Volume 80, Issue 1

This study investigated bat diversity in a temperature and precipitation gradient in fiord and valley landscapes of western Norway about 62° N. Equipment for automatic recording of bat calls was distributed in areas ranging from lowlands to alpine habitats with a mean July temperature range of 8–14°C. A general description of species distribution was given and diversity was analysed using both a generalised linear model (GLM) and a mixed-effects model (GLMM). With regard to the sampling design, the data were analysed on a binary scale, where presence or absence of any species other than the northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii is included. Models including temperature and precipitation explain 79% (GLM) to 91% (GLMM) of the overall variation in bat diversity. In sub-alpine and alpine areas with temperature below 10°C, only the northern bat was found. This species also forms maternity roosts where mean July temperatures are as low as 11°C and 10°C, below July temperatures found in the warmest areas beyond the Arctic Circle.

I evaluated bat assemblages in terms of species richness, relative abundance, trophic guild structure, and seasonal changes at three sites along of the Southern Yungas forests. A total of 854 individuals were captured, representing 25 species of three families, with an effort of 27,138 m of mist net opened per hour. Subtropical assemblages showed a similar structure to those from tropical landmark, with a dominance of frugivorous Phyllostomid; in addition, a few species were abundant, followed by a long tail of less common species. However, subtropical sites differed due to the dominance of the genus Sturnira and the great contribution to richness of Vespertilionidae and Molossidae families. Contrary to my original expectations, the latitudinal gradient of species richness does not seem to produce significant differences in richness between the northern and the southern sites, with the central site being different. Furthermore, guild structure and captures did not change between seasons. However, I found a high variation in guild structure among sites due to changes in β diversity and latitudinal lack of species with tropical filiations. These changes generated great differences in functional structure among assemblages, with eight guilds in the north and only four in the remaining sites. Moreover, other variables, such as roost site and resource availability, climatic conditions, and particular attributes of each species, could also be important in determining local richness and guild structure.

Following extensive field work in Thailand (2010–2013) and the examination of 155 museum specimens, this paper reviews and examines the taxonomy of the genus Kerivoula in Thailand, based on morphology, genetics, and echolocation call characteristics. Seven species (as currently understood), Kerivoula papillosa , K. kachinensis , K. hardwickii , K. titania , K. pellucida , K. krauensis and K. minuta , were analysed in detail. Thai specimens of two species, K. picta and K. whiteheadi , were not available for study. Morphological data suggested a complex pattern of possible cryptic species, with at least five morphotypes, based on cranial data for K. papillosa , and nine for K. hardwickii , as currently understood. An analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (COI) from Thai specimens identified three genetic lineages in K. papillosa and K. hardwickii , respectively. The echolocation calls data differed significantly, albeit with individual acoustic parameters overlapping considerably, among genetic lineages. The taxonomic status of the various lineages and morphotypes are discussed.

Marco Polo sheep ( Ovis ammon polii ), listed as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List, were surveyed using vehicles during three summers and three consecutive winters to determine the status and population structure of the subspecies in a hunted population in southeastern Pamirs, Tajikistan. A total of 8649, 8392, and 7663 sheep were observed in each winter survey with densities of 5.42, 4.91, and 4.49 argalis/km 2 , respectively. The differences in numbers observed in different years were probably due principally to differing dates of surveys among years. The high ratios of lamb for every 100 ewe (53, 38, and 49 during the winter surveys, and 60, 45, and 58 during the summer surveys) and high percentages (45%–50%) of mature females during winter indicate that offspring recruitment is sufficient to maintain a stable population. The significant increase in the abundance of Marco Polo sheep in the Tajikistan Pamirs compared with that of previous population surveys may probably be attributed to low numbers of domestic livestock during the winter, low human population density, unfenced and widespread wild sheep habitats, and rigorous patrolling to limit poaching. The small number (45) of hunting permits has a minimal impact on the male sheep sector. Tajikistan now supports more argali than any other country.

The Himalayan grey goral ( Naemorhedus goral bedfordi ) occurs in Pakistan and India, and is classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. This subspecies is threatened primarily by illegal hunting and competition with livestock, resulting in small and fragmented populations. The present study provides information on habitat use by grey goral at two locations in Machiara National Park (MNP), Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, from 2012 to 2013. One location had low grazing pressure from livestock (Machiara), whereas the other had intensive livestock grazing (Serli Sacha). We determined the distribution of grey goral through direct observations of the animals and by the presence of their faecal pellets. We assessed habitat preferences using Ivlev’s electivity index (IEI) by comparing vegetation and topography at used and unused quadrats along nine monitoring lines. Grey gorals strongly avoided areas with high livestock numbers, particularly grazers (cattle Bos taurus and sheep Ovis aries ). Grey gorals were most commonly observed on south-facing slopes between 1970 and 2900 m a.s.l. during all seasons. Grey gorals preferred herbs and grasses (IEI=0.14), used shrubby vegetation in proportion to its availability (IEI=0.03), and avoided densely treed areas (IEI=-0.54). Our study suggests that a comprehensive livestock grazing strategy needs to be developed for the conservation of habitat suitable for grey goral in MNP.

A rocky habitat, in its broadest sense, may be described as any locality that contains boulders, rocks, scree, pebbles, outcrops, cliffs, or caves. In these habitats, mammals find shelter sites that they use as nesting sites or dens to raise their young in a stable microclimate that is relatively secure from predators. The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate the microhabitat selection by the southern mountain cavy ( Microcavia australis Geoffroy and d’Orbigny) in a rocky habitat. This rodent selected the highest and deepest crevices, which provided them with a more stable microenvironment than outside. The present study is the first to report a southern mountain cavy population associated with a rocky habitat, suggesting a strong plasticity to inhabit a variety of habitats, as indicated by its wide distribution.

