Karyological and some morphological characteristics of the Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon (Mammalia: Carnivora), along with current distribution range in Turkey

The Egyptian mongoose is the only member of the family Herpestidae in Turkey. Te species is distributed mainly in Africa, and Turkey constitutes the northernmost distribution margin of the species. Tus far, a natural specimen’s karyotype from an area with a known locality for H. ichneumon has not been studied. Te karyotype of a male specimen from Hatay was determined to be 2n = 43, NF = 71, NFa = 66. Te X1 and X2 chromosomes were middle-sized metacentric, and the Y chromosome was middle-sized telocentric. Te external and skull measurements of the Adana-Yumurtalık and Hatay specimens are given here in a table. Te Egyptian mongoose was distributed in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions before the 1970s. However, during the last 30 years, the distribution of H. ichneumon has been recorded only in the Hatay region, mostly because of the lack of detailed distribution studies. We recorded the species from Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, and Mersin, in the area between Hatay and Silife. Te species seems to be limited in areas below an altitude of 450 m in the Mersin, Adana, and Hatay regions. H. ichneumon is distributed mostly in reed, bush, and scrub areas, as well as in agricultural lands with residential areas. Because of the large distributional decrease of the species, it is necessary to develop their populations by rescuing H. ichneumon from the risks mentioned below by starting a tracking program immediately.The Egyptian mongoose is the only member of the family Herpestidae in Turkey. Te species is distributed mainly in Africa, and Turkey constitutes the northernmost distribution margin of the species. Tus far, a natural specimen’s karyotype from an area with a known locality for H. ichneumon has not been studied. Te karyotype of a male specimen from Hatay was determined to be 2n = 43, NF = 71, NFa = 66. Te X1 and X2 chromosomes were middle-sized metacentric, and the Y chromosome was middle-sized telocentric. Te external and skull measurements of the Adana-Yumurtalık and Hatay specimens are given here in a table. Te Egyptian mongoose was distributed in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions before the 1970s. However, during the last 30 years, the distribution of H. ichneumon has been recorded only in the Hatay region, mostly because of the lack of detailed distribution studies. We recorded the species from Hatay, Osmaniye, Adana, and Mersin, in the area between Hatay and Silife. Te species seems to be limited in areas below an altitude of 450 m in the Mersin, Adana, and Hatay regions. H. ichneumon is distributed mostly in reed, bush, and scrub areas, as well as in agricultural lands with residential areas. Because of the large distributional decrease of the species, it is necessary to develop their populations by rescuing H. ichneumon from the risks mentioned below by starting a tracking program immediately

Carnivores from the Late Miocene locality of Hayranlı (Hayranlı, Sivas, Turkey)

The locality of Hayranlı-Sivas is situated in the central Anatolian plateau (Sivas, Turkey) and includes many fossil remains, including carnivores collected from 2 different spots. The aim of this study is to contribute to knowledge of carnivore evolution in Turkey based on the fossil specimens in Hayranlı-Sivas. The studied collection indicates the presence of the following taxa: Hyaenictitherium wongii, Hyaenictitherium intuberculatum, Lycyaena dubia, and Machairodus giganteus. L. dubia is the first record from Anatolia. The material of each taxon was described and determined by comparison with other materials from various Eurasian localities. During the Early or Middle Turolian 9–7 Ma. (MN11–12), shrubland and open savanna grassland ecosystem habitats might have contributed to rich faunal diversity in the Hayranlı location. Moreover, carnivores of the area, represented by 4 taxa biochronologically, were adapted to this ecology during the evolutionary processes. M. giganteus in closed ecosystem locality HAY-91 and H. wongii, H. intuberculatum, and L. dubia in open ecosystem locality HAY-2 were probably the most dominant carnivores of the survey area.The locality of Hayranlı-Sivas is situated in the central Anatolian plateau (Sivas, Turkey) and includes many fossil remains, including carnivores collected from 2 different spots. The aim of this study is to contribute to knowledge of carnivore evolution in Turkey based on the fossil specimens in Hayranlı-Sivas. The studied collection indicates the presence of the following taxa: Hyaenictitherium wongii, Hyaenictitherium intuberculatum, Lycyaena dubia, and Machairodus giganteus. L. dubia is the first record from Anatolia. The material of each taxon was described and determined by comparison with other materials from various Eurasian localities. During the Early or Middle Turolian 9–7 Ma. (MN11–12), shrubland and open savanna grassland ecosystem habitats might have contributed to rich faunal diversity in the Hayranlı location. Moreover, carnivores of the area, represented by 4 taxa biochronologically, were adapted to this ecology during the evolutionary processes. M. giganteus in closed ecosystem locality HAY-91 and H. wongii, H. intuberculatum, and L. dubia in open ecosystem locality HAY-2 were probably the most dominant carnivores of the survey area

Contributions on the southern distribution of Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Türkiye

Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758, has a wide distribution from France to Japan, and from Iran in the south to Scandinavia and Russia in the north. The only records of the parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus known from Turkey so far were based on subfossils, remains from owl pellets, and ultrasound recordings. We present the first records of live individuals from two Turkish provinces, Ardahan and Bayburt. Additionally, based on echolocation call records, its known distribution in the Anatolian Peninsula was proved to be wider. The global distribution of the species has been mapped by using ecological niche modelling. The results revealed that its distribution is highly influenced by precipitation dynamics. Although no cases of domestic cat predation on bats have previously been documented in Turkey, this paper also provides the first case study of V. murinus predated by a domestic cat in Ardahan, in November 2003. © 2022, Turkiye Klinikleri. All rights reserved

Allozyme variation in rattus rattus (rodentia: muridae) in Turkey, with particular emphasis on the taxonomy

The Turkish black rat “Rattus rattus” shows variation in coat colour corresponding to the occurrence of three subspecies with intermediate colour stages: Rattus rattus rattus, Rattus r. alexandrinus and Rattus r. frugivorus. Turkish black rat populations were divided geographically into six sub-populations: Rr1= Northwest Anatolia, Rr2= Central Anatolia, Rr3= Eastern Mediterranean, Rr4= Western Mediterranean, Rr5= Turkish Thrace, and Rr6= Black Sea region. Genetic variation was assessed using twenty two isoenzyme systems. Seven of twenty-two loci (Pgm-1, Hk, Me-M, G3pdh, Gpdh-1, Gpi, Fum-1) were found to be polymorphic. The mean value of FST is found to be 0.073, indicating 7.3 % genetic variation among groups and suggesting the existence of a moderate differentiation between sub-populations of the Turkish black rat. Overall mean heterozygosity (Ho= direct count) for sub-populations was Ho= 0.020, ranging from 0.008 to 0.031. Nei’s measure of genetic distance showed that Rr2 and Rr6 were the most identical and sub-populations Rr1 and Rr5 had diverged the most. © 2008 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC