{"title":"Daily activity patterns of ungulates at water holes during the dry season in the Waterberg National Park, Namibia","authors":"E. Kasiringua, G. Kopij, Ş. Procheş","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.02","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.02","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, daily drinking activity of all 12 herbivore species were conducted in the dry season at seven waterholes in the Waterberg National Park, Namibia, where only leopard Panthera pardus was present as a large carnivore. Drinking was more frequent between 15h00 and 22h00 than in the rest of the day. A conspicuous peak in drinking activity was in the evening between 18h00 and 19h00, when 15% of animals were recorded drinking water. Water holes had various frequency of attendance by particular ungulate species. Eland Tragelaphus oryx and buffalo Syncerus caffer were most frequently recorded species at water holes, comprising together almost half of all ungulates recorded. The kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, roan Hippotragus equinus, sable antelope Hippotragus niger and warthog Phacochoerus africanus were also in the group of water-dependent species (comprising together at water holes 41.2% of all animals recorded). Four groups of ungulates may be distinguished in the Waterberg National Park based on their daily drinking activity patterns: 1) evening and night drinkers: white rhino Ceratotherium simum, black rhino Diceros bicornis and buffalo (i.e., those free of leopard predation risk); 2) night and morning drinkers: eland, gemsbok Oryx gazella and kudu (i.e. those with limited leopard predation risk); 3) day drinkers: warthog, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis, roan, sable antelope, red hartebeest Alcephalus buselaphus (high leopard predation risk); 4) whole day and night drinkers: dik-dik Madoqua kirkii, steenbok Raphicerus campestris, common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia. Most animals drinking during the night were more active in the first half (18h00–24h00) than in the second half (24h00–6h00) of the night. How to cite this article: Kasiringua E., Kopij G., Procheș Ș. 2017. Daily activity patterns of ungulates at water holes during the dry season in the Waterberg National Park, Namibia // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2. P.129–138. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.02","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"129-138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42988988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V. Stepanova, A. Argunov, R. Kirillin, I. Okhlopkov
{"title":"Time-study of moose (Alces alces L., 1758) geophagia activity in the Central Yakutia","authors":"V. Stepanova, A. Argunov, R. Kirillin, I. Okhlopkov","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.07","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.07","url":null,"abstract":"Geophagia of wild hoofed mammals was recorded using camera-traps in five mineral licks of the Central Yakutia (Russia). In total, 235 camera-trap-days are spent, breakdown by months: June — 34, July — 60, August — 65, September — 60, October — 16. Over this period, we registered 122 visits of moose. Presence of 215 moose on the mineral licks is documented, among them — 24 visits of females with calves. The average geophagia of moose (M±SD) is 8.7±7.8 min (lim 1–40; n=125). The average number of visits per day is 3.1 (lim 1–8; n=54). The maximum number of moose staying on a mineral lick at the same time amounted to 4 animals. The maximum number of moose visited a licks per day amounted to 6 animals (apart from repeated visits). Monthly visiting of licks is as follows: June — 43.3%, July — 49.2%, August — 5.8%, September — 1.7%, and October — 0%. The sex ratio of using the salt mineral licks was as follows: bulls 47.6% (n=10), cows — 52.4% (n=11). How to cite this article: Stepanova V.V., Argunov A.V., Kirillin R.A., Okhlopkov I.M. 2017. Time-study of moose (Alces alces L., 1758) geophagia activity in the Central Yakutia // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2. P.185–190. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.07","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"185-190"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41765102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Age related cranial characters from the viewpoint of species identification of Amur and Daurian hedgehogs (Lipotyphla: Erinaceidae)","authors":"L. Voyta","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.06","url":null,"abstract":"The current paper represents a summary of age determination attempts in two species of EastAsian hedgehogs — Erinaceus amurensis Schrenk, 1859, and Mesechinus dauuricus (Sundevall, 1842) from Russian (Moscow, Saint Petersburg) and Chinese (Beijing) Museum Collections. The analysed specimens comprise 99 skulls, of which 46 skulls are from Amur hedgehogs, and 53 belonged to Daurian hedgehogs. Our results represent the four relative age stages with detailed descriptions and figures from the viewpoint of an interspecies comparison. We revealed that the size and additive characters of suprameatal fossa are undoubtedly very useful for the identification of adult specimens of both species, but are useless for young specimens due to the similarity of the initial stages of development of the ear region. In addition, the relative height of the frontal and parietal bones (= development of the sagittal ridge and temporal line) cannot be used to correctly compare subadult and adult Amur hedgehogs with adult and senile Daurian hedgehogs, because the latter species acquires a similarity in the skull profile with the former during maturity. The third considered age-related character is fusion of the lacrimal/maxilla suture, which shows some degree of variation in E. amurensis. Thus, all of the characteristics that are generally used for the comparison and identification of East-Asian hedgehogs, beginning with E. amurensis vs. M. dauuricus, require a prior description of their interspecific variability in order to be useful for species identification. How to cite this article: Voyta L.L. 2017. Age related cranial characters from the viewpoint of species identification of Amur and Daurian hedgehogs (Lipotyphla: Erinaceidae) // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2. P.176–184. