Vol 43, No 9 (2016)

Faunistic complexes of 155 species of the Cladocera found in Eastern Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation are described. The eight complexes are specified: unrevised widely spread species (51), the widespread Eurasian faunistic complex (34 species), the circumpolar complex (4 species), the East Asian and American (Beringian) complex (8 species), the endemic East Asian complex (19 species), the southern thermophilic complex (12 species), the mountainous endemic complex (3 species), and the Baikal endemic complex (8 species). Directions for further studies are suggested. Faunistic investigations of the modern level in the East Palearctic represent an independent task, which should be accomplished by taxonomists in close cooperation with specialists on local faunas.

The reality of ecological and local races was investigated in two widespread Palearctic species of lymnaeid snails (Lymnaea stagnalis and Radix auricularia). Several methods of statistical analysis were used, including two-way ANOVA, cluster analysis, and discriminant analysis for six plastic shell characters. It was shown that none of the methods used could convincingly demonstrate that ecological and local races were present in the studied species. Even in cases when statistically significant differences among the populations in the morphology of shells were revealed, these differences were very small and did not correspond to the meaning that was put into the concept of “race” by malacologists in the past. Perhaps, the formation of such races in pond snails is possible only in case of populations being formed in suboptimal conditions, for example, in thermal springs or at large depths. This being the case, the distinguishing of races requires using other shell characters, both quantitative and qualitative ones.

Acantharctus posteli (Crustacea, Decapoda, Achelata, Scyllarinae) belongs to the old relic circumtropical genus of mainly upper shelf rock lobsters. It is an endemic species of the West African tropical zoogeographic region with its distribution between the cape of Cap Blanc (21°40′ N) to the north and the mouth of the Congo River to the south (approximately 4° S). The length of the studied rock lobsters ranges from 10 to 80 mm. Males are slightly smaller than females. The smallest size of ovigerous females was 29 mm. The life cycle of A. posteli appears to be about 2 years. The stomach contents of 43 specimens ranging in size from 42 to 68 mm from the waters of the Republic of Sierra Leone were analyzed. Rock lobsters consume mainly detritus that includes benthic foraminifera. In addition, fish, echinoderms, mollusks, and decapods are secondary prey items. The mean Froerman coefficient of 3.96 allows suggesting that A. posteli can be characterized as a predator-collector, which is similar to rock lobsters of the genera Jasus and Projasus.

Analysis of the biometric parameters of dunlins is based on data of 496 adult birds and 214 birds in their second year of life captured during the spring migration in the years 2002–2014 in the floodplain of the Pripyat River in southern Belarus. The average size of the dunlins caught in this area shows that the majority of birds correspond to the parameters of the nominate subspecies (C. a. alpina). We have not found any statistically significant differences between the age groups in all morphometric parameters except for the length of the wing, which in the birds in their second year of life is slightly smaller than in adults. Both the adult dunlins and the yearlings have two peaks in the distribution of biometric parameters, such as the bill length to the nostril, the bill length to the feathering, the total length of the head with the bill, and the length of the wing, which is associated with differences in the size of males and females. We have noted an increase in the average bill length to the nostril, bill to feathering length, and the total length of the head with the bill, as well as the wing length in the adult birds captured during the spring migration. These values are especially significant in the last five days of May. The body mass index of the dunlins passing through the floodplain of the Pripyat River increases intensively during the migration, which can partly be attributed to the later migration of large birds (females). However, the main reason for the increase in the body mass index is that the birds migrating later in spring have higher energy reserves compared with the earlier migrants. At the end of the migration period, in the floodplain of the Pripyat River, the body mass indices of dunlins are very high. This suggests that birds leaving the stopover site in southern Belarus in early June have sufficient energy resources to reach the nesting places in one nonstop flight.

Fossil remains of gannets were found during excavations in the port area of the ancient city of Chersonesus (Sevastopol) in the layers dating to the 5th and 10th centuries AD. Judging by the joint findings of gannet bones and those of other marine fish-eating diving birds, they had been captured in fishing nets, where they died while diving for fish. The species composition of the aquatic birds accompanying the findings of gannets suggests that gannets appeared on the northern coast of the Black Sea mainly during cold seasons. The distribution and number of findings of gannets in the northern Black Sea region indicates that these birds were widespread there. Gannets could have appeared in the Black Sea from the Mediterranean Sea penetrating there from the Atlantic Ocean during long eastward migrations. Gannets appeared in the fauna of the Black Sea no later than the 6th century BC and became extinct no earlier than the tenth century AD, probably surviving up until the 14th–15th centuries AD.

