Zoology Commons^™

Karyological Analysis Of Two Endemic Tooth-Carps, Aphanius Persicus And Aphanius Sophiae (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae), From Southwest Iran, Hamid Reza Esmaeili, Zeinab Piravar, A.H. Shiva

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The karyotypes of 2 endemic tooth-carps of Iran, Aphanius persicus (Jenkis, 1910) and Aphanius sophiae (Heckel, 1849), were investigated by examining metaphase chromosomes spreads obtained from gill epithelial and kidney cells. The diploid chromosome numbers of both species were 2n = 48. The karyotypes consisted of 11 pairs of submetacentric and 13 pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes in A. persicus and 14 submetacentric and 10 subtelocentric chromosomes in A. sophiae. The arm numbers in A. persicus and A. sophiae were NF = 70 and NF = 76, respectively. Sex chromosomes were cytologically indistinguishable in both tooth-carps.

Some Comments On The Breeding Biology Of Pelodytes Caucasicus Boulenger, 1896 (Anura: Pelodytidae) From Uzungöl, Northeast Anatolia, Hüseyi̇n Arikan, Murat Tosunoğlu, Mehmet Kutsay Atatür, Bayram Göçmen

Turkish Journal of Zoology

Observations during 2001 and 2002 at Uzungöl Lake (Trabzon), situated within the distribution area of Pelodytes caucasicus in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey, established that the usual breeding season of the species extended from mid July to mid September. Periodic day and night measurements of some ecological characteristics of the lake (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen) were recorded during the breeding season. The first spawning was observed during the night of 22 July 2001. Clutches (egg masses) were laid in the deeper parts of the lake, on submerged vegetation. The clutches contained between 446 and 492 eggs. The first …

Food Preference Of The Short-Eared Owl (Asio Flammeus) And Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) At Usta Muhammad, Baluchistan, Pakistan, Muhammad Mushtaq-Ul-Hassan, Rafia Rehana Ghazi, Noor Un Nisa

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The dominant food-items eaten by the short-eared owl were rats and mice (91.9%). Shrews (2.0%), bats (1.3%), and birds (5.0%) jointly constituted only 8.2% of the owl's diet. Among rats and mice, the most intensively consumed rodent pest by the owl was Millardia meltada (43.9%), followed by Mus musculus (29.8%), Tatera indica (16.3%), and Bandicota bengalensis (1.8%). In the case of the barn owl, rats and mice represented 9.7% of their diet, followed by shrews (4.7%), birds (3.3%), and bats (0.4%). Among the rats and mice in their diet were M. meltada (46.3%), T. indica (3.5%), Nesokia indica (5.1%), B. …

Evaluation Of The Performance Of K-Otab (Deltamethrin Tablet Formulation) Impregnated Bednets Against The Malaria Vector Anopheles (Cellia) Superpictus Grassi 1899 (Diptera: Culicidae) Under Laboratory Conditions, Fati̇h Mehmet Şi̇mşek, Seli̇m Süalp Çağlar, Si̇nan Kaynaş, Bülent Alten

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The efficacy of K-OTAB (deltamethrin-tablet formulation) impregnated bednets was evaluated against the malaria vector Anopheles (Cellia) superpictus Grassi 1899 (Diptera: Culicidae) under laboratory conditions. The experiments were carried out with 3 main tests: susceptibility, bioassay, and washing tests. Deltamethrin treated nets in WHO test kits in susceptibility test 1 showed remarkable efficacy (89.5%) 1 h after the treatment and efficacy was 100% at the end of 24 h. The results demonstrated significant differences in mortality between different time intervals. Average mortality started to increase just after 15 min; it was 61% after 30 min, reaching 82% after 45 min and …

Food Composition Of The Marsh Frog, Rana Ridibunda Pallas, 1771, In Thrace, Keri̇m Çi̇çek, Ahmet Mermer

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the feeding habits of the marsh frog, Rana ridibunda, populations inhabiting Turkish Thrace. Analysis of the stomach contents of 53 (19 males, 34 females) adult individuals was performed. The frog diet consisted of a wide variety of arthropods; Diptera (42.62%) and Coleoptera (21.84%) were especially prominent. Aquatic forms did not contribute much to the frog diet. The prey items identified indicate that individuals of this species, like other ranids, are generalist opportunistic predators whose diet is most strongly influenced by prey availability.

