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The article discusses a study on the geographic distribution of Leaf-eared mouse Graomys griseoflavus in Patagonia. The study used such factors as literature records, small mammal trappings carried out during the past ten years and the study of owl pellets to review this distribution. It also compiled a list of recorded localities of G. griseoflavus in Patagonia to depict their distribution.

Lestodelphys halli and Thylamys pallidior are southernmost representatives of the Order Didelphimorphia. We analyzed their southern distribution compiling locality records south of 42°S (Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces). We found 87 locality records for L. halli and 105 for T. pallidior. The distribution of L. halli reaches the central plateaus of Santa Cruz province but avoids the northeastern corner of the Deseado Massif. We report the southernmost locality for this species. The eastern and southern distribution of T. pallidior follows the courses of major rivers and coastal areas and it was not found at altitudes >700 m. Its southern distribution is more reduced than in L. halli, not reaching latitudes south of 46°S. We have recorded 20 localities of sympatry between both taxa, all of them from owl pellet samples; however, we have not found conclusive evidence of syntopy by trapping at any site. Both marsupials have widespread distribution in south-central Patagonia with two different histories: one, that of L. halli, related to Patagonian steppes and the other one linked to arid and semiarid lowlands represented by T. pallidior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albinism is a kind of anomalous hypopigmentation with a complete white pelage, and it is completely devoid of melanin in the skin, hair follicles and eyes. The present paper firstly reports two cases of adult mole shrews (Anourosorex squamipes) with albinism, which were found in Sichuan province of southwestern China. The two female mole shrews show a complete white pelage. Stained by the soil, the albinistic mole shrews show a yellowish white color. Besides the same morphological characteristics, all the body parameters of the two albinistic mole shrews are within the parameter range of the six normal mole shrews captured at the same site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is an emblematic species with several recognized subspecies. Two reindeer subspecies are present in Norway: the wild and semi-domestic European tundra reindeer (R. tarandus tarandus) in continental Norway, and Svalbard reindeer (R. tarandus platyrhynchus) endemic to this archipelago. The main aim of this paper is to give a descriptive and quantified analysis of the modern wild reindeer morphological diversity. The morphometric variation was quantified, based on 262 adult specimens of both sexes, by both linear measurements, analysed through log shape ratio computed from post-cranial bones and teeth measurements, and landmarks and sliding semi-landmarks based geometric morphometrics (GMM) to quantify molars size and shape. All anatomical parts (teeth, metatarsals, metacarpals) highlighted differences between the continental and insular subspecies. Our main results pointed out morphometrics characteristics of nowadays reindeer subspecies, like differences in proportions between the size of metapodials or lower cheek teeth with the body size, that could be of great interest for archaeozoological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nesting is a central topic in the behavioural ecology of many species, but data on the materials used to construct mammal nests are rarely reported. This paper describes the most commonly used components from 25 summer nests of the garden dormouse, a small threatened rodent endemic to Europe. Median nest dry weight of 25 nests was 15.5 g (10.3–21.1 g) and moss was the most common material (78 %), followed by leaves (9 %). Mosses were also the most frequently used material, with Hypnum cupressiforme being the most frequently used taxon in 11 out of 25 nests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defined as the killing of a newborn individual by a conspecific, infanticide by males is widespread in mammals. Results from this paper used genetic analysis to confirm and characterize the first report of non-parental infanticide in giant armadillos. Genetic evidence demonstrates that the killer male is unrelated to the killed infant but is the father of the next offspring. This evidence supports the sexual selection hypothesis, in which infanticide is used to obtain increased access to breeding females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological abnormalities in bats are rarely reported and, particularly, ocular problems are relatively scarce in the literature. We present a review of the records of ocular alterations in bats of the American continent and document for the first time a case of ocular alteration in the species Saccopteryx bilineata in northern Colombia. In this study we found cases of corneal opacity (5/19 individuals), lesions and trauma, microphthalmia (4/19 individuals), anophthalmia (4/19 individuals) and adnexal diseases (2/19 individuals). We encourage researchers to report their observations of bats with ocular anomalies, as this information could be useful for estimating occurrence rates and addressing questions associated with the social behaviour of the species and on their effects on natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dama dama dama population of the island of Rhodes has an important conservation significance because of its unique genetic characters. Currently, many are the factors that threaten its survival. Aim of this paper is to provide the first data on the spatio-temporal co-occurrence between the only free-ranging Greek population of common fallow deer and local domestic caprines. Kilometric abundance index (KAI) was derived from spotlight counts. The unattended domestic caprines appear to impact on fallow deer, in particular during fawning season. Livestock monitoring over time can act as a proxy indicator of the status of this deer population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We looked at lectotype designations by Baranova and Gromov from among syntypes in the Mammal Collection of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ZIN) in St. Petersburg, Russia. We identified 20 lectotypifications, published in 2003, which do not accord to Articles 74.7.3 and/or 74.1.3 of the Code and are therefore invalid. Particularly instructive is the case of Lemmus obensis bungei Vinogradov, B.S. (1924). Two new interesting lemmings from Siberia. