Graduate Students

Andrew Durso (2009-2011) -- the interaction of diet and behavior in Hog-nosed Snakes (Heterodon). Presently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the Dept. of Biology at Utah State University.
Beth Flitz (1999-2003) -- demography and nesting ecology of the Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina) in a fragmented habitat. Presently employed by the McHenry County Conservation District , Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Angela Fornell (2006-2008) -- foraging ecology of Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis c. calligaster) in response to different environmental cues. Presently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the Dept. of Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington.
C. Drew Foster (2002-2004) -- performance of Two-striped Gartersnakes (Thamnophis hammondii) following ingestion of toxic and non-toxic prey types. Presently the Curator, Department of Herpetology, Phoenix Zoo
Lee Gross (2005-2009) -- conservation and repatriation of pond-breeding amphibians. Presently enrolled in the Univ. of Illinois Veterinary Medicine Program
Kathryn Hale (2008-2010) -- predatory behavior in neonate Two-striped Gartersnakes (Thamnophis hammondii). Presently a Molecular Biology Sales Specialist for ThermoFisher Scientific
Sarabeth Klueh (2003-2005) -- demography and population modeling of Jefferson Salamanders (Ambystoma jeffersonianum). Presently the Herpetologist, Wildlife Diversity Section, Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources.
Lorin Neuman-Lee (2008-2010) -- effects of in utero toxicant transfer on multiple endpoints in neonate Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). [video summary] Presently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in the Dept. of Biology at Utah State University.
Melanie Olds (2005-2007) -- habitat selection and over-wintering site fidelity in Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). Presently a Wildlife Refuge Specialist for the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (Colorado).
J. Brian Towey (2001-2007) -- recovery of pond-breeding amphibian populations following predator removal. Presently a Staff Ecologist at the Richardson Wildlife Foundation (Illinois).
Lee Walston (2003-2005) -- conservation ecology of pond-breeding amphibian communities. Presently a Staff Ecologist at Argonne National Laboratories.

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Student Publications – the following are papers published during a student's association with the Mullin Lab, although not all of them have direct connection to the lab group's research.

Baumgartner, KA. 2011. Natural history notes: Incilius coniferus (breeding behavior). Herpetological Review 42: 411-412.

Dunn, SJ. 2004. Foraging and prey handling behaviors of the generalist Thamnophis hammondii offered various prey types. Bios 75:58-64.

Durso, AM. 2011. Interations of diet and behavior in a death-feigning snake (Heterodon nasicus). M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Durso, AM, and KP Durso. 2010. Natural history notes: Opheodrys aestivus (foraging). Herpetological Review 41:95-96. <download .pdf>

Durso, AM, DA Warner, TS Mitchell and AM Reedy. 2011. Natural history notes: Heterodon nasicus (diet). Herpetological Review 42:439-440.

Durso, AM, JD Willson and CT Winne. 2011. Needles in haystacks: Estimating detection probability and occupancy of rare and cryptic snakes. Biological Conservation 144:1508-1515.

Flitz, BA. 2003. Nest-site Selection in the Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina , in a population in central Illinois. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Fornell, AM. 2008. Foraging site selection in Prairie Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis c. calligaster): An experimental approach. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Foster, CD. 2004. Physiological performance of Thamnophis hammondii is not affected after eating the toxic frog Xenopus laevis . M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Foster, CD, and PM Hampton. 2003. Reptiles and amphibians of three state parks in east-central Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Sciences 96:219-228.

Foster, CD, P Hampton and JB Towey. 2004. Natural history notes: Scincella lateralis (predation). Herpetological Review 35:269-270.

Gross, LM. 2009. Long-term assessment of predatory fish removal on a pond-breeding amphibian community in central Illinois. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Hale, KB. 2010. Prey preference as a function of feeding experience and prey type in neonate gartersnakes (Colubridae: Thamnophis). M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Klueh, S. 2005. Size and reproductive activity of a geographically-isolated population of Ambystoma jeffersonianum in east-central Illinois. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Olds, MJ. 2007. Habitat use and overwintering ecology of the Northern Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) on an artificial levee in central Illinois. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Nelson, KT, AM Durso and RV Horan. 2010. Natural history notes: Diadophis p. punctatus (diet). Herpetological Review 41:90-91. <download .pdf>

Neuman-Lee, LA. 2010. Multiple endpoints of endocrine disruption in gravid watersnakes (Colubridae: Nerodia) as a function of ingestion of a common herbicide. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Towey, JB. 2007. Influence of fish presence and removal on woodland pond breeding amphibians in central Illinois. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Walston, LJ. 2005. Resilience of an amphibian community following the removal of introduced fish. M.S. Thesis, Eastern Illinois University.

Walston, LJ, and KJ Register. 2004. Natural history notes: Ambystoma opacum (frequency of albino life stages). Herpetological Review 35:365.

For other publications of the lab's work, please see Mullin's website .
For reprints of these articles, feel free to e-mail your request.

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Pantherophis spiloides

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