Range Extension Of Diogenes Karwarensis Nayak & Neelakantan, 1989 And A Report On Dardanus Tinctor Forskål, 1775 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) From The Persian Gulf, Quddusi Bashir Kazmi, Feroz Akhtar Siddiqui, Muhammad Afzal Kazmi

Turkish Journal of Zoology

The range extension of a diogenid species, Diogenes karwarensis, is reported up to the Persian Gulf, and another diogenid species, Dardanus tinctor, an important faunal component of the area, is described in detail.

Some Taxonomic Features Of Taphozous Nudiventris Cretzschmar, 1830 Vel 1831 From Turkey (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae), Nursel Aşan, İrfan Albayrak

Turkish Journal of Zoology

This study was based on the records of baculum features, hair scale form, and karyotype of Taphozous nudiventris magnus. The baculum is a distinctive feature in separating this subspecies from T. n. kachhensis. The structure of the hair scale type examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM) was divaricate, dentate coronal at the tip, and varied from the tip of the hair to the base; it had a divergent, dentate coronal at the shaft and an appressed, repand coronal at the base. The diploid number (2n) and the number of autosomal arms (NFa) of T. n. magnus were 42 and 64, …

Geographic Distribution: Ramphotyphlops Braminus (Brahminy Blindsnake). Usa: Florida: Alachua Co., Louis A. Somma

Papers in Herpetology

One adult within a temiite colony, beneath rock. UF 151211; additional specimens (UF 151212-14) were also found. All specimens were collected between 1200-1240 h at the Division of Plant Industry (DPI), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In 2006, another adult Ramphotyphlops braminus was collected by an employee at this site, near a greenhouse, and was kept in captivity until it escaped. Rhamphotyphlops is occasionally encountered by employees of DPI and it may be expanding its range, as there is one specimen (UF 147001) collected from the University of Florida campus (Powell Hall) adjacent to the DPI site (29°38'7.9080"N, …

Morphology, Reproduction And Mortality Of Equus Hemionus Hemionus In Mongolia, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

There are collected materials on morphology, reproduction rate, and mortality of Dschiggetajs Equus h. hemionus between 2001 and 2006 in the South Gobi of Mongolia. It were found 794 skeletons of wild asses, 95% of these were pouched, ⅔ of them in winter coat. Pouching was also located in the protected areas of this region. The main living resources of Equus hemionus are registered in the South eastern Gobi. For the first time statistical data on morphology measurements of body length, tail and tuft, ear length, and hoofs are given. There are no significant differences between the sexes. The reproduction …

Up-Date On The Behaviour And Status Of The Critically Endangered Onager, Equus Hemionus Onager, From Iran, Laurent Tatin, Bijan F. Darreh-Shoori, Christophe Tourenq, David Tatin, Bijan Azmayesh

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The onager, Equus hemionus onager, an Asiatic wild ass endemic to Iran, is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its biology and conservation requirements are poorly documented. We report some observations made in 1997 and 2000 on the behavior and ecology of the two remaining populations, located in the Touran Protected Area and the Bahram-e-Goor Reserve. Recent population counts by the Department of Environment of Iran (471 in the Protected Area, and 96 in the Reserve) are markedly lower than the count of 600-770 made in the 1970s in the Touran Protected Area. We observed social …

Asiatic Wild Ass In Israel, David A. Blank

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Syrian wild ass (Equus hemionus hemippus) lived in Israel in historic times until the 1930s, when it disappeared from the entire Middle East region. Khulans from other subspecies (E. h. onager - six individulas and E. h. kulan - five individuals) were brought to Israel from European zoos during 1968-69 (the authors of project considered that onager and kulan were the same subspecies) and these animals bred together in the semi-captivity conditions of the Haibar Yotvata Reserve. Later, during a 12-year period from 1982 through 1993, six groups totalling 38 khulans (17 males and 21 females) …