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 9: 186–188, since its syntypes originated from two allopatric phylogenetic lineages which were classified as distinct nominal taxa. Because the act of lectotypification by Baranova and Gromov does not contain an express statement of deliberate designation as is requested by the amended Article 74.7.3 of the Code, their designation is not valid. To secure the nomenclatural stability of Siberian lemmings we designate voucher ZIN 11,025 (skin and skull from Sagastyr Island) as the lectotype of Lemmus obensis bungei. The name bungei thus defined is a junior synonym of Lemmus lemmus sibiricus (Kerr, R. (1792). The animal kingdom [...] of the celebrated Sir Charles Linnæus. Class I. Mammalia, J. Murray, London) with a range at the shores of the Arctic Ocean, between the Northern Dvina and Lena Rivers. We furthermore provide a list of all invalid lectotypifications of hamsters (Cricetinae) and voles (Arvicolinae) based on ZIN syntypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses similar to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been discovered in bats of the genus Rhinolophus and in the Sunda pangolin, Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822, suggesting that these animals have played a key role in the emergence of the Covid-19 outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China. In this paper, we review the available data for sarbecoviruses (viruses related to SARS-CoV [2002–2003 outbreak] and SARS-CoV-2) to propose all possible hypotheses on the origin of Covid-19, i. e., involving direct transmission from horseshoe bats to humans, indirect transmission via the pangolin or another animal, with interspecies contamination between either wild animals or animals kept in cage. Present evidence indicates that Rhinolophus bats are the natural reservoir of all sarbecoviruses, and that two divergent SARS-CoV-2-like viruses have circulated in southern China (at least in Guangxi and Guangdong provinces) between August 2017 and March 2019 in captive pangolins destined for sale in wildlife markets. We performed a genetic analysis of seven seized pangolins found to be positive for SARS-CoV-2-like virus using mitochondrial DNA sequences extracted from Sequence Reads Archive data. The results reveal that the same SARS-CoV-2-like virus can be found in animals with distinct haplotypes, which means that they were probably captured in different Southeast Asian regions. Our interpretation is that some pangolins were contaminated in captivity (by other pangolins or by another species to be determined), suggesting that illegal trade of living wild mammals is at the origin of the Covid-19 outbreak. To definitely validate this hypothesis, it is however necessary to discover a virus almost identical to SARS CoV-2 (at least 99% of identity) in animals sold in wet markets. Although pangolins are good candidates, other mammals, such as small carnivores, should not be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the first record of the rare Koepcke's spear-nosed bat Gardnerycteris koepckeae collected outside of Peru, based on morphological and cytochrome b data. The species was found at the National Natural Park Alto Fragua Indi-Wasi, Department of Caquetá, Colombia. This record extended the species distribution 1400 km north from the northernmost known locality in Huanhuachayo, Ayacucho, Peru. This finding suggests that G. koepckeae is distributed over middle elevations along the eastern slope of the Andean-Amazonia foothills in Peru and Colombia, similar to other Phyllostomid bats, such as Vampyressa melissa and Lonchophylla handleyi. We reviewed the threatened category of G. koepckeae, currently categorized as Data Deficient (DD), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but considered as Endangered (EN) in recent papers. Based on this new record, we suggest that the species should be included in future assessments as Near Threatened (NT) or Vulnerable (VU) based on its wider distribution along the Andean-Amazonian foothills of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and probably the Orinoco slope of the Andes of Colombia and Venezuela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that skunks present negative interactions with foxes. However, recently published observations have demonstrated that southern spotted skunk (Spilogale angustifrons) individuals follow gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (TCBR) in Mexico. In this paper, we reported the same interaction in other locations in the TCBR and evaluated whether this interaction is casual or statistically positive. In this analysis, we included data pertaining to three skunk species (S. angustifrons, Conepatus leuconotus, and Mephitis macroura) and U. cinereoargenteus. We sampled 172 sites using camera traps from 2011 to 2018 for a total effort of 49,764 trap-days. The four studied species were nocturnal; the overlap coefficient between foxes and skunks varied from 0.70 to 0.83. Of the 32 consecutive records between S. angustifrons and U. cinereoargenteus, 11 showed that individuals of this skunk species closely followed U. cinereoargenteus and that these encounters were not random (time interval <1 min). We did not find evidence of a behavioral association of U. cinereoargenteus with C. leuconotus and M. macroura. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents unique data on the reproductive behavior of the rare giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), including gestation, inter-birth intervals, number of offspring and parental care. It also describes a potential non-parental infanticide. The study used telemetry, camera traps and track observations for over 7 years in a 300-km2 area in the central Brazilian Pantanal. Females with young were recorded 5 times. Reproductive events did not appear to be seasonal. A 5-month gestation period was estimated. Parental care is long, as the offspring is completely dependent on its mother's milk until 6–8 months of age. Weaning was estimated to occur at 11–12 months, but the offspring continued to be dependent on its mother's burrows until 18 months old. Three births were recorded over a 6-year period for one individual. The offspring from the first birth recorded was killed at 4 weeks of age in a potential infanticide, but 7 months after the first birth, a second offspring was born. A third birth was recorded 3 years after the second birth. Results from this study suggest that the population growth rate of giant armadillos is very low and the species can therefore easily be locally extirpated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recently published paper, Taylor and colleagues discussed different approaches and interpretations of mammalian taxonomy and their bearing on more general issues such as conservation and evolutionary biology. We fully endorse the fundamental importance of taxonomy and its being grounded on scientific principles. However, we also deplore a lack of awareness in the literature of the fact that taxonomy is a twofold enterprise that encompasses not only (i) the scientific description and quantitative analysis of biodiversity but also (ii) an executive decision as to how the results of (i) are translated into names. This has serious ramifications for the conservation of our planet's dwindling biodiversity and when taxonomic names are used as raw data for ecological and evolutionary analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to utilize data of recent studies of bats surveying in the Atlantic Rainforest to evaluate the degree of knowledge of bat distribution in this biome. Data of new records or range extension of species published between 2010 and 2013 were compared among Brazilian biomes. We also utilized a case study in the Paraná State coastal area, southern Brazil, which was considered of low priority for bat inventories but had new records reported recently. The Atlantic Rainforest showed the highest number of papers with new information about bat distribution in Brazil. The number of bat species for this biome reaches 117. In the past 10 years, 11 new records have been reported for the Paraná State coastal area, increasing the bat richness by 33%. Our findings suggest that we do not know sufficiently the bat distribution across the Atlantic Rainforest. In such a hotspot for biodiversity conservation, it may be dangerous to establish low-priority areas for inventories, especially when an almost unique and biased survey method has been used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Andean white ear opossum (Didelphis pernigra, Allen 1900) is one of the three species of the genus Didelphis reported in Colombia. Here we present a systematic review of D. pernigra in Colombia, with a geographical and altitudinal distribution hypothesis from the country. We reported geographic records and scientific available information of D. pernigra in 40 studies, 55.26 % of the available literature corresponded to local and regional inventories; 23.68 % of other documents were studies about mammal assemblages, while 21.05 % were specific studies about the species and the genus Didelphis in Colombia. We classified literature according to the following subcategories: natural history, diet, inventories, threats, reproduction, uses and perceptions. Most of the literature corresponded to detection in inventories (55.26 %), followed by natural history information (21.05 %) and threats (7.89 %). Research about diet, uses, perception and reproduction, had the lowest proportion with 5.26 %. Regarding distribution, geographic records ranged between 1060 and 3740 m across the three Andean ranges of Colombia. In general, little is known about the ecology or natural history of the species, efforts should be focused on filling the information gaps about natural history, and surveys should fill the distribution gaps along the Western and Central ranges of Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After World War II, primate studies began on Japanese macaques and artificial provisioning facilitated short-distance observation. During these early stages of primate field research, this method allowed for individual recognition and long-term studies whereby individual and social behaviors could be described in detail and, ultimately, social structure. Owing primarily to provisioning, monkeys and apes were able to innovate some cultural behaviors. However, provisioning influences the behavior of animals. Artificially fed primate populations in Japan grew rapidly and social relationships among individuals changed. After the 1980s, scientific reports tended to not mention the incidence of provisioning in descriptions of the environment. Such omissions could inadvertently lead to misleading interpretations of the data. Therefore, authors must describe the provisioning situation as an important element of the environment. Even in the early stages of the primate studies, it should have been noted that provisioning was an experimental method and was partly an artificial living condition applied to wild populations of animals, which could have both positive and negative outcomes. In this paper I defined the terms wild, provisioning, free-ranging and habituation in appropriate words. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Western polecat Mustela putorius has a widespread European distribution and is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Reports are increasing of polecat population declines in several countries, although a paucity of data means population trends are poorly understood. This paper reviews and summarises information on the polecat's status and range-wide population trends. Information and opinion were gathered for 34 countries, from individuals and organisations studying polecats and from reviewing the literature and national Red Lists. Where trends were identified, the polecat population is known or suspected to be declining in 20 countries, reported to be stable in five countries, stable or increasing in one country, and increasing in two countries. For many countries, data are so limited in quantity or spatial scale, or at risk of bias, that trends could not be identified or confidence in trend assessments is low. The main drivers of polecat decline are poorly understood, but might include habitat degradation; changes in prey availability; competition with invasive carnivores; poisoning; conflict with human interests; harvesting and killing of polecats; and hybridisation. Robust survey methods and systematic monitoring programmes are urgently needed to gather up-to-date data on polecat population trends across the species' range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pigmentation process can be affected throughout development and result in aberrant pigmentation. This can derive not only from genetic mutations, but also from other sources like infectious diseases that result in color patterns which are different from those characteristic of each species. In bats, most pigmentation abnormalities have been observed in the families Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae, probably because they are the largest families in number of species and have been exceptionally well studied. For the Mormoopidae family only two cases are known. This paper documents the first case of hypopigmentation disorder in the bat Mormoops megalophylla throughout its range, recorded in two specimens captured in the state of Oaxaca, México. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the wildlife of the middle and upper reaches of the Purus in Brazil is scarce, and this region is one of the major remaining gaps in our understanding of the distributions and population status of mammals in the Brazilian Amazon. In this paper, we present information on the diversity of mammals of the middle Purus, in the south of Amazonas State, Brazil. Based on rapid inventories in four protected areas, and line-transect censuses in one of them, we provide locality records that indicate expansions of the known range of six primate species and a squirrel. Species more frequently seen during censuses were small and mid-sized primates and rodents, while records of larger mammals, which are more sensitive to subsistence hunting, were infrequent or lacking. Deforestation in the area is relatively low, but the area is close to the so-called "arc of deforestation" that is moving north and west from the north of the state of Mato Grosso into the states of Acre and Amazonas. The middle and upper Purus basin has been little explored, but is far from pristine, and populations of most of the species that are vulnerable to forest degradation and hunting are already reduced, especially close to the major rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

François Catzeflis left us in Montpellier on November 25, 2021 after a long battle against cancer. In parallel with all his activities, François Catzeflis developed one of the first banks of mammal tissues in ethanol. By that time, he polished the techniques and methods of DNA/DNA hybridisation and published many key papers on African rodent phylogeny based on this technique. [Extracted from the article]

The Sumatran striped rabbit (Nesolagus netscheri Schlegel, 1880) is the least known lagomorph in the world. This paper describes the first record of a young N. netscheri that was offered for sale (the size is approximately 52–56% of the adult), together with an adult, by a social media group in February 2018. The rabbits were reportedly obtained from the Dempo mountain, South Sumatra. Compared to previous descriptions of N. netscheri, the Dempo mountain specimens have longer ears (47–52 mm vs. 34–50 mm), shorter tails (9–15 mm vs. 17 mm) and shorter hindfeet (60–65 mm vs. 67–87 mm). The threats to N. netscheri are revisited and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marco Polo sheep (Ovis ammon polii) occurring in the rugged mountainous landscapes of Central and South Asia, are difficult to survey and conserve due to their straggling habits in remote and inhospitable habitats. The paper presents population estimates and migration trends of Marco Polo sheep in Khunjerab, Pakistan, over 20 years (1992-2012), determined through direct count method. During this period a total of 1069 sheep visited Pakistan, with mean annual herd size of 76.35 (SD = ± 40.87). Sex ratio in the population skewed towards females, having male:female ratio of 0.69:1 with 43 lambs to 100 ewes. Annual population density of the immigrant populations oscillated between 0.42 and 2.13 animals/km² (SD = ± 0.53). The visitation showed drastic decline over 20 years, possibly due to fencing at the Sino-Pakistan border and dietary competition with wild herbivores. Fewer lambs in summer populations is another point of concern, probably as result of predation of young cohort by avian and mammalian predators. Removing obstructions on migratory routes and reducing dietary competition with sympatric herbivores are suggested for viability of argali populations in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peropteryx leucoptera is a widespread species in the Neotropics but with a disjunct distribution in Northern South America and a separated population in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil. Here we present new