Few studies have compared the pregastric and caecal digestion of hamsters. Mature Syrian hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ) were fed a diet containing crude protein and fibre at 225 and 64 g/kg, respectively. In the pregastric digesta, the pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), lactate and ammonia N concentrations were 5.91±0.97, 43.1±12.9 μmol/g, 19.2±8.0 μmol/g and 2.46±1.16 mg/g, respectively. The corresponding values in the caecal contents were 6.41±0.25, 92.1±12.2 μmol/g, 6.9±1.0 μmol/g and 0.28±0.08 mg/g, respectively. Acetate was the primary VFA, followed by propionate in the forestomach and butyrate in the caecum. In the caecal contents, a very small amount of methane was produced. The number of total bacteria determined by real-time PCR averaged 2.31×10 9 /g and 1.57×10 10 /g in the pregastric and caecal digesta, respectively. In the pregastric digesta, bifidobacteria and Bacteroides sp. were present at 1.57×10 7 /g and 4.02×10 7 /g, respectively. In the caecal contents, the numbers of bifidobacteria and Bacteroides sp. were 1.01×10 8 /g and 1.46×10 8 /g, respectively. The caecum appears to be more important in hamsters than the forestomach, both in terms of its greater size (3.39±0.63 g vs. 1.59±0.70 g) and greater microbial activity.

A sample of 251 pellets regurgitated by the barn owl in an old building located in Sinnamary (French Guiana) provided a rare opportunity to get a preliminary inventory of small rodents and opossums living in grassy savannas along the coastal non-forested landscapes of this Guianan region. From a total of 329 specimens of vertebrate remains, we focused on 259 small rodents and opossums that could be positively identified. Two species previously unknown in French Guiana were evidenced: a very small opossum of the genus Cryptonanus and the medium-sized terrestrial rodent Sigmodon alstoni . Although Cryptonanus was an unexpected finding so far away from its Amazonian distribution area, the presence of Sigmodon in French Guiana fills a gap between Suriname and Brazilian Amapa where this species is typical of grassy savannas. The species of small mammals most commonly preyed upon by the barn owls of Sinnamary was a large semi-aquatic rodent, Holochilus sciureus , followed in decreasing order by two sigmodontines typical of non-forested ecosystems: Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda .

Wiedomys Hershkovitz, 1959, was considered to be a monotypic genus for >40 years until P.R. Gonçalves et al. described Wiedomys cerradensis from the Cerrado savannas of central Brazil. The geographic distribution of this arboreal species is not yet fully understood. The present study confirms the occurrence of the species in the Brazilian state of Maranhão. A male Wiedomys specimen was collected in the Inhamum Municipal Environmental Protection Area, which is dominated by Cerrado vegetation, although the species could not be identified from morphological characteristics alone. Molecular analyses were based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The cytochrome b sequences indicated low divergence between the Maranhão specimen and W. cerradensis , and much higher divergence from the specimens of Wiedomys pyrrhorhinus , with the two species being well defined according to the high bootstrap values obtained in the analysis. The molecular data nevertheless permitted the confirmation of the occurrence of W. cerradensis in Maranhão, the first record of the species in this state, at a location >900 km from its previously known distribution.

We collected 10 live and two dead specimens of Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata ) from Potohar Plateau to record their morpho-anatomical characteristics. The average body weight and length were recorded in three age classes: juvenile, sub-adult and adult. The maximum body weight, body length and tail length was 20 kg, 147.3 cm, and 85.7 cm, respectively. The total number of scales was 286±6.4, 271±24 and 294±11.0 in the juvenile, sub-adult and adult stages, respectively. The size of the scales varied on different body regions, with smallest being on the head and the largest on the trunk region. The number of scales on the head differed significantly from that on the trunk (p<0.01) and tail (p<0.05) regions. The number and size of the scales on the fore limbs differed significantly (p<0.05) from those on the hind limbs. The relative tongue length constituted 37% of the total body length of the adult specimens. The digestive tract constituted 7% of the relative body weight and 19%–23% of the relative body length, whereas relative length of the reproductive tract was 12%.

Based on a cave survey, we present the first substantiated data of two bat species from Iraq. Both Mediterranean horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus euryale ) and Geoffroy’s bat ( Myotis emarginatus ) were mentioned in the earlier literature, although none of them was accepted and listed by subsequent authors. We overview the controversial history of the Mediterranean and Mehely’s horseshoe bat ( Rhinolophus mehelyi ) records, provide details of the diagnostic characters of vouchered specimens of the former species, and present photographic evidence of the presence of Geoffroy’s bat. Both species are rare in the Middle East, and the territory of Iraq was a gap in their distribution.

We propose a simple, accurate, and inexpensive timing device to record the activity patterns of small mammals in the field using live traps. The present timing device can be used in cage-type live traps. It is built from commercially available components and does not require special skills to construct. The device is set outside the trap and does not need to be permanently affixed or require drill perforations, as others devices do. This device is easily incorporated into long-term monitoring studies to provide temporal information about small mammal populations without affecting their behavior.

We report the first record of a black lion tamarin ( Leontopithecus chrysopygus ; Primates: Callitrichidae) in Carlos Botelho State Park, southeastern Brazil, which is one of the most important protected areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The species is listed as globally threatened by the IUCN, and our record and further confirmation of the effective colonization of this large continuous area of Atlantic forest may provide new perspectives for the conservation of this tamarin.