The dynamics of body mass growth were studied in nestlings of 22 semialtricial and altricial bird species based on materials collected in seven regions of Russia in the years 1976–2013. The bird species belong to four orders and 13 families. The results of the study indicate the nonuniform growth of nestlings in different bird species. Of the species investigated, only seven were found to reach or exceed the mass of adult birds. Over the nestling period, the nestlings of open-nesting species, such as the hooded crow (Corvus cornix), rook (Corvus frugilegus), magpie (Pica pica), fieldfare (Turdus pilaris), song thrush (Turdus philomelos), and goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), do not reach the weight of adult birds and their growth continues after they leave the nest. In closed-nesting species, only the nestlings of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) reach or exceed the definitive mass, whereas the nestlings of the jackdaw (Corvus monedula), starling (Sturnus vulgaris), wryneck (Jynx torquilla), tree sparrow (Passer montanus), and great tit (Parus major) continue to grow after leaving the nest. The body mass of birds on the day of their hatching and before their departure from the nests and the mass of adult birds depend on the nesting type, duration of the nestling period, size groups of species, and their definitive size. The average specific growth rate of body mass and its maximum values for different species are also associated with these factors. The maximum specific growth rate in small-sized and medium-sized bird species was observed on the 0–1st days of life; in large bird species, on the 2nd–4th days. The specific growth rate did not depend on the type of nesting, but it was inversely related to the duration of the nestling period and the definitive sizes of birds.

This review summarizes available data on the problem of taxonomic and evolutionary differentiation in the “araneus” groups of species of the genus Sorex (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia). Report 2 describes the hierarchical structuring, population system, and interracial hybrid zones in the common shrew (Sorex araneus).

The dynamics of the corticosterone content in feces of males are analyzed in red (M. rutilis), graysided (M. rufocanus), and bank (M. glareolus) voles. The ontogenetic dynamics of the corticosterone content in feces of these species collected on the 20th and 40th days are shown to depend differently on the month of their birth. At the same time, the fecal corticosterone content is similar in males of all species that originated from litters with various sizes and shares of males in it. The fecal corticosterone content in the 40-day-old animals is related to the month of birth for all three species. The species-specific features of adrenal activity are found on the 20 and 40 days after the birth of animals. The males of the May and August generations have the highest corticosterone level in feces. The fecal corticosterone content in the red vole males also correlates with the social environs; in addition, socially isolated single males have a higher rate of maturation. The fecal corticosterone in the gray-sided vole males related to the season of start maturation and to the date of birth negatively correlates with sexual maturation. The mature males of those species are found only among the spring–early summer generation. Thus, population factors are important only for maturing males that were born in the current year. Moreover, sexual maturation at a high population density is accompanied by a smaller decrease in the adrenocortical activity.

The review deals with the biodiversity, life cycles, distribution and temperature adaptations of parasites circulating in the coastal waters of northern polar seas. Special attention is given to helminths of marine birds, which are the most common parasites in the coastal waters. Among them, the focus is on trematodes. Factors responsible for the impoverished species composition of parasites in the Arctic are analyzed. It is shown that species without free-living larvae in the life cycle have an advantage in this environment. The abundance of cestodes and acanthocephalans in Arctic seabirds is linked with the high proportion of crustaceans in their diet. The phenomenon of nonspecific parasitism (occurrence of parasites in atypical host species) is analyzed from an evolutionary viewpoint. Characteristic features in the spatial distribution of infection of marine coastal invertebrates with parasite larvae are considered, and factors that determine it are specified. The prevalence of infection in intermediate hosts is closely connected with the abundance of final hosts, which makes it possible to estimate the abundance of final hosts in a given region and reveal trends in its changes. Trematodes have a high potential for temperature acclimation. This facilitates their transmission in the northern seas but, on the other hand, makes it unlikely that the transmission process would be intensified upon an increase in summer temperatures resulting from climate warming. However, intensification of transmission may well occur due to the prolongation of the warm season (“transmission window”), which has been predicted and is already observed. It is suggested that warming in the Arctic promotes both the entry of certain “southern” species into the Arctic and the trans-Arctic interpenetration of the North Atlantic and North Pacific parasitic faunas. A case is made for the necessity to broaden the scope of parasitological research in the Arctic and Subarctic, including parasitological monitoring at the reference sites of the sea coast.

This review shows that the interpenetration of population ecology and animal physiology positively affects the both scientific directions that are important fields of modern zoology. Due to progress in the development of telemetry and non-invasive methods to assess the animal state, as well as of moleculargenetic methods that permit to distinguish the markers reflecting the individual history of an individual, the possibilities of studying responses of an organism to environmental impacts have been greatly expanded. The combined use of traditional ecological and modern physiological, immunological, and molecular-genetic methods promotes to reveal mechanisms responsible for the stable existence of population in the dynamic environment. In addition, the analysis of the contribution of physiological and immunological processes to the formation of adaptations on the population level is a requirement to understand their adaptive importance, which is not always evident when considering a problem at the organism-centric level.