records of this species for Northeastern Brazil, the first records for the Caatinga biome and for the states of Bahia and Rondônia. These new records represent a major range extension and establishes a new southern limit of occurrence for the species. We also examined and provide measurements of other specimens and present an updated map with the distribution of P. leucoptera in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Complejo Volcánico Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park is located between the departments of Cauca and Nariño in the southern Andean Region of Colombia. Due to the country's social challenges and the difficult access to the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park the biological knowledge concerning groups such as mammals, is based on studies prior to the park's declaration, reports from park rangers and residents. Between October 2017 and February 2018, eight trail cameras were set up in the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park and its buffer zone. We reviewed the information captured in these cameras and identified eight mammal species, three of which are new reports for the park. In total, 24 species were reported, including charismatic Andean species such as the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), and the Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque). The mammal diversity documented for the park is low (24 species) compared to other Andean areas. Further field work is necessary to complete the species inventories. Nevertheless, this research, to our knowledge is the first effort to study the medium and large mammals of the Doña Juana – Cascabel National Natural Park since its establishment in 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peropteryx pallidoptera is the newest described species of Peropteryx, know from only few localities in Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Bolivia. Herein, we report new records of this species, and we show that P. pallidoptera has a wider distribution than known across the Amazon. Our records are based on field sampling and, mostly, on museum vouchers, which reinforces the importance of biological collections and the need to continually review deposited specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the book Wild mammals of Myanmar (Tun Yin 1993) was published, a total of 252 mammal species were reported. Since that publication, numerous new species have been described, taxonomic revisions published, and additional distribution records produced that have expanded Myanmar's mammals considerably. Therefore, we aimed to provide an updated checklist of the mammals of Myanmar, which includes the scientific and common names, global and Myanmar distributions, remarks on taxonomy, and conservation information including the IUCN Red List status and legal protection status under The Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law 2018 of Myanmar. Our new checklist includes 365 (33 marine and 332 terrestrial) mammal species belonging to 13 orders and 49 families. We also confirmed that Myanmar is home to at least nine endemic mammal species. Our results highlight the areas that require further exploration to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Myanmar's diverse fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Andean swamp rat Neotomys ebriosus is a sigmodontine rodent restricted to the Central Andes of South America. A distribution map of the species in Peru have been previously drawn based on few of the localities where the species has been captured and collected. I update the distribution of the species in Peru based on new records from three different areas surveyed by the author, specimens at Museum collections in the United States and France from VertNet webpage, localities from the collection at the Natural History Museum of Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, and localities from the collection at the Natural History Museum of the Universidad Nacional San Agustín. The northern limit of the species distribution is increased based on new localities with collected individuals. Habitat used by N. ebriosus is mainly high Andean bogs; most individuals caught adjacent to the borders of Andean bogs and along streams near the bogs. Collected individuals leave unclear subspecies division and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a bat survey conducted in November 2011 in Mangolo Nature Park and Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park, both lowland forests located in Southeast Sulawesi. We recorded 22 species of bats that represents nearly 1/3 of the total bat species known to occur on Sulawesi. Three of these are endemic to Sulawesi and adjacent islands, whereas one species, Myotis cf. ridleyi was identified as a new distributional record for this island and with further investigation could prove to be an undescribed species. Our record of Chironax melanocephalus tumulus provided a range extension to the southeastern arm of Sulawesi. Two specimens of Hipposideros boeadii were topotypes and represent the first collections after the description of the type specimen. Collections of Rhinolophus arcuatus from this survey were only the second record of this species from island and represent a range extension. Specimens of Megaderma spasma celebensis were the first records of this species from Southeast Sulawesi. Species are discussed individually with external, cranial and dental measurements summarized. Based on this survey, the number of bat species now documented from the lowlands of Southeast Sulawesi represents the highest diversity yet recorded from a site on Sulawesi. This region is therefore a high priority for conservation and a hotspot for bat research in Indonesia, especially Sulawesi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides novel data on the recent incursion and presence of the common genet (Genetta genetta) in the Ebro Delta (NE Iberian Peninsula), an atypical habitat