About Dr. Tupper

Me and an Eastern Diamondback. Kirk Goolsby found him after I had given up.

I’m a professor of biology and faculty lead at NOVA Annandale, affiliate faculty at George Mason University, and a volunteer at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. I’m a big fan of reptiles and amphibians and I usually spend a good amount of time in the summer with one of my favorite people (Professor Kirk Goolsby) stomping around the southeast learning as much natural history as I can. I generally teach biology 1 and 2,  zoology, and sometimes biostatistics.

Having graduated from a community college, I have a deep appreciation for their role in the community. I held on to that appreciation throughout my years as an undergraduate and graduate student. Now, over 20 years later, I am even more grateful for the community college system. NOVA has provided me with a wonderful career, supported my interests in ecology, and has introduced me to students and colleagues that have enriched my life in many ways. I find NOVA be a truly unique community college because there is great camaraderie among the faculty, and a large cohort of highly motivated students from across the globe.

One of the many interesting aspects about the biology department at NOVA is that (with the help of our colleagues, especially Robert Aguilar) Drs. Fernandez, Bozarth, and I have been able to put together somewhat of an informal research program. Over the years we have worked with the Fairfax County Park Authority, George Mason University, Cape Cod National Seashore, the National Zoo, and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center to create independent study opportunities for students that help prepare them for higher-level study in biology (here’s a small piece about egg mass counts involving two former NOVA students). Interestingly enough, some of these projects have resulted in published works. Below is a list of some of our endeavors:

PAPERS & PROJECTS UNDERWAY

  • Shaffer DL, Tupper TA. In progress. Population genetic structure of red-spotted newt (Notopthalamus v. viridescens) in Virgina.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, et al. In progress. Variables influencing presence and severity of snake fungal disease in the Mid-Atlantic Unites States.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, et al. In progress. Taxonomic and environmental predictors of the epidermal microbiome of snakes with implications for differential resistance to Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, et al. In progress. Genetic variability of the fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. across host phylogeny and geography.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, et al. In progress. Shifts in composition of epidermal microbiota across the body suggest systemic rather than localized response to infection by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, Aguilar R, Lorentz EB, Bozarth CA, Fernandez DJ, Lawlor DM. 2020. An investigation of snake fungal disease at two natural areas in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 14:21-28.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, Bozarth CA, Fernandez D, Aguilar R. 2018. An investigation of co-occurrence by Ranavirus (FV-3) and Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in anurans of two natural areas in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia, USA. Catesbeiana 38:45-54.
  • Jones KS, Tupper TA. 2017. Aspects of Eastern Wormsnake (Carphophis amoenus) microhabitats at two natural Areas in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  Catesbeiana 37:99-108.
  • Tupper TA, Fuchs L, Love C, Aguilar R, Bozarth C, Fernandez D. 2017.Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in anurans at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA.  Catesbeiana 37:109-120.
  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, Sepahpur T, Aguilar R, Bozarth CA. 2017.Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in anurans at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Maryland, USA. Catesbeiana 37:32-39.
  • Tupper TA, Aguilar R, Sepahpur T, Hay C, Ebrahimi S.  2016.A survey of Amphibians at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Banisteria 46:12-24
  • Jones KS, Tupper TA. 2015.  Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri) occupancy in the southern mid-Atlantic, USA. Amphibian & Reptile Conservation 9:24-33.
  • Tupper TA, Bozarth C, Jones K, Cook R. 2014. Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisin the eastern spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus h. hollbrookii) at Cape Cod National Seashore, USA. Herpetological Review 45:445-447.
  • Tupper TA, Galitzin T, Bozarth CA, Lawlor DM. 2012. Patterns of frog and toad vocalization in Fairfax County, Virginia. Banisteria 39: 34-46.
  • Tupper TA, Streicher J, Greenspan S, Timm BC, Cook RP. 2011.  Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisin anurans of Cape Cod National Seashore, USA. Herpetological Review 42: 61-65.
  • Cook RP, Tupper TA, Paton PWC, Timm BC.  2011. Effects of temperature and temporal factors on anuran detection probabilities at Cape Cod National Seashore: Implications for long-term monitoring. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6:25-39.
  • Tupper TA, McLean MD, Buchanan S. 2009.Oviposition in northern clade Bufo fowleri: implications for conservation. Applied Herpetology 6: 343-353.
  • Tupper TA, Cook RP.  2008. Habitat variables influencing breeding effort in northern clade Bufo fowleri: implications for conservation. Applied Herpetology 5:101-11.
  • Tupper TA, Cook RP, Timm BC, Goodstine A. 2007. Improving call surveys for detecting the Fowler’s toad, Bufo fowleri, in Southern New England, USA. Applied Herpetology. 4: 245-259.

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES

  • Fuchs LD, Tupper TA, Hay C. 2020. A resolved case of suspected ophidiomycosis in a juvenile ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis). Catesbeiana 40:79-81.
  • Tupper TA, Fuchs LD, Aguilar R. 2019. Molecular confirmation of Ophiodiomyces ophiodiicola in Crotalus horridus and Agkistrodon contortrix (Allegany County, Maryland and Rappahannock County, Virginia). Catesbeiana 39:35-37.
  • Tupper TA, Aguilar R, Fuchs L. Molecular confirmation of snake fungal disease in Nerodia sipedon in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Catesbeiana 38:78-79
  • Wilkinson EL, Tupper TA. 2017. Diadophis punctatus edwardsii VA. York County. Catesbeiana. 37:130-131.
  • Tupper TA, Aguilar R, Fuchs LD, Shaffer DL.  2017 Snake fungal disease in Crotalus horridus MD. Allegany County. Catesbeiana 37:128-130.
  • Tupper TA, Aguilar R. 2015. Lithobates sylvaticus(wood frog) cannibalism. Herpetological Review 46:414.
  • Tupper TA, Aguilar R, Ferrara A, Hay C. 2015. Observations of snake fungal disease in Nerodia sipedon in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Catesbeiana 35:37.
  • Streicher JW, Tupper TA. 2012. Eurycea bislineata(multifocal skin lesions). Catesbeiana 32: 39-40.
  • Tupper TA, Adams LB, Timm BC.  2009. Bufo fowleri Herpetological Review 40: 200-201.

BOOKS & REPORTS

  • Miller SA, Tupper TA. 2024. Zoology, 12th edition. McGraw Hill, New York, New York. ISBN 9781260722185.
  • Miller SA, Tupper TA. 2019. Zoology, 11th edition. McGraw Hill, New York, New York. ISBN 9780077837273.
  • Tupper TA, Andrews KM. 2015. Wildlife Alert: The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. In: Miller SA, Harley JP (Senior Authors.) Zoology. 10th McGraw Hill Education, New York, NY. ISBN 978007837273.
  • Paton PWC, Timm BC, Tupper TA. 2003. Monitoring pond breeding amphibians. Long-term coastal monitoring protocol at Cape Cod National Seashore, p. 113. National Park Service. Wellfleet, Massachusetts.

OTHER STUFF

A zoology plug from Anthony DeJesus

With Good Reason interview–More Humbly (Scroll to the Bottom)