Surviving A Drought: Population Dynamics Of Ochotona Pallasi Pricei In A Dry Steppe, Gobi Altai, Mongolia, Karin Nadrowski, Georg Miehe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Two distinct life history traits are described from the genus Ochotona, the group of “burrowing” species exhibiting high but fluctuating population densities and the “non-burrowing” species exhibiting relatively stable low population densities. The life history traits are linked to ecosystem dynamics with climatically variable steppe environments hosting “burrowing” species and relatively stable mountainous and rocky habitats hosting “non-burrowing” species. There are few intermediate species, living in both steppe and rocky environments. This study presents survival rates, reproductive rates and a tentative model of population dynamics for Ochotona pallasi pricei, an intermediate species with respect to habitat preference. We …

The Emerging Dziggetai (Equidae: Equus Hemionus Pallas): An Illustrated History Of Taxonomic Concepts For The Identification, Classification, And Distribution Of Hemiones From Central Asia, Arnd Schreiber

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The history of the discovery and the exploration of the hemione populations (Equus hemionus PALLAS) from Central Asia (Mongolia, northwest China, northeast Tibet, Kazakhstan, and Russian Siberia) from the 13th century to approximately 1950 are compiled with the aim to provide materials for a taxonomic and population genetic revision of the dziggetais. Data on their phenotypic differentiation, historical distribution status, and their husbandry history in European zoological gardens, are reviewed, as is the gradual emergence of concepts of how to identify and to classify these populations. Hemiones were an important historical case in the discussion of how to represent …

Quo Vadis Equus Hemionus Hemionus In Mongolia?, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, O. Shagdarsuren, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Nayamsuren Batsaikhan

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Caused in studies on biodiversity in the South Gobi we were confronted with the human impact on animal communities and endangered animal species, especially the Asiatic wild ass. So was born the idea to organize an international conference with the aim to actualize the status of Equus hemionus in Central Asia and to find ways for better conservation of this species and its habitats. A short review is given on historical exploration, decreasing area and population number of the Dschiggetai. Today the range of the nominate form of Equus hemionus is located in the Gobi region of southern Mongolia/northern China …

Quo Vadis Equus Hemionus Hemionus In Mongolia?, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, O. Shagdarsuren, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Ravčigijn Samjaa

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Inspired by studies on biodiversity in the South Gobi we were confronted with the human impact on animal communities and endangered animal species, especially the Asiatic wild ass. So the idea was born to organize an international conference with the aim to actualize the status of Equus hemionus in Central Asia and to find ways for better conservation of this species and its habitats. A short review is given on historical exploration, decreasing area and population number of the Dschiggetai. Today the range of the nominate form of Equus hemionus is located in the Gobi region of southern Mongolia/northern China …

Remarks On The Social System Of The Mongolian Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Hemionus), Gertrud Neumann-Denzau, Helmut Denzau

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

So far the social system of Mongolian wild asses is non-uniformly interpreted. The authors describe their own observations from different parts of Mongolia and review data from available publications. The arguments support a territorial social system, which agrees with the social system of all other wild asses in Asia and Africa.

The Birth Of A Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Khur) In India’S Little Rann Of Kutch, Gertrud Neumann-Denzau

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The birth of a wild ass was completely described and photographed in the wild for the first time. It happened in the daytime, in the open desert, and in the vicinity of other wild asses. The mother isolated her foal afterwards for an entire day. After birthing she drove away her male yearling, which did not join her any longer from this moment on.

