Thomas O'Shea, PhD
Tom O'Shea is a Scientist Emeritus at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center.
Tom O'Shea has conducted research on bats, sirenians, and other mammals in the U.S., Africa, South and Central America, Asia, and Oceania. Dr. O'Shea is the author or co-author of about 140 scientific publications. He was formerly a researcher with the USGS, National Biological Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His current research emphasis is on bats (after a long hiatus in marine mammal studies and federal research management), particularly topics related to diseases, population biology, natural history, and environmental contaminants.
Professional Experience
Scientist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 2009-present
Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 2001-2009
Branch Chief, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 1996-2001
Assistant Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/National Biological Survey, National Ecology Research Center/Midcontinent Ecological Science Center, Fort Collins 1992-1996
Research Wildlife Biologist, Sirenia Project Leader, Field Station Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Laboratory/National Ecology Research Center, Gainesville, Florida 1979-1992
Research Zoologist, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, Maryland 1977-1979
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Zoology, Northern Arizona University, 1977
M.S. Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 1973
B.S. Zoology, Colorado State University 1970
Affiliations and Memberships*
American Society of Mammalogists
National Museums of Kenya
Florida Museum of Natural History
Museum of Southwestern Biology (University of New Mexico)
California Academy of Sciences
Colorado State University
University of Florida
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Wildlife-At-Risk (Vietnam)
Advisory committees of a number of national and international conservation organizations and agencies, including the Committee of Scientific Advisors to the US Marine Mammal Commission.
Science and Products
Auditory evoked potentials in the West Indian Manatee (Sirenia: Trichechus manatus)
Effects of dietary nickel on mallards
Polychlorinated biphenyls in a wild mink population
Roosting, social organization and the annual cycle in a Kenya population of the bat Pipistrellus nanus
Ecological observations on an East African bat community
Phthalate plasticizers: Accumulation and effects on weight and food consumption in captive starlings
Organochlorine pollutants in small cetaceans from the Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, November 1968-June 1976
Influence of a local source of DDT pollution on statewide DDT residues in waterfowl wings, northern Alabama, 1978-79
DDT contamination at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
Monitoring fish and wildlife for environmental pollutants
Nocturnal and seasonal activities of the pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus
Fat content in migratory central Arizona Brazilian free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis (Molossidae)
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 112
Auditory evoked potentials in the West Indian Manatee (Sirenia: Trichechus manatus)
Potentials evoked by clicks and tone pips were recorded by fine wires inserted extracranially in four West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) in air. Sounds were delivered via padded ear phones. Averaging a few thousand trials at 20/s reveals early peaks at N5.4 (‘vertex’ negativity to a frontal reference, at 5.4 ms), P7.6, N8.8, P9.5 — probably equivalent to waves IV and VII of the typical mamAuthorsTheodore H. Bullock, Thomas J. O'Shea, Michael C. McCluneEffects of dietary nickel on mallards
Thirty breeding pairs of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups and were fed breeder mash containing 0, 12.5, 50.0, 200.0, or 800.0 ppm Ni (as the sulfate) for 90 d. Ni ingestion had no effect on egg production, hatchability, or survival of ducklings. After 90 d birds were bled, sacrificed, and necropsied. There were no significant differences in hematAuthorsW.C. Eastin, T. J. O'SheaPolychlorinated biphenyls in a wild mink population
No abstract available.AuthorsT. J. O'Shea, T. E. Kaiser, G.R. Askins, J.A. ChapmanRoosting, social organization and the annual cycle in a Kenya population of the bat Pipistrellus nanus
The tiny (3.1–3.8 g) vespcrtilionid bat Pipistrellus nanus was studied in Kenya palm-thatched roofs from May 1973 to July 1974. Roosting social organization and related activities and behavior are described. ♂♂ held diurnal roosting territories where ♀♀ gathered in small and compositionally labile groups, attracted to the most vocal ♂♂. Annual variation in population-wide aspects of social organizAuthorsThomas J. O'SheaEcological observations on an East African bat community
The structure and ecology of bat faunas is a subject of interest to mammalogists (Findley, 1976; Wilson, 1973). Syntopic African bat communities, however, have received little study in comparison with neotropical faunas (cf. Fleming et al., 1972; LaVal and Fitch, 1977; McNab, 1971). Verschuren (1957) presented natural history information and species accounts for a localized central African bat fAuthorsThomas J. O'Shea, Terry A. VaughanPhthalate plasticizers: Accumulation and effects on weight and food consumption in captive starlings
