Systematic analysis of leisler’s bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817) captured from FATA region, Pakistan

Extensive field surveys were carried out to explore the distribution of Leisler’s Bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1819) in selected area of FATA regions, Pakistan. Specimens of Leisler’s Bat Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1819) (n5) were collected from Kurram Agency (Shublan) (N33.8229788 E70.1634414) at elevation 1427m and Khyber Agency (Landi Kotel) (N34.0909899 E71.1457517) at elevation 1091m for two years survey extending from May 2013 through August 2015. The mean head and body length, hind foot length, ear length and tail length the Nyctalus leisleri specimens captured from the study area was 65.08 ± 1.58 mm, 44.06 ± 0.52 mm, 8.38 ± 0.60 mm, 13.20 ± 0.99 mm and 39.46 ± 1.46 mm, respectively. For molecular analysis the sequences of COI gene were obtained and analyzed. The mean intraspecific divergences of Nyctalus leisleri was 0.04%. The mean interspecific divergences of Nyctalus noctula and Nyctalus leisleri was 0.2%. The mean concentration of each nucleotides was A = (26.3%), T = (32.8%), G = (15.9%) and C = (25.0%). The mean A+T contents were 59.2%and C+G were 40.9%. In the phylogenetic tree Nyctalus leisleri and Nyctalus noctula clustered with significant bootstrap support value.

Species diversity of bats (Chiroptera) in the Ukrainian Azov Region and features of their residence by seasons

The article presents the results of regional surveys of bats in 2010–2020 in places planned for the construction of wind farms. With the use of modern ultrasonic detectors, computer programs and an electronic library of voices, 15 species were found in the Ukrainian Azov Region. Their highest diversity (11–13 species) was revealed in places of intensive migration. First of all, these are the sites Armyansk, Chaplynka, and Askania-Nova, which are located between the Dnieper valley and the Crimean Peninsula. Probably, in this area, bats migrating from the northern and north-eastern regions cross the land and join those moving along the Azov coast. The movement of a significant number of animals is noticeable in the west of the Molochna River. A relatively large variety of bats occurs near the sites Botiyevo, Orlivka, and Primorsk, located directly on the northern shore of the Sea of Azov, along which the migratory movements of bats are particularly strong. During winter, with limited research in this period, 8 species were found, whereas 13 species during spring and autumn migrations and 11 species in summer. The almost complete transformation of the steppe into agrocoenoses bordered by forest belts and irrigation canals undoubtedly affected bats in addition to global warming. In recent years, in all places of the Ukrainian Azov Region, there has been a decline in the number of the common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus), and an increase in the abundance of the noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula), Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii), Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii), and parti-coloured bat (Vespertilio murinus). In all seasons, the least common species were the brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii), greater noctule (Nyctalus lasiopterus), lesser noctule (Nyctalus leisleri), Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii), and western barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus).

К фауне рукокрылых городского округа Феодосия

Фауна рукокрылых городского округа Феодосия включает 19 видов из 3-х семейств, включая 2 вида, которые в регионе не регистрировались более 70 лет. Нами впервые здесь зарегистрированы 5 видов: Myotis davidii, M. nattereri, Nyctalus leisleri, Pipistrellus pygmaeus и Plecotus auritus. В статье приводится перечисление всех известных в Большой Феодосии находок для каждого из видов, а для 17 из них добавлены также оригинальные находки. Наибольшим видовым разнообразием и наивысшим числом находок здесь отличается государственный природный заповедник «Карадагский» и его окрестности. Обсуждается также вероятность обнаружения ряда видов, отмеченных на сопредельных территориях. БлагодарностиРабота выполнена в рамках темы госзадания № АААА-А19-119012490044-3 (Изучение особенностей структуры и динамики сухопутных экосистем в различных климатических зонах).