Capture And Anaesthesia Of The Mongolian Wild Ass (E. Hemionus), Chris Walzer, Petra Kaczensky, Oogii Ganbaatar, Namtar Enkhsaikhan, Davaa Lkhagvasuren

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Science-based conservation efforts in general and wide-ranging equid conservation specifically, often require capture and subsequent handling of the subject animal. Safe and animal-welfare appropriate wild equid capture and anesthesia is a complex operation necessitating a multitude of skills that require appropriate veterinary training. In order to develop management plans for the Mongolian wild ass (Equus hemionus), which range over vast areas the use of radiotelemetry, is an essential tool. Radio-telemetry allows the researchers to better understand the habitat requirements and to delineate the areas of potential wildlife-human conflicts. To date we have successfully captured 16 wild ass in …

Biodiversity In Mongolia, Photos, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Pictures of wildlife in Mongolia in 2007.

Asiatic Wild Asses In The Literature: What Do We Need To Know Now?, Sarah R.B. King

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Asiatic wild asses were once found across central Asia, but over time their range has been reduced until today all subspecies are under threat. This paper examined the literature about wild asses with an aim to illustrating gaps in our knowledge as a target for future research.

A search was made on BIOSIS ISI for the following strings: Equus hemionus, wild ass, khulan, kulan, kiang, khur, and onager. In total 61 relevant references were found, published between 1900 and 2005. Most of these references were published in the 1990s, with only one published between 1900 and 1970. Khur and …

Comparative Demography And Dietary Resource Partitioning Of Two Wild Ranging Asiatic Equid Populations, Ellen Schulz, Thomas Kaiser, Annegret Stubbe, Michael Stubbe, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Joachim Wussow

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Tooth wear signatures allow inference on the dietary traits of herbivorous ungulates. Comparing dietary regimes of taxonomically closely related populations further allows inference on habitat structure and food availability. The mesowear method of tooth wear evaluation has opened up a pathway to reconstruct subtle differences in dietary behavior and resource partitioning based on skeletal material as the only source of information. Eighty cheek dentitions of Asian wild asses (Equus hemionus) from the Southern Gobi (Mongolia) and 61 dentitions of African free ranging donkeys (Equus asinus) from the Emirate Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) were investigated for their …

Population Assessment Of Khulan (Equus Hemionus) In Mongolia, Badamjav Lkhagvasuren

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The data presented here suggest that 18,411 (± 224) khulan inhabit southern Mongolia with a density of 1.4 individuals per 1,000 km² within the 157,525 km² territory of its actual distribution. The Dornogobi province contains the highest number of khulan with a mere 67%, while 20% are found in the Ömnögobi province, 12% are in Djungarian Gobi and only 1% in the Gobi-Altay and Bayankhongor provinces. According to the proportion of foals and yearlings within each aimag, the Dornogobi, Ömnögobi east and Khovd populations have an average reproduction rate.

Kulan (Equus Hemionus Pallas 1775) In Turkmenistan, Victor S. Lukarevskiy, Yu. K. Gorelov

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The kulan (Equus hemionus kulan) is the only odd-toed ungulate left in the wild in northern Eurasia. In the 1930s, the kulan survived in southern Turkmenistan only. In the 1940s, kulans were found only in an area named Badkhyz in Turkmenistan. To conserve the last natural population of this subspecies of kulan the Badkhyz Natural Reserve was established in 1941. The historical and contemporary distribution, fluctuation in numbers, conservation and sci research of kulan populations in the Badkhyz Natural reserve are reviewed in this paper.

Investigation Of The Kiang (Equus Kiang, Equidae) Skull From Ladakh, India, Natalia Spasskaya

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The species-rank of Equus kiang was recently supported by molecular and genetic studies (RYDER & CHEMNICK 1990). Three subspecies are currently recognized in this species: eastern - E. k. holdereri, southern - E. k. polyodon and western - E. k. kiang, differing in some cranial and external features (GROVES & MAZAK 1967). Kiang populations are scarce and widely separated at present; which was a reason for a reassessment of the taxonomic status and distribution of at least one or two of these three races.

