Correspondence –Notes 371

Marín-Gómez, O.H. (2005): Avifauna del campus de la Universidad Recent geographic distribution of birch del Quindío. Boletín SAO 15: 42-60. Mazzeo, N.M., Torretta, J.P. (2015): Wild bees (Hymenoptera: mice (genus Sicista) in the western Apoidea) in an urban botanical garden in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment Great Caucasus Mts., with designation 50(3): 182-193. of terra typica for Sicista caucasica Nieto, M., Nieto, O.A., Duque, O.L., Muñoz, N.J., López, J.H., Jiménez, L.F. (2009): Corredor de conservación urbano: (Sminthidae, Rodentia) Disminución de la fragmentación de ecosistemas de bosque en el sistema municipal de Áreas Naturales Protegidas del municipio de Armenia. Armenia, Quindío. 70pp. Detecting birch mice (genus Sicista Gray, 1827) of Ramírez-Llorens, P., Bellocq, M.I. (2007): New records clarify the the family Sminthidae (Brandt, 1855) requires Southern distribution of the Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix great experience, special skills and tools; addition- Perspicillata). Journal of Raptor Research 41(4): 268-276. Restrepo, J.S., López, A., Córdoba-Córdoba, S. (2013): El Búho de ally, most species are reported to be extremely rare Anteojos (Pulsatrix perspicillata) en fragmentos de bosque seco (Holden et al. 2017) and have only a few recent oc- del Valle del Río Cauca en Neira, Caldas, Colombia. Spizaetus: currence data, so their exact distribution is insuffi- Boletín de la Red de Rapaces Neotropicales 15: 19-24. Restrepo, J.S., Enríquez, P.L. (2014): Conocimiento popular sobre ciently mapped. The genus is currently intensively los búhos en poblaciones rurales del Suroccidente de Manizales, studied with special emphasis on , phy- Caldas, Colombia. Entnobiología 12(3): 41-48. logeography and conservation; for example, the Ribeiro, R.C.C., Vasconcelos, M.F. (2003): Ocorrência de Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana e de Nyctibius grandis em área urbana no leste de Southern group (Sicista subtilis sensu Minas Gerais, Brasil. Ararajuba 11(2): 233-234. lato) was recently revised by Cserkész et al. (2016), Sánchez, E.L., Camargo, J.C. (2015): Diversidad de avifauna en and the first single-gene phylogeny of Caucasian paisajes rurales de la cuenca del río La Vieja, Eje Cafetero de Colombia. Recursos Naturales y Ambiente 65-66: 83-89. Birch Mouse group using Cytochrome b sequences Stiles, F.G., Skutch, A.F. (1995): Guía de Aves de Costa Rica. was published by Baskevich et al. (2016). Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio). Heredia, Costa The Caucasian Birch Mouse (Sicista caucasica Rica. Voirin, J.B., Kays, R., Lowman, M.D., Wikelski M. (2009): Evidence Vinogradov, 1925) was described as being related for Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus) Predation by to the Chinese birch mouse (Sicista concolor Spectacled Owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata). Edentata (8-10): 15-20. Büchner, 1892) on the basis of its uniformly col-

oured dorsal pelage that lacks the dark mid-dorsal Key words: Pulsatrix perspicillata, distribution, raptors, urbanization, Colombia, Quindío stripe. As Vinogradov (1925) wrote “it is distin- guished from S. concolor by its brighter colour, Article No.: e162602 shorter ears, shorter rostrum and nasalia.” Over Received: 07. March 2016 / Accepted: 12. August 2016 fifty years later, in the 1980’s, two new species en- Available online: 10. October 2016 / Printed: December 2017 demic to the Great Caucasus were described based upon cytogenetic data: Sicista kluchorica (Sokolov, Oscar Humberto MARÍN-GÓMEZ1,3,*, Kovalskaya & Baskevich, 1980) and S. kazbegica Yemay TORO-LÓPEZ2, (Sokolov, Baskevich & Kovalskaya, 1986) (Sokolov Margarita M. LÓPEZ-GARCÍA1,3, et al. 1981, 1986). Additionally, a “striped mouse”, Javier Ignacio GARZÓN ZULUAGA2,4 Strand’s Birch Mouse (Sicista strandi Formozov, and Diana Milena SANTA-ARISTIZABAL2,4 1931) also occurs here, which is a typical steppe faunal element, inhabiting the warmer and rela- 1. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de tively dry south-facing slopes (Shenbrot et al. Colombia, A.A. 7495. Carrera 45 No 26-85, Bogotá, Colombia 1995). 2. Universidad del Quindío, Avenida Bolívar Calle 12 Norte, Armenia, Colombia This report focuses on the faunal results of our 3. Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El mammalogical expedition in June 2014 to the terri- Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, México tory of Russian federal republics Karachay- 4Fundación para la Investigación y Conservación de Especies Nativas Neotropicales Continentales y Oceánicas (FICENANCO), Cherkessia, Adygea and North Ossetia-Alania Calle 5 # 8-04, Barrio el Jardín, Salento, Colombia (Fig. 1), aimed to survey the habitat preference, *Corresponding author: [email protected] current density, threatening factors and conserva-

