An overview of helminths of the European fire-bellied toad Bombina bombina (Amphi-bia, Anura) in the Volga River Basin

The helminthofauna of Bombina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761) has been studied to an unequal degree in different parts of the habitat. Thus, it has been studied in more detail in the west of its range (in the countries of central and eastern Europe) and in less detail in the center (in Belarus and Ukraine). There were few data on helminths of this host in the east of its range (in Russia). For the first time, an inventory of the helminthofauna in B. bombina was carried out for populations in the Volga River Basin. The results of our own research are presented and supplemented with information from other authors. We summarized scattered data on helminths from 390 specimens of amphibians collected over more than 40 years in the territory of five regions: Kaluga and Samara regions, the Republics of Mordovia, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. The helminthofauna includes 21 species from three classes: Trematoda (15), Chromadorea (5) and Clitellata (1). For each species, we give the systematic position, localization, places of detection, geographical distribution and characteristics of the life cycle. The leech Helobdella stagnalis (Linnaeus, 1758) was first recorded in the European fire-bellied toad in Europe. Four species of trematodes are new to this amphibian species in Russia: Haematoloechus abbreviatus (Bychowsky, 1932), Paralepoderma cloacicola (Luhe, 1909), larvae, Tylodelphys excavata (Rudolphi, 1803), larvae and Astiotrema monticelli (Stossich, 1904), larvae. Another species of trematode – Strigea strigis (Schrank, 1788), larvae – was first recorded in this host within the boundaries of the Volga Basin. A specific parasite is the trematode Haematoloechus abbreviatus (Bychowsky, 1932). The number and composition of the species of helminths of the European fire-bellied toad vary in different regions; the structure of the helminth fauna is generally stable and includes three groups of species: adult and larval stages of trematodes, adult nematodes-geohelminths. The results of the study create a database for further population studies and contribute to the development of ideas about the distribution and formation of the amphibian helminth fauna in Europe, Russia and the Volga Basin

Seasonal dynamics of Diptera in individual biotopes in the center of the European part of Russia

In a changing climate, phenological observations are gaining new importance. They can tell what changes are taking place in certain environmental conditions. The studies were conducted in 2019 within the territory of the Republic of Mordovia (the center of the European part of Russia). Beer traps (beer as a bait) were used to collect Diptera. The material was collected in the period from April to October in different forest biotopes (pine forest, lime forest, aspen forest, birch forest and oak forest) and the air temperature was recorded at the same time. In total, more than 14.000 specimens of Diptera were recorded. Overall, 29 families were recorded. The largest number of families was observed for birch (23 families) and pine (24 families) forests, the smallest number – in aspen forest (16 families). The families Muscidae, Drosophilidae, Calliphoridae had the largest number of captured individuals (44.5%, 35.2%, 7.6% of the total number of individuals respectively). The highest number of individuals was captured in oak forest. The dynamics of abundance in all biotopes were similar and were characterized by the same number of declines and rises. The first small significant peak in the number of Diptera occurred in the first half of summer. A slight increase in the number of specimenі occurred in mid-June. In the second half of September, there was a gradual increase in the number and the maximum peak was recorded in mid-October, then there was a decline. The autumn increase in the number of Diptera in all five biotopes exceeded the summer peak by several times. This dynamic was typical for most families. However, species from the family Lonchaeidae had the peak in July. For our better understanding of the changes in the seasonal dynamics of the number of Diptera, long-term observations in different climatic zones are needed

Seasonal activity of Coleoptera attracted by fermental crown traps in forest ecosystems of Central Russia

The seasonal activity of Coleoptera was studied using fermental crown traps. The study was conducted from April to October 2019 in five forest biotopes (aspen, lime, pine, birch and oak) in the territory of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (Russia, Republic of Mordovia). Eighty-three species are found from 31 families. Cerambycidae (13 species), Nitidulidae (11 species) and Curculionidae (9 species) had the greatest species diversity. A significant part of the identified taxa (57 species from 23 families) can be attributed to saproxylic beetles. The peak abundance of Coleoptera in four biotopes (aspen, lime, pine and birch forests) was in mid-May; in an oak forest, it was at the beginning of June. Seven species seasonal activity was monitored (Cryptarcha strigata, Glischrochilus hortensis, Glischrochilus grandis, Cychramus luteus, Soronia grisea, Protaetia marmorata and Anisandrus dispar)

ГЕЛЬМИНТОФАУНА ОСТРОМОРДОЙ ЛЯГУШКИ Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 (AMPHIBIA: ANURA) В РЕСПУБЛИКЕ МОРДОВИЯ