for the species, and on its diet in this region, determined by scat analysis. The species was first detected in the delta region in 2005 that colonised through the woodlands on the banks of the Ebro River. The high trophic diversity index points out to a highly-diversified diet, and the results obtained highlight feeding habits towards particular food items. Rodents (mainly Rattus sp. and Mus sp.) were the most frequent food item and made up the largest portion of consumed biomass. Birds, red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and fruits were also consumed. However, although the genet was detected in this region, it cannot be considered to have spread and settle significantly: there are few signs of its presence and there has been no record so far of breeding, probably due the scarce availability of favourable habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mus booduga (Gray 1837) is a mesic rodent, recorded for the first time from the cold arid region of Leh-Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The species was collected from crop fields and nearby areas from different altitudes ranging from 3187 to 3768 m above mean sea level. The paper describes the external measurements and diagnostic features of M. booduga collected from Leh-Ladakh region. Earlier records had shown its altitudinal distribution from 250 to 3695 m above mean sea level from Uttarakhand in the Himalayan region, however in the present study the mouse was collected up to an altitude of 3768 m which is the highest elevational record of this species for the Himalayan range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown-eared woolly opossum (Caluromys lanatus) is an elusive frugivorous Neotropical canopy specialist marsupial considered primarily arboreal, but here we report the first records of individuals from this species captured on the ground in the Cerrado. We hypothesize two main reasons to explain this behavior: first related to canopy openness, which would force the animals to the ground to keep moving across the landscape; and the second related with search for food on the ground during periods of food scarcity due to increased canopy gaps. Our findings can have important implications for the species conservation and understanding forest ecological dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the wood mouse Apodemus sylvaticus and the yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis in the field has challenged many generations of field mammalogists, particularly in northern Spain and continental Italy. These two species present highly similar morphologic and morphometric characteristics especially when they are sympatric. Existing identification methods rely on morphometric and biometric measurements collected on killed or etherized animals, whereas in many field studies measurement may be taken only on live and awake animals. Genetic methods, instead, are time consuming, expensive and do not allow immediate identification in the field, which is a requirement in many types of ecological works. To contribute in filling this knowledge gap, the aims of this research were: 1) to assess biometric measurements (weight and length of hind foot) that allow species identification on live and awake animals and 2) to develop a predictive model and related software that, subject to refinement based on study area, will allow researchers to prioritise the selection of individuals to be identified by molecular approach. This model, based on a large (>1500) sample of individuals captured in two different sites in central Italy, should help to classify live and awake individuals of Apodemus species. Attached to this paper is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that may be used to apply the model to new data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bandicoot rats are a widespread species in Asia. Throughout their distribution, bandicoot rats are of high sanitary importance as reservoirs of at least 10 human diseases. In mainland Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, where two species coexist, taxonomic distinction based on external characters is difficult and may lead to a certain proportion of misidentification. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of classical methods for distinguishing these bandicoot species, and provide new, simple, and cheap tools for discriminating species based on molecular characteristics, morphological ratio, and morphometric variation. Two PCR tests were developed: a first (PCR1) for distinguishing Bandicota and Rattus genera, and a second (PCR2) for distinguishing Bandicota indica and Bandicota savilei species. We evaluated two morphometric approaches for species discrimination: (a) one based on the ratio between head and body and hind-foot length, and (b) a second based on landmark analysis of mandible forms. The accuracy of both morphological approaches was fairly high. Together, the three identification tools appear useful for a wide scientific community, including curators, agronomists, ecologists, and epidemiologists wishing to have access to reliable species identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian pangolin ( Manis crassicaudata) has been recently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species throughout its range, but in Pakistan it is categorized as vulnerable. Very little is known about the breeding habits of this nocturnal and fossorial animal in the wild. The present paper provides information on breeding ecology of its population in Potohar Plateau in Pakistan. A total of 13 specimens were trapped to record breeding condition of the captured animals. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area to collect breeding data on the species. Our limited data show a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. The local population seems to breed once a year, usually from July to October, with a litter size of one to two. The juvenile pangolins were observed during the months of January, April and December. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following extensive field work in Thailand (2010-2013) and the examination of 155 museum specimens, this paper reviews and examines the taxonomy of the genus Kerivoula in Thailand, based on morphology, genetics, and echolocation call characteristics. Seven species (as currently understood), Kerivoula papillosa, K. kachinensis, K. hardwickii, K. titania, K. pellucida, K. krauensis and K. minuta, were analysed in detail. Thai specimens of two species, K. picta and K. whiteheadi, were not available for study. Morphological data suggested a complex pattern of possible cryptic species, with at least five morphotypes, based on cranial data for K. papillosa, and nine for K. hardwickii, as currently understood. An analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (COI) from Thai specimens identified three genetic lineages in K. papillosa and K. hardwickii, respectively. The echolocation calls data differed significantly, albeit with individual acoustic parameters overlapping considerably, among genetic lineages. The taxonomic status of the various lineages and morphotypes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological and behavioural studies of subterranean animals are challenging because their subterranean lifestyle make direct observations difficult. Effective live trapping without causing injuries to an animal and handling of captured individuals are crucial for ecological and behavioural studies. In this paper, we report the design and structure of a live trap and trapping technique for zokors. The trap is made up of a stainless steel cage with a gate, a trigger and a GSM/GPRS module, and it is installed in the tunnel of a fossorial rodent ( Eospalax fontanierii). The animal gets trapped when it comes to seal the opening through the cage. Once triggered, the GSM/GPRS wireless module will send a signal to a mobile phone so that the researcher can retrieve the trapped animal with little delay. A field trial of this trap was conducted at an alpine meadow in Tianzhu, China. The successful capture rate was 76% of all traps set with no injury recorded, and the average capture time was 31.67 min (range, 21.5-46.5 min). This live trap gave good results on zokor research, and it is also potentially effective or can be modified for trapping other burrow-excavating subterranean animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report six new records of bats for the Espírito Santo state, southeastern Brazil: Choeroniscus minor, Diaemus youngii, Micronycteris schmidtorum, Glyphonycteris daviesi, G. sylvestris, and Histiotus velatus. Fieldwork was conducted in the region of Reserva Biológica de Sooretama, northern Espírito Santo, increasing to 83 species the total of bat species known for the state. We also assigned the first voucher for Diclidurus albus at Espírito Santo, and we provide distributional information about all these species in Brazil and map their distribution in the Neotropics. These new occurrences increase the range, in Atlantic Forest, for all bat species reported here. We describe species measurements and provide comments on taxonomy for comparisons and to aid correct identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placentophagia is a natural behaviour in mammals. Although placentophagia has been reported from 18 species of bats so far, the instance from the wild are infrequent. Rousettus leschenaultii is a widely distributed species across South and Southeast Asia, and is consistently described as a common species throughout its range. However, the ecology of this species is poorly known according to the latest IUCN assessment. Through this note, we provide the first recorded instance of placentophagia and birth-associated behaviours of this species in the wild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although over 50 bat species have been recorded in Pakistan, more are expected to inhabit the country. We recorded two new hitherto unrecorded bat species, i.e., Miniopterus fuliginosus and Myotis formosus in northwestern Pakistan. M. fuliginosus was captured from Barcharai Daim in Malakand district, while M. formosus was captured from Chinai Ghaz in Dir, Wach Khwar in Swat and Barcharai Diam in Malakand districts, respectively. This paper describes external, cranial, and bacular measurements of captured specimens of these two species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, three out four bat species from the genus Nyctinomops are known. Most of occurrences of these species are based on captures with mist-nets. In this study, we extend the distribution of Nyctinomops aurispinosus in Brazil, providing new records for the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso (1), Roraima (1), Pará (2) and Pernambuco (1). We also confirm the use of new types of shelter by N. aurispinosus, such as rock crevices in dryland environments and river boulders. We provide new fundamental information about the biology, behavioural and ecological patterns of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common name of pampas cat includes a complex of small Neotropical felid species found in various habitats of South America. Recently several species of this complex were proposed, but there are few records in the northernmost distribution of the continent, and reports of the pampas cat's presence in Colombia have been ambiguous. Current northern limits of Leopardus garleppi are limited to the Andes of Ecuador. Here we present the northernmost record of the species, validating its presence in Colombia and review previous controversial records from the country. The new record is based on a road-killed specimen in a dry tropical forest ecosystem in the municipality of Mercaderes, Department of Cauca. Our morphological and genetic comparisons also shown that a previous record from Colombia supported by a single skin recently used to described a new species named Leopardus narinensis belong to Leopardus