An interesting skull of kiang was recovered by N. Paklina and C. van Orden …

Emerging Near-Real Time Forage Monitoring Technology With Application To Large Herbivore Management In Mongolia, Dennis P. Sheehy, Jerry W. Stuth, Douglas E. Johnson, Jay Angerer, Douglas Tolleson

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

Large herbivore livestock and wildlife in Mongolia depend almost entirely for substance on forage standing crop produced each year on natural pastureland. Consequently, both livestock and wildlife are continuously subject to environmental risk, especially drought and severe winter storms, while livestock are also subject to financial risk. As consumption-based livestock production changes to commercialized livestock production, steps taken by the livestock herder to avert both environmental and financial risk to livestock can increase environmental risk to large wild herbivores. A realistic and workable pastureland and risk management system will be critical for conservation of large herbivore habitat. New technologies are …

Feeding Ecology Of Asiatic Wild Ass Equus Hemionus, Jochen Lengger, Frieda Tataruch, Christian Walzer

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Mongolian wild ass or khulan (Equus hemionus) is a potential competitor for forage to reintroduced Przewalski’s horses. To evaluate the major foraging plants of khulan we chose the alkane method that was first described by Mayes in 1984. Different plant species contain varying amounts and proportions of n-alkanes. This fact allows the determination of diet composition by comparing the plant alkane to the fecal alkane pattern. The major advantage is that the method is non-invasive and has been shown to be a reliable method in captive trials. Fecal and plant samples were collected simultaneously and preserved by …

Numbers, Distribution And Social Structure Of Kiang (Equus Kiang Moorcroft 1841) Population In The Southwestern Part Of Tibet, China, Natalia V. Paklina, Chris Van Orden

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

In September - October 1998 we made an extensive survey in southwest Tibet to study numbers, distribution and social structure of the kiang population in this remote part of its range. Kiangs were sighted between 29º 40’ and 32º 50’ N, and 81º- 86º E. They preferred broad flat valleys with lakes at an altitude from 4,000 up to 5,000 m. Small kiang groups and solitary animals were sighted in Transhimalaya. There were no kiangs in Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River valley, in the sand desert near Ali and in the Clay Mountains near Tsada. Seven old kiang corpses were found along …

Some Information On The Ecology Of Khulan (Equus Hemionus Pallas, 1775) In The Western Part Of The South Gobi Province, Mongolia, D. Tsendjav, S. Purevsuren

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

This short study provides information on the density and distribution of khulans in September 2003 and speculates about factors that negatively influence the khulan population in the sums of Khurmen, Bayandalai, Noyon, Sevrei, and Gurvantes in the South Gobi province.

Turkmenian Kulan (Equus Onager Kulan) Captive Population, Anna Mekarska

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

The Turkmenian kulan (Equus onager kulan) is critically endangered, fewer then 1,500 animals are left in the wild. In 2004, there were additional 570 Turkmenian kulans living in captivity: 156 specimens in Euro-Asian zoos, 83 in Askania Nova Reserve and 331 in Canyon Colorado Equid Sanctuary. Population size in EAZA region is decreasing both in terms of numbers and genetic parameters. Those facts underline the urgent need for coordinating development of Eurasian kulan’s captive population. From 2004 onwards, large efforts to create healthy breeding groups in zoos raised bigger interest in this species in European zoos.

Identification Of Herder-Wild Equid Conflicts In The Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area In Sw Mongolia, Petra Kaczensky, N. Enkhsaihan, O. Ganbaatar, Christian Walzer

Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei / Exploration into the Biological Resources of Mongolia, ISSN 0440-1298

In protected areas of Mongolian overgrazing, competition with wild ungulates and poaching are important management concerns. The Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area (SPA) in SW Mongolia is a re-introduction site for the Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii), a stronghold of the Asiatic wild ass (Equus hemionus), and remains an important grazing area for seminomadic herders. We show the power of simple inventory and monitoring methods to assess herder-wildlife conflicts, by combining data of: (1) human and livestock demographic data, (2) migration patterns, of semi-nomadic herders, (3) monthly surveys of wild- and domestic ungulates, and (4) …