tion status of Sicista species, and to collect genetic samples for phylogenetic analyses.

The were trapped alive using pitfall traps as de- tailed in Cserkész et al. (2015). In short, the pitfalls were simple 5 litre buckets dug to a depth where the rim was even with the ground level, and they were set out by

372 North-Western Journal of Zoology 13(2) / 2017

Figure 1. Overview map of the study area, showing trapping sites in the western range of the Caucasus Mts. Yellow bars represent the capture frequency of birch mouse in the sampling site.

keeping approximately 8 m distance between them. Ani- mals were released at the capture site after external measurements, samples, and photographs were taken. A genetic sample of each birch mouse was taken by remov- ing a hair with the bulb attached, and the individual birch mice were identified by CytB sequences (genetic results are planned to be published in a subsequent paper). Dif- ferent number of pitfalls was used at each site (Table 1). Trapping lasted only 1–2 nights at each site because, ac- cording to our previous experience, this time is adequate to successfully trap birch mice. If a species occurs on a site, the chance of capture after maximum three nights of trapping is much reduced. It is thus not productive to stay at a site longer if the goal is to survey birch mice at as Figure 2. Extraordinarily high capture rate for Sicista cau- nd many sites as possible. The capture frequency of each casica was detected in the Sofiya-valley at 22 June species was estimated and indexed as number of cap- 2014. tured individuals / 100 trap-nights (tn) wherein one tn is one trap left active for approx. 24 h (number of birch mice sparsely growing trees of Scotch-pine (Pinus syl- trapped per night per 100 traps). It is important to em- phasize that this index reflects a combined effect of rela- vestris) were found in mosaic with subalpine tive abundance and relative mobility of animals. meadows on the slope. Other plant species noted in the vegetation are: Alchemilla vulgaris agg., In total, 49 birch mice were captured within 10 Anemone fasciculata L., Asperula alpina M.Bieb., Bet- days in 9 out of 13 surveyed sites (Table 1). Sicista onica grandiflora Willd., Centaurea cheiranthifolia strandi was trapped at a frequency of 2.5 and 3.4 Willd., Cerastium pumilum Curtis, Cruciata valen- individuals/100tn in Tsey-valley, North Ossetia at tinae (Galushko) Galushko, Gymnadenia conopsea a higher altitude (2329 m asl) than has thus far (L.) R.Br., Huynhia pulchra (Willd. ex Roemer & been reported. Sicista kluchorica proved to be more Schultes) Greuter & Burdet, Myosotis alpestris frequent, 2.1–12.9 ind/100 tn in Mukhu-valley, F.W.Schmidt, Origanum vulgare L., Phleum alpinum Teberda, Karachay-Cherkessia. It was also cap- L., Pimpinella rhodantha Boiss., Poa alpina L., Poly- tured at a record low altitude (1500 m asl), as this gonum carneum C.Koch, Polygonum panjutinii species was previously known only from higher Charkev., Primula algida Adams, Primula macroca- elevations. The most common species during our lyx Bunge., Pulsatilla albana (Steven) Bercht. et trapping was Sicista caucasica (Fig. 2); at two sites it J.Presl, Ranunculus crassifolius (Rupr.) Grossh., was especially abundant with 17 and 42.6 Rumex acetosa L., Trifolium trichocephalum M.Bieb. ind./100tn. See mean biometric datasets for the Shrubs (Rosa canina s.l. and Rubus spp.) did not captured birch mice in Table 2. form closed formations, although patches of Juni- The habitat preference of birch mouse species perus sabina L. were present together with rock in the western Caucasus differed at the species- outcrops, but they were not dominating the vege- group level. Sicista strandi was trapped on a south- tation. ern facing slope of subalpine grassland dominated Contrary to the previous, we captured Cauca- by Festuca varia agg. located on transitional zone sian birch mice (S. caucasica and S. kluchorica) between the alpine and subalpine belts, where mostly in slightly disturbed, nitrophilous, mon-

