Zoology Commons^™

Volumetric Comparison Of Overall Brain And Neuropil Size Between Social And Non-Social Spiders: Exploring The Social Brain Hypothesis, Vanessa Penna-Gonçalves, Donald James Mclean, Nikolas J. Willmott, Michael B.J. Kelly, Jay R. Black, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Marie E. Herberstein

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The social brain hypothesis predicts that the relative size of specific brain regions is driven by the cognitive capacity required to manage complex (social) situations. Spiders are intriguing models to test this hypothesis, as sociality is rare in this usually solitary and aggressive group. Here, we used microCT to compare the central nervous system and brain volumes between social and solitary females of the species in two taxonomic groups, huntsman and crab spiders. Overall, we found no difference in relative CNS and brain volume between social and solitary species. However, social huntsman spiders Delena cancerides had larger arcuate and mushroom …

Die Fledermäuse Der Mongolei: Ein Aktueller Überblick, Dietrich Dolch, Michael Stubbe, K. Thiele, B. Gärtner, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, J. Ariunbold, Beatrix Wuntke, I. Bolorchimeg, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, I. Scheffler, D. Munkhnast, N. Nandin-Erdene, D. Steinhauser, Annegret Stubbe

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

This paper presents the 20 bat species currently known in Mongolia. The majority of the data were collected during eight Mongolian/German field excursions of the working group "Chiroptera Mongolia” over a period of 25 years and by the results of the Mongolian-German Biological Expeditions between 1964 and 2024. Also further records made by the authors during other tours through Mongolia were considered. This publication expands and updates a previous publication on this topic published 18 years ago (DOLCH et al. 2007).

More than 2150 animals from over 150 capture and discovery sites were included. The captured animals were examined based …

Die Fledermausfauna In Den Nördlichen Regionen Der Mongolei (Taiga, Waldsteppe Und Galeriewälder): Eine Auswertung Von Untersuchungen Zwischen 2002 Und 2024, Beatrix Wuntke, Klaus Thiele, Dietrich Dolch

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

The bat fauna in northern Mongolia was studied on several expeditions between 2002 and 2024 using mist netting and bat recording devices. This paper presents the results of these expeditions for three habitat types (taiga, forest steppe and gallery forest). The species range was highest in the gallery forests and lowest in the forest steppe. It included several species of the genus Myotis as well as representatives of the genera Eptesicus, Vespertilio and Plecotus. The most frequently captured species were Myotis davidii, Eptesicus nilssonii and Plecotus ognevi. The genus Myotis also dominated the recordings, although species …

Verdienter Lehrer Des Volkes Professor Khorloogijn Munkhbayar (1940-2025), Khayankhyarvaa Terbisch, Ravčigijn Samjaa, Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe

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

In memoriam for Khorloogijn Munkhbayar (1940-2025).

Seasonal Variations In Vocal Frequency And Volume Of Mongolian Marmots (Marmota Sibirica Radde, 1862): Insights From Cooperative Breeding In Songinokhairkhan Mountain, Sainzorigt Munkh-Orgil, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Gerelt Gan-Ochir, Amarsanaa Zolzaya, Altangerel Tsogtsaikhan Dursahinhan

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

In the Songinokhairkhan Mountain region of Mongolia, we examined the vocal patterns of Mongolian marmots, Marmota sibirica (RADDE, 1862), across two seasons. The study aimed to understand how cooperative breeding, a system where certain individual marmots assist others in reproduction, influences their vocalization. Our acoustic data revealed differences in vocal frequency and volume between the post-mating period in April and May, and pup emergence time in July. Specifically, marmots vocalized more frequently during early mornings, with variations observed in call patterns and volume between the two study periods. These findings provide crucial insights into how marmots adjust their communication strategies …

New Data On The Lagomorphs From The Zaysan Basin (Eastern Kazakhstan), Margarita A. Erbajeva, Robert Emry, Alisa J. Winkler, Spencer G. Lucas, L. A. Tyutkova

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

Middle Eocene through Late Miocene lagomorphs are reported from more than 40 localities of the Zaysan Basin, Kazakhstan. The lagomorph fauna includes 21 taxa of 12 genera. Eight genera are central Asian endemics, two genera are European forms, and one genus (Alloptox) has a Eurasian distribution. These data allow correlation of the lagomorph faunas of the Zaysan Basin with contemporaneous faunas of Mongolia, Northern China and some European regions.

The Current Status Of The Red Deer (Cervus Elaphus Sibiricus) Population In Mongolia, R. Samiya, Davaa Lkhagvasuren, S. Shar, D. Usukhjargal, N. Battogtokh, N. Tseveenmyadag, E. Magsarjav

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

One of the most commonly portrayed animals in the petroglyphs, rock carvings, and cave paintings found throughout Mongolia's vast steppes is the red deer. It’s population in Mongolia declined precipitously in the early years of the 20th century. For the first time, a nationwide comprehensive census of the red deer population was conducted, covering all known habitats across Mongolia. A combination of methods was employed to estimate population size, including line transect surveys, point counts, rutting call responses, and the recording of indirect signs such as tracks and scat pellets. Using habitat suitability modeling on a province-by-province basis, the distribution …

Dichotomous Key For The Identification Of Bat Species In Mongolia, Dietrich Dolch

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

Research into the Mongolian bat fauna is not complete yet. The discovery of further species is to be expected. Probably these species have already been identified in neighboring areas. The more detailed study of the species described until now will lead to the identification of further cryptic species. The dichotomous identification key presented here is intended to simplify the recognition of the currently in Mongolia known twenty bat species from seven genera.

