A POSSIBLE CASE OF LEK DEMES IN SOME TROGLOPHILIC BATS AND INTERSPECIFIC RELATIONS IN BAT COLONIES FROM SOME ROMANIAN CAVES ?

Five bat species from the Romanian fauna shelterand hibernate in caves: Mediterranean Horseshoe Bat – Rhinolophus euryale Blasius, 1853; Mehely’s horseshoe bat – Rhinolophus mehelyi Matschie, 1901; the common bent-wing bat/Schreibers’ long-fingered bat/Schreibers’ bat – Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1917); the long-fingered bat – Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte 1837) and the pond bat – Myotis dasycneme (Boie, 1825).The latter species is probably on the way to become troglophilic. Rhinolophus euryale presents the highest degree of stress to the the anthropic disturbances and with preferences for warmer (11–12°C) and higher RH (95–99%) in shelters is. Its colonies can be up to 1000 individuals, usually hanging by caves’ walls and ceilings. The Cloşani Cave (Mehedinţi Co.) contains the Ghica and the Laboratory galleries. In the first gallery, one of us (V. Gheorghiu) found a colony of R. euryale with approx. 1800 individuals. A part of the individuals were fixed on the extremity of a stalactite. Later, both of us observed for years this phenomena and we regarded it as a possible lek process – a sexual behavior, possibly a kind of survival strategy – to mentain genetically heterogeneity for an endangered bat species population. These family groups or demes on the tip of stalactites are mainly in October – November, when bats still have occasionally foraging flights, before retreating for hibernation. Analysing a sample of one deme, there were 96 individuals of R. euryale – 39 males and 57 females. Visiting other caves (Topolniţa – Mehedinţi Co.; Avenul lui Adam – Caraş-Severin Co. – a tropical cave in temperate region, with 31°C–45°C) we found small colonies of R. euryale, but without clear lek phenomena. Exploring other caves (Peştera cu Apă de la Moară and Peştera Câmpenească) – Moneasa locality – Bihor Co., some amateur speleologists reported bat demes on the tip of different stalactites. Some cases of simbiotic and altruism realationships between different bat species we recorded in Fuşteica Cave (Vâlcan Mountain – Gorj Co.), M. capaccinii and M. dasycneme – use to hiden under Rhinolophus ferumequinum’s wings to be protected against predators and to use the host’s body warm. In Lazului Cave (Gorj Co.) a specimen of M. dasycneme was also protected under R. ferrumequinum’s wings. In Izverna Cave (Mehedinţi Co.) a specimen of Miniopterus schreibersii dissimulated between three close together individuals of M. myotis. Some examples of caves are referring to those with mixed colonies of bats in nursery colonies

Redescription of the female of Apseudopsis apocryphus, some remarks about the female of A. bacescui and description of the males of A. apocryphus and A. bacescui (Crustacea, Tanaidacea, Apseudidae)

The female with oostegites of Apseudopsis apocryphus are redescribed in detail, in the case of A. bacescui some remarks about the female with oostegites are given. The male of the species A. apocryphus and the subadult male of A. bacescui are described

Isolation and Characterization of the First Microsatellite Markers for the Endangered Relict Mussel Hypanis colorata (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Cardiidae)

Hypanis colorata (Eichwald, 1829) (Cardiidae: Lymnocardiinae) is a bivalve relict species with a Ponto-Caspian distribution and is under strict protection in Romania, according to national regulations. While the species is depressed in the western Black Sea lagoons from Romania and Ukraine, it is also a successful invader in the middle Dniepr and Volga regions. Establishing a conservation strategy for this species or studying its invasion process requires knowledge about the genetic structure of the species populations. We have isolated and characterized nine polymorphic microsatellite markers in H. colorata. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 4 to 28 and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.613 to 1.000. The microsatellites developed in the present study are highly polymorphic and they should be useful for the assessment of genetic variation within this species

Density and abundance estimates of cetaceans in the Black Sea through aerial surveys (ASI/CeNoBS)

IntroductionPopulation abundance is amongst the most basic and crucial parameters for the assessment of conservation status of any species. Three species of odontocetes, all represented by local subspecies, inhabit the Black Sea: the Black Sea common dolphin Delphinus delphis ponticus, the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus ponticus, and the Black Sea harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena relicta. Their populations are threatened by multiple factors, including overfishing of their prey, bycatch, pollution and epizootics. Despite this, there are no basinwide estimates for any cetacean species in the Black Sea.MethodsIn 2019, a systematic study was carried out under the EU CeNoBS project. Six strata were designed in the waters of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine, covering most of territorial and offshore waters, which were surveyed between June 19 and July 4. A line transect distance sampling approach was used, following predefined transects within each stratum, achieving a 5% coverage of the surveyed area. A total of 7,344 kilometres of transects were surveyed recording a total of 1,744 cetacean sightings. Design-based abundance estimates were obtained using a Multiple Covariate Distance Sampling (MCDS) approach. Model-based abundance estimates were also derived using a Generalized Additive Models (GAM) approach, linking species sightings with a number of environmental covariates (e.g., bathymetric features, sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a) over a grid of 10x10 km.Results and discussionThe uncorrected (for perception and availability bias) estimates obtained through the model-based analysis were 108,283 (CV=0.07) common dolphins, 22,720 (CV=0.15) bottlenose dolphins and 93,808 (CV=0.06) harbour porpoises. These aerial surveys yielded the first insights on overall abundance, density and distribution, providing current regional baseline values and density maps for all three cetacean species of the Black Sea during the summer months, to be used for the elaboration of effective conservation measures and to address national and international requirements

REVISED AND COMMENTED CHECKLIST OF MAMMAL SPECIES OF THE ROMANIAN FAUNA

Due to the permanent influences of different factors (habitat degradation and fragmentation, deforestation, infrastructure and urbanization, natural extension or decreasing of some species’ distribution, increasing number of alien species etc.), from time to time the faunistic structure of a certain area is changing. As a result of the permanent and increasing anthropic and invasive species’ pressure, our previous checklist of recent mammals from Romania (since 1984) became out of date. A number of 108 taxa are mentioned in this checklist, representing 7 orders of mammals: Insectivora (10 species), Chiroptera (30 sp.), Lagomorpha (2 sp.), Rodentia (35 sp.), Cetacea (3 sp.), Carnivora (19 sp.), Artiodactyla (8 sp.). In this list are mentioned the scientific and vernacular names (in Romanian and English languages), species distribution and conservation status, according to the Romanian regulations. Thus, only 21 species have stable populations while 76 have populations in decline or in drastic decline. Other categories are not evaluated or even present an increase in their population

MAMMAL FAUNA (MAMMALIA) OF THE BUZĂU AND TELEAJEN VALLEYS (EASTERN CARPATHIANS – ROMANIA)

A number of 54 mammal species were identified from the two studied areas (Buzău and Teleajen Valleys), 40 species being common in both sites. Eleven species were recorded only in the Buzău Valley and in addition other three species only in the Teleajen Valley. Information about the home range as well as about the approximately density is given for most of the presented species. Altitudinal distribution, preferred habitat and their place in ecosystems are mentioned for all the reported species. Considering the protection statute, 18 species are vulnerable, 7 are endangered and 18 species of mammals are with not enough evaluated populations to confer a certain statute. However, two of the species (Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus) need to be controlled because of the risk to diseminate pathogenic agents (viruses and bacteria) of severe diseases both for animals and for humans