Table 1. Summary of sites, habitats and captures presented as number of birch mice and by capture frequency (Cf).

Altitude No. of Cf of Sicista Date Locality Coordinates Habitat Captured Sicista (m) traps (x ind./100 tn) 16.06.–17.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°48'N 1900 Subalpine meadow 55 - 0 Tsey-valley, Khukali 43°58'E 17.06.–18.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°48'N 2246 Alpine-subalpine grassland, Festuca variadominance 44 3 Sicista strandi 3.4 Tsey-valley 43°56'E 17.06.–18.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°48'N 2329 Alpine-subalpine grassland 20 1 Sicista strandi 2.5 Tsey-valley 43°56'E 17.06.–18.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°48'N 2390 Alpine-subalpine meadow 42 - 0 Tsey-valley 43°56'E 18.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°49'N 2570 Alpine-subalpine meadow 20 - 0 Tsey-valley 43°56'E 18.06.2014 North Ossetia 42°49'N 2820 Alpine meadow 40 - 0 Tsey-valley 43°57'E 20.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°28'N 2240 Intensively grazed subalpine meadow (with Juniperus), 78 2 Sicista kluchorica 2.6 Teberda, Mukhu-valley 41°38'E nitrophilous weedy patches (Urtica, etc.) 20.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°28'N 1985 Clearing, mesophilous grassland (Festuca sp., Poa sp.) 31 4 Sicista kluchorica 12.9 Teberda, Mukhu-valley 41°40'E with wet tall-herb community 22.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°33'N 1882 Mosaic of marshy meadow, mesophilous grassland, 63 9 Sicista caucasica 14.3 Arkhyz, Moon-valley 41°10'E grazing pastures 22.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°33'N 1826 Extensively grazed mesophilous grassland 24 1 Sicista caucasica 4.2 Arkhyz, site2 41° 8'E 23.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°30'N 1730 Tall-herb, dense vegetation 47 20 Sicista caucasica 42.6 Arkhyz, Sofiya mountain 41°13'E 24.06.2014 Karachay-Cherkessia 43°32'N 1500 Clearing, mesophilous pasture used as hayfield 47 1 Sicista kluchorica 2.1 Arkhyz, Zapovednik, Kizgich valley 41°17'E 25.06.2014 Adygea, Lago-Naki plateau, Hotel 44° 5'N 1740 Karst depression, nitrophilous, dense vegetation, tall 47 8 Sicista caucasica 17.0 Azish-Tau, Khamyshki, Maikop 40° 0'E herbs, grazed, rock outcrops

374 North-Western Journal of Zoology 13(2) / 2017

Table 2. Mean external measurements and weight for the captured birch mice.

Weight Body Tail Hindfoot Species Location Date of capture Gender (g) (mm) (mm) (mm) Sicista strandi Tsey-valley, Buron, Verkhniy 17-18.06. 2014 3♂, 1 indet. 8.8 68 84.5 16.5 Tsey, Severo-Osetinskiy zapov- ednik, North Ossetia Sicista kluchorica Mukhu-valley, Teberda, Kara- 20.&24.06. 2014 3♂, 4♀ 6.6 62.2 101.5 17.3 chay-Cherkessia Sicista caucasica Different locations in Karachay- 22-25.06. 2014 19♂, 14♀, 7.5 61.2 102.7 17.6 Cherkessia and Adygea 5 indet.

