


Vol 103, No 2 (2024)
ARTICLES
Three new species of oribatid mites of the superfamily oripodoidea (acari, oribatida) from Vietnam
Abstract
Three new species of oribatid mites (Oribatida) of the superfamily Oripodoidea – Phauloppia differens sp. n. (Oribatulidae), Oripoda operta sp. n. (Oripodidae) and Pirnodus concavus sp. n. (Oripodidae) – are described, based on adults collected from the bark and tree branches of Dipterocarpus alatus and Haldina cordifolia in southern Vietnam.



A new species of bristletail of the genus allopsontus silv. (microcoryphia, machilidae) from western crimea
Abstract
A new species of bristletail, Allopsontus tauricus sp. n., is described from western Crimea. In the external shape of the eyes, the structure of the mandibles, legs, abdominal sternites, ovipositor and male parameres, it seems to be especially similar to A. europeus (Kaplin 1983) from southern Crimea. Their main differences are the relative length of the cerci, the colour of the eyes and the shape of the paired ocelli. The structure of the distal part of the antennal flagellum, the chaetotaxy of the maxillary and lower labial palps in the male also differ significantly, as well as the ratio of the length of the styli to the length of the coxites of abdominal segments VIII and IX in both sexes.



A new species of the genus thinodromus kraatz 1857 (coleoptera, staphylinidae, oxytelinae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia
Abstract
The new species, Thinodromus (s. str.) sabbangensis sp. n. is described and illustrated from the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Based on the structure of the abdominal tergites, the new species belongs to the “Apocellagria” group. Currently, the “Apocellagria” group includes 12 species: 4 of them live in tropical Africa, and 8 are known from the Oriental Region.



Breeding success of eurasian cranes (grus grus, gruiformes, aves) in the conditions of a changing environment: the impact of climatic and hydrometeorological trends
Abstract
Theoretical predictions usually assume that changes in conditions caused by climate warming would render negative effects on the population dynamics of many bird species, but evidence is only rarely presented. Changes in phenology, nesting timing, and the physical condition of breeders have been published for a wide range of species in most regions of the Northern Hemisphere; however, data are still insufficient for a better understanding of the consequences for changes in productivity, reproductive success and offspring recruitment. Long-term monitoring (1994–2023) the numbers and age structure of premigratory gatherings of Eurasian cranes in the northern Moscow Region, Central Russia, reveals that, despite the climate warming in the region, the proportion of offspring has not changed over the 30-year long period of observation. The number of young birds is positively related to the temperature of the breeding season; in warmer years, the productivity of Eurasian cranes was higher. In seasons with high precipitation rates, the proportion of chicks was decreased. The reproduction efficiency of cranes on Central Russia is controlled by two parameters: the amount of precipitation and the average temperature during the breeding season.More chicks rise in years with a combination of higher temperatures and low precipitation amounts. Increased precipitations and decreased temperatures lead to reduced proportions of chicks in the premigratory gatherings. The most unfavorable situation for common cranes was low temperatures combined with high precipitations, the proportion of chicks being the minimum in such years.



Ultra-long-distance migration of the common Cuckoo (cuculus canorus, cuculiformes, cuculidae) from Kamchatka to Namibia
Abstract
The application of high-tech methods for tracking birds, primarily satellite telemetry, has made it possible in a relatively short time to reveal real migratory routes and wintering areas for many bird species. In the Common cuckoo, whose breeding range extends over a vast territory from Portugal to Kamchatka, the migratory routes and wintering grounds have been well studied for a number of European populations, while the migration of Asian populations of this species is still not so well studied. In this work, we analyze satellite telemetry data obtained from four adult males of the Common cuckoo caught in early June 2017 during the nesting period on the Kamchatka Peninsula near the town of Yelizovo. The autumn migration of these birds started in August to early September. They crossed the Sea of Okhotsk (more than 1 000 km) and, without staying for a long time in the Khabarovsk Region, stopped in China (Sichuan, Hebei, Heilongjiang provinces), where they remained for a long time, from 32 to 52 days, moving around this country until October to November. In southern China, all three surviving males changed their SW direction of migration to almost western and flew crossing Myanmar and Bangladesh to India, where they stopped over for 24–34 days until November 10th or 29th. Then the birds crossed the Arabian Sea in 2–3 days overcoming the huge body of water of about 3 000 km in width without stop to land on the African continent (Somalia). Further migration of Kamchatka cuckoos passed through the countries of East Africa such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia or Zimbabwe, where they stayed from 2 to 11 days. Finally, all three individuals reached wintering areas in December, first in Botswana, then in Namibia. Thus, the duration of autumn migration of Kamchatka cuckoos varied from 106 to 123 days. During this time, they overcame a record distance of 17,340 km for land birds. The spring migration of two birds started on April 19th or 26th next year. They flew back using a similar route as in autumn. One individual crossed the Arabian Sea in early May, the other from May 20th to 22nd. Having reached India, one bird almost the same day arrived to Bangladesh and then to China. The other one stayed on the Hindustan Peninsula for 11 days, this being much shorter than in autumn. Unfortunately, only one male reached the nesting area in Kamchatka (May 31st). Apparently, the other one either died or lost the transmitter in China. The survived male returned to its former nesting area with high accuracy, its transmitter emitted signals until July 10th. The spring migration took the birds much less time (42 days) than in autumn (106–123 days). Thus, we recorded an ultra-long total distance of autumn and spring migration for a land bird species of almost 34,000 km from Kamchatka to Namibia and back.