A long distance migration in Nyctalus leisleri from the Czech Republic to southern France (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

On 28 January 2020, three living individuals of the Leisler’s bat, Nyctalus leisleri, were found in a shed in Malaucène, southern France (44°11’34”N, 05°07’26”E). Two of these bats had bands with the inscription CESON.ORG used in the Czech Republic since 2019. The whole ring code was detected in one case (CZ03313), in a female captured and banded in a bat-box near Bečov nad Teplou, western Bohemia, Czech Republic (50°05’27”N, 12°51’38”E) on 9 September 2019, 878 km away from Malaucène. This is the first case of a long distance migration in the population of Nyctalus leisleri of the Czech Republic. This observation also gives a direct evidence of a flight during the maximum 141 days in late summer or autumn from the central or northeastern Europe to the southwestern parts of the continent.

Bat fauna of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, Northern part

Introduction. Holosiivskyi National Nature Park is a unique, by its location, protected area. Parts of the park are located within the administrative boundaries of the city of Kyiv and include extensive, by area, forest plots. The park consists of three parts: Central (Holosiivskyi forest and other tracts), Southern (Lisnyky), and, since 2014, Northern (Svyatoshyn-Bilychi). The latter has the largest area – 6462.62 ha. Data on the chiropterofauna of this massif were incomplete. Bats are an essential element of terrestrial ecosystems. All bat species in Ukraine have a protection status, according to the Red Book of Ukraine and three international treaties. For effective conservation measures for species of this group, it is necessary to own data on their distribution, number, status, etc. As well, the study and monitoring of fauna are one of the primary tasks of national nature parks. Серія «Біологічні науки», 202125Purpose. The aim of the work was to describe the bat fauna of the Svyatoshyn-Bilychi massif of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, based on results of the field research conducted in 2019–2020, with the involvement of data collected in 2000–2005.Methods. Catching was carried out with mist nets. Bats were examined by the standard scheme, immediately after their capture. The study was done without removing animals from the wild; bats were released immediately after their examination at the place of their capture. Ultrasonic detectors were used for acoustic observations. The search of roosts was done by social vocalization of bats, presence of feces, night and morning swarming; as well structures which might be potential shelters for bats were inspected.Results. During 2000–2020, at the territory of the Svyatoshyn-Bilychi massif, nine bat species were recorded: Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis dasycneme, M. daubentonii, Nyctalus leisleri, N. noctula,Plecotus auritus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, P. nathusii, P. pygmaeus. Thus, today the list of bat fauna of the Svyatoshyn-Bilychi massif includes 10 species: 9, recorded; 1 species, Nyctalus lasiopterus, known by the record of the first half of the 20th century, was not revealed. According to the results of the survey in 2019–2020, four species were found to be dominants, in terms of the number of record points and their representation in catches: P. nathusii, P. pygmaeus, N. noctula, N. leisleri. During the survey, six species were confirmed to breed at the study area. 11 bat roosts were found; most of them, in trees.Originality. A comprehensive inventory of the chiropterofauna of the large protected area of the Svyatoshyn-Bilychimassif of the Holosiivskyi National Park was carried out for the first time. The first and the only one known Myotis dasycneme maternity colony in Kyiv region was found.Conclusion. The initial description of the chiropterofauna of the Svyatoshyn-Bilychi massif of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park is presented. The obtained data can be used in the development and further implementation of practical measures for the conservation of bats within the territory of the Holosiivskyi National Nature Park and represent the basis for bat monitoring in the future. Key words: bats, fauna, Holosiivskyi National Nature Park, Kyiv City, Central Ukraine.

An agent-based algorithm resembles behaviour of tree-dwelling bats under fission–fusion dynamics

Utilization of computational approach in the study of social behaviour of animals is increasing and we attempted such an approach in our study of tree-dwelling bats. These bats live in highly dynamic fission–fusion societies that share multiple roosts in a common home range. The key behavioural component associated with complex and non-centralized decision-making processes in roost switching is swarming around potential locations in order to recruit members to the new roost. To understand roost switching dynamics of bat groups in their natural environment, we employed a computational model, the SkyBat, which is based on swarm algorithm, to model this process. In a simulated environment of this agent-based model, we replicated natural fission–fusion dynamics of the Leisler’s bat, Nyctalus leisleri, groups according to predefined species and habitat parameters. Spatiotemporal patterns of swarming activity of agents were similar to bats. The number of simulated groups formed prior to sunrise, the mean number of individuals in groups and the roost height did not differ significantly from data on a local population of bats collected in the field. Thus, the swarm algorithm gave a basic framework of roost-switching, suggesting possible applications in the study of bat behaviour in rapidly changing environments as well as in the field of computer science.