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.06","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"176-184"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67076515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Retrospective and prospective studies on helminthiases in bisons of Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve (Moscow Region, Serpukhov District)","authors":"O. Panova, N. Serdyuk, I. Glamazdin, I. Zemlyanko","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.04","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.04","url":null,"abstract":"Contemporary American bison (Bison bison (Linnaeus, 1758)) and European bison (Bison bonasus (Linnaeus, 1758)) are introduced (alien) species at the territory of Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve. Presently, extensive interchange of parasitic fauna between the bisons and aboriginal ungulates is recorded, therefore, monitoring their helminth fauna appears to be a pressing issue. The current paper presents a survey of the helminth fauna in American bison and European bison based on the results of original research and literature data analysis. The investigation of faeces samples of American bisons from the nature reserve revealed eggs of Trichostrongylus sp. with length of 78.5 μm and width of 40 μm in size as well as those of Strongyloides papillosus (Wedl, 1856) with length of 60 and width of 20–22 μm in size. The eggs of Strongyloides papillosus in bisons from the nature reserve are recorded for the first time. It is supposed that the bisons contract this nematode species from sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838), yet previously it was believed that deer and bisons are safe for each other in terms of helminthic infections. The study has shown the heterogenous composition of helminth fauna in contemporary American bison and European bison in different parts of their range, which appears to be connected with the circulation of helminthes among deers and bisons populating a particular area. The absence of highly specific, high-avid helminthes in the bisons has been found. How to cite this article: Panova O.A., Serdyuk N.V., Glamazdin I.G., Zemlyanko I.I. 2017. Retrospective and prospective studies on helminthiases in bisons of Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve (Moscow Region, Serpukhov District) // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2. P.149–156. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.04","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"149-156"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49375787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Abramov, A. Bannikova, D. Chernetskaya, V. Lebedev, V. Rozhnov
{"title":"The first record of Episoriculus umbrinus from Vietnam, with notes on the taxonomic composition of Episoriculus (Mammalia, Soricidae)","authors":"A. Abramov, A. Bannikova, D. Chernetskaya, V. Lebedev, V. Rozhnov","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.2.01","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT. The mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear ApoB and RAG2 genes were used to estimate the phylogenetic relationships in Asiatic red-toothed shrews (Soricidae, Episoriculus). Based on molecular data, the genus Episoriculus seems to consist of at least seven valid species: E. baileyi, E. caudatus, E. leucops, E. macrurus, E. sacratus, E. soluensis, and E. umbrinus. Genetic distances among all of them are found to be of 8–16%, with the only low distance (3.4%) being that between E. baileyi and E. leucops. Taiwanese shrew E. fumidus shows high genetic divergence (16–17% for cytb) from other species of Episoriculus. Based on both genetic and morphological data it should be attributed to a separate new genus Pseudosoriculus gen.n. Episoriculus umbrinus was found in Lao Cai Province, representing a new species record for the fauna of Vietnam; morphology-based diagnosis of this specimen has reliably been confirmed by molecular data. How to cite this article: Abramov A.V., Bannikova A.A., Chernetskaya D.M., Lebedev V.S., Rozhnov V.V. 2017. The first record of Episoriculus umbrinus from Vietnam, with notes on the taxonomic composition of Episoriculus (Mammalia, Soricidae) // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.2. P.117–128. doi: 10.15298/ rusjtheriol.16.2.01","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"117-128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46265500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Obituary - Gambaryan P.P. (1925-2017)","authors":"O. Zherebtsova, G. E. Zubtsova, A. Perepelova","doi":"10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.2.08","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"191-196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46686677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Orlova, D. Kazakov, O. L. Orlov, V. Mishchenko, A. Zhigalin