and we suppose if similar approach is followed the Caucasian birch mice can be trapped with a higher success rate. The highest frequency was de- tected in non-grazed and non-mowed habitats; this finding corresponds to information reported for other Sicista species (Møller et al. 2009, Cserkész et al. 2015). It is clear that overgrazing, which is a typical problem in the Caucasus, and regular mechanical mowing must be listed among the potential threatening factors regarding the conservation of these species. Additionally, the

Figure 3. A typical Sicista kluchorica habitat in Mukhu- large-scale development of recreation and sport valley, Teberda. tourism centres may have an even stronger effect on the birch mouse and other wildlife populations in this region. Ski slopes and their service areas are tane-subalpine tall-herb communities of the constructed on the subalpine meadows, and roads Mulgedio-Aconitetea class growing on streamside leading there run along the streamside; these clearings (Fig. 3), river valleys and/or depres- places are also important birch mouse habitats. Si- sions. One capture site with this type of habitat cista kluchorica is listed as ‘Near Threatened’ has developed on an abandoned, formerly fenced (Bukhnikashvili & Shenbrot 2008), but this species resting place of livestock. These habitats were does not qualify as near threatened according to characterised by the species Anthriscus velutina the currently accepted guidelines. Its distribution Somm. et Levier, Campanula latifolia L., Delphinium includes several protected sites, and as we demon- speciosum M. Bieb., Galega orientalis Lam., Gera- strated here, it is not rare, and even could be con- nium sylvaticum L., Geum urbanum L., Lamium al- sidered common in suitable habitats. These habi- bum L., Silene multifida (Adams) Rohrbach, Ranun- tats, however, are slowly and continually shrink- culus repens L., Rumex alpinus L., Urtica dioica L., ing so that regular monitoring is required. As it is Veratrum album L., Vicia sepium L.. A much fewer presented here, monitoring may be simple if trap- number of S. kluchorica individuals (for details, see ping in the preferred habitat is used as described Table 1) were trapped in Nardus stricta L. domi- above. nated subalpine, grazed pastures scattered with The terra typica of Sicista caucasica was only dwarf Juniperus sabina L., and characterised by the broadly defined by the original author of the spe- presence of Traunsteinera sphaerica (M.Bieb.) cies, Vinogradov (1925), who gave this in his de- Schlechter. scription as “District Maikop”, but no precise lo- Prior to the present study, comparable fre- cality within this region was noted. One of our S. quency data have not been available for these caucasica survey sites was located near Maikop, so three species of birch mice in the Caucasus. Our we propose to use this site (44° 5'3.25"N, 40° results indicated these species are much more 0'31.10"E, Lago-Naki plateau, Khamyshki, Maikop, common in the western Caucasus than was previ- Republic of Adygea) as terra typica of Sicista cau- ously assumed; in its preferred habitat Sicista cau- casica. casica could be rated as a frequent species. When we were focusing on trapping exactly in the above Acknowledgements. Our special thanks go to North described habitats, we were always successful, Ossetia and Teberda Reserves for issuing permits for us. Correspondence –Notes 375