Sagittidae species from the Arctic Seas of Russia and adjacent water bodies are listed. Diagnoses for the subclass Sagittiones Kassatkina 2011, order Aphragmophora Tokioka 1965, and family Sagittidae Claus et Groben 1905 are given. Five new species are described in detail with differential diagnoses provided, and identification keys for the genera Sagitta, Parasagitta, and Pseudosagitta are given. The study is illustrated by drawings and photographs.

A significant correlation between the beginning of the formation of migratory congregation and the ultimate transition of minimal daily temperatures below 10°С was revealed (r_s = 0.52, р < 0.02). Departure of common cranes from the north of Moscow Region usually occur_s between September 15 and October 15, on 28.09 ± 5 days on average. A significant trend for the shift of this event to later dates (r_s = 0.66, р < 0.002) was apparent from the data collected during 19 year_s (in 1994–2012). The date of departure of the cranes is affected by the ultimate transition of minimal daily temperature below 0°С (r_s = 0.64, р < 0.003), the abundance of precipitation (r_s = 0.49, р < 0.03), and the number of days with precipitation (r_s = 0.51, р = 0.026). Cranes stayed at the migratory autumn stopover for longer periods during rainy seasons.

The studies were carried out in 2000–2007, 2010 and 2012–2014 along the Agapa River from the upper reaches downstream to the mouth, the western part of the central Taimyr Peninsula, and in the vicinities of the Medusa Bay, in the northwestern part of the Taimyr Peninsula. On the off-shore islands, brent geese nest in pairs or in small groups that join the colonies of the Taimyr herring gull (Larus argentatus taimyrensis). In addition, these geese form their own colonies of several dozens of nests. These colonies are not related to gull colonies even if the latter exist on the same island. Mixed multi-species colonies with the brent goose prevalence are less dense than those where gulls prevail. The gulls that breed near the colonies, where brent geese prevail, place their nests at such distances from the nearest geese nests that are approximately identical to the distances between the nests of brent geese. In the colonies with the prevalence of gulls, brent geese also nest with approximately the same density as gulls, fitting into the colony as a spatially equal element. In the red-breasted geese, in contrast to brent geese, the nesting density does not correspond to that of the gulls. Red-breasted geese behave either as a foreign element within a gull colony and establish their own nests very close to gull nests up to evicting gulls from their places or as outside strangers that breed at some distance from gull colonies.

The present study was performed in the dry steppe subzone of the Saratov Trans-Volga region during six breeding seasons (years 2010–2015). Habitat features that affected the structure of bluethroat (Luscinia svecica) population were analyzed. The biotopes present in the area investigated differed greatly with regard to the dynamics of environmental conditions during the breeding season. Population density and spatial distribution of nesting territories in each habitat were used to characterize habitat selection, and the breeding productivity was used to assess the result of this selection. Bluethroat population density was always higher in uniformly suitable habitats that provided favorable conditions for nest building and feeding. Part of the population occupied habitats of a lower quality; however, these habitats might be used as “reserve habitats” during breeding seasons characterized by extreme conditions of the environment. Moreover, the contribution of a number of reproductive parameters to the overall breeding productivity was assessed. The present study showed that the starting date and length of fertile period, as well as nest mortality, are the major parameters that determine the variation in breeding productivity between different habitats and seasons. The results are discussed in view of the contributions of population groups to reproduction.

Vector analysis has been used to investigate the functions of incisors, canine teeth, premolars, and molars in a sample of 411 wolf skulls and to elucidate the morphological features that confer resistance to mechanical loading (pressure from the prey tissues upon jaw clenching and fracture under pressure directed along the jaw) to the teeth. Differentiation of the teeth was due to functional differences and showed only partial conformity to the anatomical nomenclature. Canine teeth and i³ serve for the infliction of wounds upon an attack. These teeth, together with I1-2/1-3, are used to tear off parts of the prey. The premolars p1-3/2-4 are used to hold, tear off, and carry parts of the prey. The carnassials р⁴ and m₁ are used to break bones and cut the soft tissues. The rear part (talonid) of m₁ and m1-2/2 serve for further disintegration of food. The anterior premolars p1/1 and m₃ are undergoing a rudimentation process, as evident from higher frequency of developmental defects compared to that in other teeth. Breakage and chipping of the teeth is rare, except for cases of extreme loading, since mechanical strength of the teeth is sufficiently high.

The main environmental parameters that determine the spatial distribution of chamois in the high mountains of Dagestan in summer and winter were studied. The following landscape characteristics were studied: slope gradient, altitude above sea level, slope exposure, and additional parameters related to the defense of chamois (distances from detection sites to the nearest rocks, meadows, rhododendron bushes, etc.). The data on the localization and number of animals were analyzed. No seasonal differences in the distribution of chamois in relation to the slope gradient were revealed. In winter and summer, chamois prefers the slopes of 25°–35°. There were significant differences in the use of slope exposure by chamois depending on the season (χ² = 71, p < 0.001). The distribution of chamois at different altitudes above sea level had no significant seasonal differences.