{"title":"The first data on the infestation of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), with gamasid mites, Steatonyssus spinosus (Mesostigmata, Gamasina, Macronyssidae)","authors":"M. Orlova, D. Kazakov, O. L. Orlov, V. Mishchenko, A. Zhigalin","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.06","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.06","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents one of the very few records of a macronyssid mite (Mesostigmata, Gamasina, Macronyssidae) infestation of vesper bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). It is the first report of the influence of host parameters on the infestation of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus, by the mite Steatonyssus spinosus. It has been shown that the infestation varies considerably throughout the host’s occupation of summer roosts and the highest infestation was observed in the post-lactation period. Female bats are infested significantly more intensively than male bats due to changes in their immune status during pregnancy and lactation. The infestation decreases in the period when the breeding colony disbands due to both roost switching and the intensification of grooming during this period. How to cite this article: Orlova M.V., Kazakov D.V., Orlov O.L., Mishchenko V.A., Zhigalin A.V. 2017. The first data on the infestation of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), with gamasid mites, Steatonyssus spinosus (Mesostigmata, Gamasina, Macronyssidae) // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.1. P.66–73. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.1.06","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"66-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45914692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The evolution of sociality in rodents: a family affair","authors":"V. Gromov","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.05","url":null,"abstract":"Sociality means group-living. Among rodents, the most social species live in family groups that consist as a rule of not numerous individuals. Hence, the evolution of sociality among rodents is not a group-size evolution. A family-group lifestyle is associated with long-lasting pair bonds, participation of both parents in care of young, and cooperation in different activities. In family groups, cooperation starts from the very beginning when a breeding pair establishes, protects and marks its home range, digs burrows or constructs other shelters, and provides care-giving activities. Direct parental care (especially paternal care) by means of tactile stimulation of the young is suggested to promote long-lasting pair bonds and development of subsequent parental behaviors in sub-adult and adult males that is so typical of highly social rodent species. This phenomenon has an epigenetic nature and could be considered as ‘stimulation of similar with the similar’. Cooperation extends and intensifies when the size of family groups increases as a result of delayed dispersal of the offspring. According to the proposed conceptual model, family groups could be formed under any ecological conditions, irrespective of predation pressure or resource distribution, given that mating pairs and, furthermore, family groups are more competitive due to cooperation than solitary conspecifics. The main driving forces are proximate mechanisms related to tactile stimulation of young individuals during their early postnatal development and cooperation. This conceptual model provides a better understanding of the evolution of sociality (i.e. transition to a family-group lifestyle) in different rodent taxa. How to cite this article: Gromov V.S. 2017. The evolution of sociality in rodents: a family affair // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.1. P.47–65. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.1.05","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"47-65"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47124480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Late Pleistocene and Holocene Mustela remains (Carnivora, Mustelidae) from Bliznets Cave in the Russian Far East","authors":"G. Baryshnikov, E. Alekseeva","doi":"10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.01","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15298/RUSJTHERIOL.16.1.01","url":null,"abstract":"Fossil remains of the representatives of genus Mustela from Upper Pleistocene and Holocene levels in Bliznets Cave, located near Nakhodka City, are found to belong to five species: M. erminea, M. sibirica, M. eversmanii, M. altaica, and M. nivalis. Mandibles of M. sibirica may be segregated from those of M. eversmanii on the basis of position of the incision on angular process. All species, except M. eversmanii, currently occur in the southern part of the Russian Far East, while the distribution range of the steppe polecat is shifted to 400–500 km westwards. How to cite this article: Baryshnikov G.F., Alekseeva E.V. 2017. Late Pleistocene and Holocene Mustela remains (Carnivora, Mustelidae) from Bliznets Cave in the Russian Far East // Russian J. Theriol. Vol.16. No.1. P.1–14. doi: 10.15298/rusjtheriol.16.1.01","PeriodicalId":56047,"journal":{"name":"Russian Journal of Theriology","volume":"16 1","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":0.6,"publicationDate":"2017-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41625267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}