Zusammenfassung

Die Erforschung der mongolischen Fledermausfauna ist nicht abgeschlossen. Mit der Entdeckung weiterer Arten, die in angrenzenden Gebieten schon nachgewiesen werden konnten, ist zu rechnen. Die genauere Untersuchung …

Bat Ectoparasites Of Mongolia, Part 4, Ingo Scheffler, Dietrich Dolch, Klaus Thiele, Dalannast Munkhnast, Jargalsaikhan Ariunbold, I. Bolorchimeg, B. Gärtner

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

The field excursions of 2019 and 2023 provided new data on ectoparasites of 14 bat species from different habitats of the taiga, steppes and deserts. A total of 27 species of ectoparasites were found on these bats, whose abundances and host preferences are described. This results in genus- and species-specific combinations of the ectoparasites present on the respective host species. The infestation with ectoparasites (P-load) differs considerably between bat species. Within a species, the infestation is much more dependent on the parasite load of the respective maternity roost than on factors such as sex, age or body constitution.

Chiroptera Mongolia: Zwanzig Jahre Freizeitforschung In Der Mongolei, Dietrich Dolch, Klaus Thiele, D. Steinhauser, B. Gärtner

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

In 1999, four participants from Brandenburg also took part in a mammal field excursion through Mongolia organized by Professor Michael Stubbe from the Martin Luther University and Professor R. Samjaa from the National University of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar. They discovered the bats of Mongolia as a fascinating field of work and established contacts with Mongolian colleagues, with whom they organized bat-oriented research expeditions under the motto "Chiroptera Mongolia." These eight expeditions, organized on a voluntary basis and privately funded over a period of twenty years, were eventful and scientifically productive.

History Of Research Into The Bat Fauna Of Mongolia (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), Michael Stubbe, Annegret Stubbe, Davaa Lkhagvasuren

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

The first stage of the exploration of the bat fauna of Mongolia is characterized by the collection of specimens by explorers of large Russian expeditions in the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Names such as G. RADDE, N.M. PRZEWALSKI, P.K. KOZLOV, M.V. PEVCOV, G.N. POTANIN, V.I. ROBOROVSKIJ and others are closely associated with this collection, which came primarily to the Zoological Museum of the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg and analysed by BOBRINSKOJ (1926, 1929).

At the beginning of the 40s of the 20th century, A.G. BANNIKOV came to Ulaanbaatar to support the …

Important Bat Caves In Mongolia: Key Sites For Conservation, Jargalsaikhan Ariunbold, Joseph R. Hoyt, Nyamsuren Batsaikhan, Byambajav Delgermurun, Krizler C. Tanalgo, A. Bilguun, Dalannast Munkhnast

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

Caves are important habitats for a variety of different species, such as bats. Many species of bats are cave obligates, specifically in temperate zones, spending almost half the year hibernating in them. There are hundreds of caves identified in Mongolia, where past studies have mostly focused on cave morphology, geology, and archeology. However, a comprehensive assessment of cave-dwelling bats has not yet been conducted. In this study, abundance, species richness, population size, and identification of key sites of cave-dwelling bats in Mongolia was conducted using observations gathered over the past 15 years (2009–2024). It was found that bat population size …

Lack Of Consistent Diurnal Trends In Acoustic Metrics From Restored Coral Reefs, Jeremy Velázquez-Alvarado, Valentina Pérez-García, Javier S. Tellechea, Joni T. Backstrom, Alex Mercado-Molina

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Once vibrant ecosystems, coral reefs are degrading at unprecedented rates due to natural and human—induced disturbances, necessitating immediate restoration and conservation efforts. Evaluating the success of these projects often involves assessing changes in reef biodiversity. Bioacoustics has emerged as a promising, non—invasive method for such evaluations, though its efficacy remains debated. This study aimed to determine whether the diurnal soundscapes of restored coral reefs are consistent across different time frames (months) and spatial scales (reefs), which is crucial for developing reliable monitoring tools for reef health. To achieve this, 2 commonly used acoustic indices, the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI) and …

Investigating The Presence Of Individuality And Behavioral Syndromes In Northern Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon Piscivorus), Joshua Lowy

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Within the last 15 ̶20 years, research on behavioral syndromes has seen a surge in prominence and popularity in behavioral ecology, revealing that many animals exhibit individually consistent behavioral tendencies. Behavioral syndromes occur when behavioral traits are correlated with one another within the same context or across different contexts. Despite new appreciation for the ecological, evolutionary, and conservation implications of behavioral syndrome data, the taxonomic breadth of studies is uneven. Snakes are underrepresented within squamate reptiles and, among venomous species, only two rattlesnakes (Crotalus) have been investigated for evidence of behavioral syndromes. My study investigates individuality and the presence of …