Space use and seasonal migrations of the wild forest reindeer (rangifer tarandus fennicus (Lönnb. 1909)) in the republic of Karelia
Abstract
The results of studying the space use and seasonal migrations of the Topozero territorial group of wild forest reindeer females in the Republic of Karelia are presented. Telemetry (GPS-collars) was used to assess the migration of the wild forest reindeer. Individual variations were noted in seasonal migrations: two individuals were relatively sedentary, whereas the third moved long distances during the year, with the distance between the extreme locations amounting to more than 70 km. The timing of the start of seasonal migrations varied between years. The use of the same summer habitats in different years was revealed, but the territories of the rut and winter pastures were different for the same animals. Movements of animals over fairly long distances have been noted, which is probably associated with the disturbance factor on the part of predators and/or humans.



Some traits of ecology and demography in settlements of the common hamster (cricetus cricetus, cricetidae, rodentia) under different levels of environmental comfort in a Simferopol city park
Abstract
The spatial and demographic structure of two common hamster settlements was studied in two adjacent areas in a park of Simferopol City, Crimea, one differing in a lower vegetation storey (protective factor) while the other in the frequency of human visits (disturbance factor). We counted environmental comfort as the sum of scores (on a ten-point scale) of safe conditions (positive value) and disturbance factors (negative value). A strong positive relation was found between environmental comfort and the following characteristics of the settlements: (a) the number of burrows per area unit; (b) a nonrandom number of aggregative burrows; and (c) the percentage of juveniles in the population. The seldom visited places with a dense cover of grass and bushes appear to be the most favorable habitats, yet these are not typical of an urban landscape. However, it is those places that seem to serve as the sources that support the existence of hamster populations in less favorable city territories. Preservation of such places is one of the essential factors determining the survival of urban populations of the hamster.



Dependence of the population state of the midday gerbil (meriones meridianus, rodentia, gerbillidae) on the provision of forage resources in different seasons of the year in the north-western caspian
Abstract
In the conditions of the North-Western Caspian Sea, the state of the midday sand lance population is determined by the dynamics of food resources. An important component of the environment that determines the condition of the midday gerbil is bush thickets, which serve as a good shelter for animals. It has been established that on a sand dune, where a higher density of shrubs is noted, compared to open areas of the deserted steppe, the productivity of vegetation increases and the species composition of plants changes. The relationship between gerbil population density and vegetation productivity was shown (R = 0.74, P < 0.05). In addition, the relationship between the number of gerbils and the productivity of bluegrass bulbs (Poa bulbosa) is shown, which fluctuated during the years of research in the sand dune area from 3.7 to 5.5 c/ha of dry weight, and in the desert steppe area from 2.3 to 3.8 c/ha. In accordance with the nature of the provision of food resources, changes in the number of midday gerbils were noted in different seasons of the year from 4 to 24 individuals/ha on sand dunes and from 2 to 14 individuals/ha in the desert steppe.



МЕТОДИКА ЗООЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ
The use of the malacofaunistic method for reconstructing the palaeoecological conditions of the late late pleistocene to holocene based on material from the Tetyukhinskaya Cave Site, Southern Far East, Russia
Abstract
Results of the study of terrestrial mollusc shells from the unconsolidated deposits of the Tetyukhinskaya Cave, Dalnegorsk, Primorsky Krai, Russia are presented. Brief species descriptions of the molluscs and their images complete the scarce information on the fossil Quaternary mollusc fauna of the region. With the help of malacological analysis, characteristic zones and malacological complexes were identified, which were used as indicators of the habitats near the cave entrance and in the adjacent territory. The data concerning the palaeoecological conditions of individual mollusc species confirm the development of broad-leaved and mixed forests, alongside open meadows with herbage vegetation in the region near the cave, towards the end of the Late Pleistocene and in the Holocene.



A numerical analysis of the variation and correlation of crown elements in the upper cheek teeth of the european beaver, castor fiber (rodentia, castoridae), based on geometric morphometrics
Abstract
Individual and age variations and correlation of the upper cheek teeth were studied in the European beaver, Castor fiber, based on an “elementaristic” description of dental crown elements by means of geometric morphometrics and applying correlation, cluster, and dispersion analyses. The basic algorithm for both within- and between-teeth comparisons was described. The least individual variability is characteristic of the teeth taking middle positions in the cheek tooth row. No clear-cut relation of the levels of individual variation of crown elements is revealed with respect to either their position in the tooth crown or their complexity. The age differences in the shape of crown elements may occasionally be very significant, with the juveniles being the most specific in this respect. The least individually variable dental units (either total teeth or particular elements) appear to generally be the most variable with age, although this result may be purely “statistical” in nature. The correlation between dental crown elements is generally not very high, with within-teeth correlations being slightly stronger than between-teeth ones. The correlations are generally stronger in the adults than in the other age groups. The dental correlations vary with age, with general trends of age differences in correlations being the opposite for within- and between-teeth comparisons. The general levels of correlations and the magnitudes of their age differences are inversely related in the case of between-teeth comparisons. The overall correlation pattern of dental crown elements is more evident in the combined age group of subadults + adults. Further explorations of both the variation and integration patterns of mammalian dentition should be based on an “elementaristic” description of the dental crown.