The study was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Records of Greater Noctule Bat Research Fund (OTKA PD105116), the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund (14258509) and the (Nyctalus lasiopterus) from Romania – Bolyai Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences with new additions (to GS). Nyctalus lasiopterus (Schreber, 1780) is a rare bat References Baskevich, M., Potapov, S., Mironova, T. (2016): Caucasian cryptic species of the Western Palaearctic, with sporadic species of as models in research on the problems of data on considerable part of its area, even in parts species and speciation. Biology Bulletin Reviews 6: 245-259. where most maps show continuous distribution Bukhnikashvili, A., Shenbrot, G. (2008): Sicista kluchorica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008: e.T20196A9177864, (see Vlaschenko et al. 2016). Regarding Central accessed at: 18 February 2016. and Western Europe, significant populations of Cserkész, T., Aczél-Fridrich, Z., Hegyeli, Z., Sugár, S., Czabán, D., the species are known from Hungary and Spain Horváth, O., Sramkó, G. (2015): Rediscovery of Hungarian birch mouse (Sicista subtilis trizona) in Transylvania (Romania) with (Estók 2010, Ibáñez et al. 2004). In Romania, N. molecular characterisation of its phylogenetic affinities. lasiopterus is the rarest bat species with very few Mammalia 79: 215-224. data. In this paper we summarise all Romanian Cserkész, T., Rusin, M., Sramkó, G. (2016): An integrative systematic revision of the European southern birch mice occurrences of the species, with new additions. (Rodentia: Sminthidae, Sicista subtilis group). Review N. lasiopterus is one of the three bat species 46: 114-130. predating songbirds (Dondini &Vergari 2000, Holden, M.E., Cserkész, T., Musser, G. (2017): Family Sminthidae. In: Wilson, D.E., Lacher, T.E., Mittermeier, R.A. (eds.), Ibáñez et al. 2016). According to radio-tracking Handbook of the of the World - Volume 7 - Rodents studies, in some areas it has very large home II. Lynx Edicions. (manuscript under review) ranges to be able to find appropriate roosting and Møller, J.D., Baagoe, H.J., Jensen, T.S. (2009): Home Range and Microhabitat Use of Sicista betulina in feeding habitats (Popa-Lisseanu et al. 2009). Popu- Denmark. (manuscript). lation genetic studies revealed that both nuclear Shenbrot, G.I., Sokolov, V.E., Heptner, V.G., Kovalskaya, Y.M. and mitochondrial differentiation between colo- (1995): The Mammals of Russia and Adjacent Regions. Dipodoidea. Nauka Press, Moscow, Russia. nies were relatively low, in contrast with other Sokolov, V.E., Baskevich, M.I., Kovalskaya, Y.M. (1981): Revision of temperate bat species (Santos et al. 2016). birch mice of the Caucasus: sibling species Sicista caucasica N. lasiopterus was observed in Romania on the Vinogradov, 1925 and S. kluchorica sp. n. (Rodentia, th ). Zoologichesky Zhurnal 60: 1386-1393. 20 of May in 1953 for the first time (Dumitrescu Sokolov, V.E., Baskevich, M.I., Kovalskaya, Y.M. (1986): Sicista et al. 1962-1963), when one specimen was found in kazbegica sp. n. (Rodentia, Dipodidae) from the upper reaches a tree hollow (Tilia sp.) with several N. noctula in- of the Terek River basin. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 65: 949-952. Vinogradov, B.S. (1925): On the Structure of the External Genitalia dividuals in the Comana , near the settle- in Dipodidæ and Zapodidæ (Rodentia) as a Classificatory ment Comana, Giurgiu County. The next data re- Character. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 95: fers to a specimen from the settlement Stejaru, in 577-585. the vicinity of Socetu, Teleorman County (Barbu & Key words: protected species, little-known species, Pantea 1981). Pocora & Pocora (2012) published subalpine meadow, terra typica, birch mouse, Caucasus. two new records of the species based on acoustic data, one from the forest of Tătăruşi (Iaşi County, Article No.: e162702 30.06.2011), and one from Bârnova forest (Iaşi Received: 05. March 2016 / Accepted: 04. October 2016 Available online: 24. November 2016 / Printed: December 2017 County, 06.04.2011) (Fig. 1).

In the summer of 2011, an intensive survey of the bat Tamás CSERKÉSZ1,*, Mikhail RUSIN2, fauna of the Ciomad-Balvanyos (ROSCI0037) Natura 2000 Dávid CZABÁN1 and Gábor SRAMKÓ3,4 site was conducted (Fig.1.). Mainly acoustic methods were used during the survey on the 8th of June and be- 1. Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd tween the 26th of July and the 5th of August. Recordings University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c. H-1117 Budapest, were made with Pettersson D500X detectors (settings: Hungary. sampling rate: 300 kHz, HP filter: OFF, rec. length: 10 sec, 2. Department of Evolutional and Genetical Systematics, call triggered start of recording) on 28 points of the site. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, Kiev 01030, Ukraine. 3. Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1. H- The detectors were activated at sunset and turned off just 4032 Debrecen, Hungary. before sunrise. Sound analysis was performed with the 4. MTA-DE “Evolutionary Phylogenomics” Research Group, Adobe Audition software. Echolocation calls of N. lasiop- Egyetem tér 1., H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary. terus can overlap with the calls of N. noctula, therefore *Corresponding author, T. Cserkész, e-mail: only echolocation calls (excluding social calls) with the [email protected] strongest frequency below 16 kHz were identified as N.

lasiopterus calls (Estók & Siemers 2009).