No abstract available.AuthorsT. J. O'Shea, C. J. StaffordOrganochlorine pollutants in small cetaceans from the Pacific and south Atlantic Oceans, November 1968-June 1976
Organochlorine residues were analyzed in blubber, brain, or muscle tissues of 69 individuals representing 10 species of small cetaceans. Collections were made from November 1968 through June 1976 at localities in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and along the coasts of California, Hawaii, Japan, and Uruguay, Relations of residue concentrations between tissues are described for DDE and PCBs in two dolpAuthorsT. J. O'Shea, R.L. Brownell, D. R. Clark, W.A. Walker, M. L. Gay, T. G. LamontInfluence of a local source of DDT pollution on statewide DDT residues in waterfowl wings, northern Alabama, 1978-79
Heavy DDT contamination resulting from a former DDT manufacturing plant in northern Alabama has influenced statewide averages of DDT, DDE, and TDE residues in duck wings tested in the National Pesticide Monitoring Program. In states where contaminant levels in duck wings are high, residue analyses of wings categorized by finer geographic subdivision may be useful in defining the areas of heaviestAuthorsW. J. Fleming, T. J. O'SheaDDT contamination at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
Disposal of industrial waste resulted in massive DDT contamination atWheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Alabama. Nearly a decade after the cessation of DDT manufacturing at the facility responsible, concentrations of DDT residues in the local fauna are still high enough to suggest avian reproductive impairment and mortality. Populations of fish-eating birds are low, endangered species are being exAuthorsT. J. O'Shea, W.J. Fleming, E. CromartieMonitoring fish and wildlife for environmental pollutants
No abstract available.AuthorsThomas J. O'Shea, Bob Hines, J. Larry LudkeNocturnal and seasonal activities of the pallid bat, Antrozous pallidus
Nocturnal and seasonal activities of pallid bats (Antrozous pallidus) were observed in central Arizona. The pallid bat night is characterized by two roaming periods with an intervening period of night roosting. Foraging pallid bats have a characteristic style of flight well suited to the taking of relatively large, substrate-roving or slow flying prey. After the initial foraging period pallid bAuthorsThomas J. O'Shea, Terry A. VaughanFat content in migratory central Arizona Brazilian free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis (Molossidae)
Fat content of migratory Tadarida brasiliensis was determined during the spring, summer and fall of 1972 in the Verde Valley of Arizona. Fat indices were highest in March arrivals, generally declined throughout the summer, and were lowest in September. In both 1972 and 1973 bats had arrived at the study area by mid-March. In 1971 bats were last noted at the area in mid-October while in 1972 theAuthorsThomas J. O'SheaNon-USGS Publications**
Helm, R.C., D.P. Costa, T.D. DeBruyn, T.J. O'Shea, R.S. Wells, and T.M. Williams. 2015. Overview of effects of oil on marine mammals. P. 455-484, in M. Fingas (ed.) Handbook of Oil Spill Science and Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ
Luis, A.D., T.J. O'Shea, D.T.S. Hayman, J.L.N. Wood, A.A. Cunningham, A. T. Gilbert, J.N. Mills, and C.T. Webb. 2015. Network analysis of host-virus communities in bats and rodents reveals determinants of cross-species transmission. Ecology Letters 18:1153-1162. DOI: 10.1111/ele.12491Marsh, H., T. O’Shea, and J. Reynolds. 2011. Ecology and conservation of the Sirenia: dugongs and manatees. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 538 p.O’Shea, T.J. 2014. Family Trichechidae. P. 548-562 in D.E. Wilson and R.A. Mittermeier, eds. Handbook of Mammals of the World 4. Sea Mammals. Lynx Editions, Barcelona.Peel, A.J., J. R. C. Pulliam, A. D. Luis, R. K. Plowright, T. J. O’Shea, D. T. S. Hayman, J. L. N. Wood, C. T. Webb, and O. Restif. 2014. The effect of seasonal birth pulses on pathogen persistence in wild mammal populations. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences B 281: 20132962 (pages 1-9).Restif, O., Hayman, D.T.S., J.R.C. Pulliam, R.K. Plowright, D.B. George, A.D. Luis, A.A. Cunningham, R.A. Bowen, A.R. Fooks, T.J. O'Shea, J.L.N. Wood, and C.T. Webb. 2012. Model-guided fieldwork: practical guidelines for multidisciplinary research on wildlife ecological and epidemiological dynamics. Ecology Letters 15:1083-1094. DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01836.xSon, N.T., T.J. O’Shea, J.A. Gore, G. Csorba, V.T. Tu, T. Oshida, H. Endo, and M. Motokawa. 2016. Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the southeastern Truong Son Mountains, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8:8953-8969. DOI: httpdx.dofi.org/10.11609/jot.2785.8.7.8953-8969Webber, Q.M.R., Brigham, R.M., Park, A.D., Gillam, E.H., O'Shea, T.J., and Willis, C.K.R. 2016, Social network characteristics and predicted pathogen transmission in summer colonies of female big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 70: 701-712. DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2093-3Woolf, A. and T. J. O'Shea. 1968. Two bighorn sheep-coyote encounters. Journal of Mammalogy 49: 770. DOI: 10.2307/1378747Woolf, A., T. J. O'Shea and D. L. Gilbert. 1970. Movements and behavior of bighorn sheep on summer ranges in Yellowstone National Park. Journal of Wildlife Management 34: 446-450. DOI: 10.2307/3799031**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government