The helminthofauna of Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 in Republic of Mordovia is studied. It is revealed 23 species of helminths: Trematoda – 18 and Nematoda – 5. Dominating by quantity of types mature and larvae the Trematoda are characterized by low indicators of contamination and treat rare parasites of this host. Background parasites with high degree of the infection are geonematodes Rhabdias bufonis and Oswaldocruzia filiformis. They meet at Rana arvalis in all territory of the region; are less often distributed Cosmocerca ornata and Haplometra cylindracea. Distinctions in separate populations of amphibians are defined by different structure of trematodes and depend from character of a biotope.Изучена гельминтофауна остромордой лягушки Rana arvalis на территории Республики Мордовия. Обнаружено 23 вида гельминтов: Trematoda – 18 и Nematoda – 5. Доминирующие по количеству видов половозрелые и личиночные стадии трематод характеризуются низкими показателями зараженности и относятся к редким паразитам у данного хозяина. Фоновыми паразитами с высокой степенью инвазии являются геонематоды Rhabdias bufonis и Oswaldocruzia filiformis, которые встречаются у остромордой лягушки на всей территории региона; реже распространены нематода Cosmocerca ornata и трематода Haplometra cylindracea. Различия в отдельных популяциях амфибий определяются разным составом трематод и носят биотопический характер

The first record of natural transfer of mitochondrial DNA from Pelophylax cf. bedriagae into P. lessonae (Amphibia, Anura)

The unidirectional natural transfer of mitochondrial (mt) DNA from Pelophylax lessonae into P. ridibundus is a common phenomenon in central Europe. Cases of mtDNA exchange between P. lessonae and other non-clonal species of the genus Pelophylax have been unknown so far. In this paper, we describe the first case of mtDNA transfer from P. cf. bedriagae into P. lessonae, which was found in National Park «Smolny», Republic of Mordovia, Russia

The helminthofauna of Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 (Amphibia: Anura) in the Republic of Mordovia

The helminthofauna of Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 in Republic of Mordovia is studied. It is revealed 23 species of helminths: Trematoda – 18 and Nematoda – 5. Dominating by quantity of types mature and larvae the Trematoda are characterized by low indicators of contamination and treat rare parasites of this host. Background parasites with high degree of the infection are geonematodes Rhabdias bufonis and Oswaldocruzia filiformis. They meet at Rana arvalis in all territory of the region; are less often distributed Cosmocerca ornata and Haplometra cylindracea. Distinctions in separate populations of amphibians are defined by different structure of trematodes and depend from character of a biotope

MATERIALS ON HELMINTH FAUNA IN GRASS FROGS RANA TEMPORARIA LINNAEUS, 1768 (AMPHIBIA: ANURA) IN THE REPUBLIC OF MORDOVIA

The records of helminth fauna from grass frogs Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1768 of Republic of Mordovia are provided. 16 helminth types have been discovered: 1 – Monogenea, 11 – Trematoda, and 4 – Nematoda. Dominating in quantity of types the adult and larval trematodes are characterized by a lower infeсtion rate and beong to rare parasites of the specific host. Geonematodes Rhabdias bufonis (Schrank, 1788) and Oswaldocruzia filiformis (Goeze, 1782) are background parasites with a high infection rate found in all frogs; nematodes Cosmocerca ornata (Dujardin, 1845), trematodes Haplometra cylindracea Zeder, 1800 and Pleuro-genes claviger (Rudolphi, 1819) occur more rarely. The differences of single amphibian populations are determined based on various structures of trematodes and depend on biotopical conditions

Red Data Book invertebrates in a protected area of European Russia

Protected Areas are considered as primary efforts for biodiversity conservation worldwide. However, there is a lack of data on the biodiversity and threats for most of the federal-level Russian Protected Areas, especially for invertebrates. Intensive research on invertebrate diversity in Protected Areas is highly important to obtain comprehensive knowledge for the management of natural refugia of biodiversity. In the present paper, we studied the most vulnerable component of invertebrate diversity, i.e. the Red Data Book species, in the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (European Russia). We used both new (2007–2018) and literature (1936–2006) data to obtain information on habitat preferences, year of the first record, and spatial distribution in the Protected Area for 121 invertebrate Red Data Book species known from the Mordovia State Nature Reserve. Our study demonstrated a remarkable increase in the Red Data Book invertebrate diversity as a consequence of the research intensification in the Protected Area in the last ten years. This is also related to the fact that only 1–2 records are known for a large number of species (57.9%) within the Protected Area. The highest species richness was found close to the research stations (cordons). On one hand, this highlights their significance for biodiversity research. On the other hand, it outlines the need for performing more research in less-studied areas of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve. Finally, the species currently known for Mordovia and Russia only from this Protected Area (27 and four species, respectively) highlight the importance of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve at regional and national levels