Alexandr Sergeyevich Lisetskiy and his collection of bats in the Museum of Nature at V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University

Aleksandr Sergeyevich Lysetskiy (1919–1991), whose centenary is celebrated this year, was a well-known ornithologist and mammologist and worked for a long time as an associate professor at the Department of Zoology at Kharkiv University. He has been interested in zoology since childhood and has been a young naturalist at the Kharkov Pioneer Palace and in Kharkiv Zoo as early as 1934. A.Lysetskiy started his studies at the biological faculty of KhNU in 1938 and finished it after the Great Patriotic War in 1948. Already in these years (from 1937 to 1947) he, together with his student friend A.Kunichenko, collected bat specimens, which are now stored in the Museum of Nature of KhNU. Since the labels of almost all specimens do not have the names of collectors, this collection was determined by us by comparing all the data (collection numbers, dates etc.) of the samples with the data given in their paper "To the bat fauna (Chiroptera) of Kharkiv region», which was published in 1952. In total, the Museum of Nature collection now has 139 specimens of bats from 18 species, 11 genera and 3 families. The majority – 129 specimens belong to the family Vespertilionidae. Of these, 52 specimens were collected by A.Lisetskiy (together with A.Kunichenko). This material is provided in the comparative table. Of the 9 species of this family represented in their collection, 6 species are representing fifty or more percent of the total number of all specimens stored in the Museum of Nature. These species are: Myotis dasycneme (66.6%), Plecotus auritus (75%), Nyctalus lasiopterus (100%), Nyctalus leisleri (55%), Pipistrellus nathusii (83.3%), Vespertilio murinus (100%). Only these collectors provided specimens of two species: these are the only specimen of Nyctalus lasiopterus and both specimens of Vespertilio murinus. Nowadays, all of these specimens (except Nyctalus lasiopterus, which is on display) are stored in separate boxes in the scientific collection of the museum. We can conclude that the collection of A.Lisetskiy and A.Kunichenko make up the prevailing part of the scientific collection of bats of the Museum of Nature of Kharkiv University.

Distribution of bats in Northern Cyprus (Chiroptera)

A complete list of bat records available from Northern Cyprus is presented, based on both limited literature and new records, resulting from a recent field survey conducted mainly in 2018. This review is complemented by distribution maps and summaries of the distributional status of particular species. From the northern part of the island of Cyprus, at least 451 records of 21 bat species are available; viz. Rousettus aegyptiacus (26 record localities), Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (19), R. hipposideros (21), R. euryale (5), R. mehelyi (1), R. blasii (12), Myotis blythii (4), M. nattereri (10), M. emarginatus (3), M. capaccinii (1), Eptesicus serotinus (5), E. anatolicus (1), Hypsugo savii (6), Pipistrellus pipistrellus (50), P. pygmaeus (9), P. kuhlii (265), Nyctalus leisleri (1), N. lasiopterus (1), Plecotus kolombatovici (3), Miniopterus schreibersii (4), and Tadarida teniotis (5). The number of records increased elevenfold and 1.5 times more bat species were found compared to the last review published in 2007. Seven bat species (Rhinolophus euryale, Myotis emarginatus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus, Nyctalus leisleri, N. lasiopterus, and Miniopterus schreibersii) are reported from Northern Cyprus for the first time; also, R. euryale is confirmed for the first time from the whole island. With the exception of Nyctalus noctula, for which doubtful records exist only from Southern Cyprus, the complete known bat fauna of the island was documented in Northern Cyprus. Moreover, three bat species, Rhinolopus mehelyi, Myotis capaccinii and Eptesicus anatolicus, were reported only from the northern part of Cyprus, although the record of M. capaccinii is considered as problematic and the occurrence of this species on the island is unlikely. For the first time, a population trend in a bat population is reported in Cyprus; smaller colonies of Rousettus aegyptiacus, even abandonment of roosts, were observed during the recent survey compared to numbers recorded in the mid-2000s.