tigrinus. With the information compiled from new localities in Colombia and Ecuador, the known distribution range for L. garleppi is increased towards the northern part of South America into areas of Tropical Dry Forest. The distribution now includes 14 ecoregions from Colombia to Bolivia, and four in Colombia (Eastern Cordillera real montane forests, Northwestern Andean montane forests, Northern Andean paramo, and the Patía Valley dry forests), which correspond to similar ecosystems inhabited by the species in other Andean landscapes. The potential distribution hypothesis showed that the species has high suitability in large areas of southwestern Colombia (Nariño). With the recording of L. garleppi in Colombia, the number of extant felid species in the country has increased to seven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyttarops alecto is a rare bat, poorly recorded along its distributional range. In this paper, we report the first record of C. alecto for the western Brazilian Amazon, provide information on distribution and morphological variation of the species along with taxonomic comments based on comparisons of our specimen with the previous information reported in the literature, and we reinterpret the precise type locality for the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an example of the niche overlap theories this paper reports grouping pattern, habitat use and overlap by four sympatric ungulate species, Chital ( Axis axis), Sambar ( Rusa unicolor), Nilgai ( Boselaphus tragocamelus) and Goral ( Naemorhedus goral) in Pathri Rao Watershed within Shivalik Ecosystem, India. A length of 384 km of trail walk and 125 permanent circular plots of 10 m radius were used to collect data on group size, age, sex composition and various ecological and topographical factors governing presence/absence of species within the study area. Chital had the highest mean group size (7.74±1.19), followed by Nilgai (5.40±0.88), Goral (2.50±0.54) and Sambar (1.56±0.18). Group size of Chital varied significantly across seasons in comparison to the other sympatric ungulates. Chital used all the available habitat types with significant differential use (F=3.35, p<0.04). Goral and Sambar only used three habitat types with significant differences (Goral F=4.49, p<0.001; Sambar F=10.17, p<0.001). Nilgai used preferentially flat areas. Discriminant functions exceeded the classification accuracy expected by chance at a significant level of 0.01 (Press's Q=131.90>6.63) with overall 52.3% of cases classified correctly. This analysis indicated clear segregation of the four species along the three discriminant functions with total isolation between Nilgai and Goral along the first axis. Niche overlap analysis predicted segregation of habitat use by sympatric species along one or other niche axis which governs continued existence of the sympatric species in the study area. Locations of artificial water holes determine grouping pattern, habitat use and habitat segregation, as expected by other ecological correlates in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very little is known on Ctenomys pilarensis, as it has rarely been studied. We conducted a preliminary study on its burrow use by implementing a capture-mark-recapture method. Between February and June 2022, 12 different Pilar tuco-tucos were captured and chipped using MiniHPT8 PIT tags, 7 individuals were recaptured at least once. Our results indicate this species to be solitary, as we found no evidence of burrow sharing. These findings should, however, be viewed with caution due to our small sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myotis muricola species group, being common and widespread across South-East Asia and Australasia, is highly complicated from a taxonomy point, and a combined use of different methods is required to solve subjects of its phylogeny, taxonomy and species delimitation. We try to use nuclear DNA for clarification of the taxonomic position and status of the Moluccan whiskered bat, Myotis ater, and in particular its population from mainland Asia mainland Asia. Following our results, individual nuclear markers showed weak phylogenetic signal and commonly provide controversial and low-supported topologies. The combined analysis of several nuclear genes gives a tree topology similar to the mitochondrial one, but with greatly smaller distances. Mitochondrial data, as well as morphometric data, show a separation of M. ater from M. muricola and, at the same time, a similar level of diversification between island and continental populations of M. ater. Unfortunately, nuDNA data at our disposal is not enough to come to reliable conclusions, but we may assume that continental Asia is inhabited by an undescribed taxon related to M. ater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of the non-native, greater white-toothed shrew Crocidura russula in the Stavanger area in Southwestern Norway was brought to our attention by two records from the public (from 2012 and 2017). A citizen-science project, based on targeted media-calls between 2017 and 2019, resulted in 78 reported observations. A correct species identity, using photographs and collected specimen, was confirmed for 103 observations from 68 unique localities. Many of the sightings resulted directly from the media calls, but several were made both years before and after (ranging from 2012 to 2021). The minimum area of occurrence was 60 km long and 20 km wide and is characterised by one of the mildest climates in Norway. No clear expansion pattern was evident from the data, though an introduction between 2000 and 2010 seems likely. As only a few other shrew species were reported by the public, it is possible that the white-toothed shrew has outcompeted native shrews in the area. However, this could be biased by the nature of the media call or the commensal lifestyle of the shrew. Media calls beyond the area of occurrence did not result in any reports of the species. The introduction route and origin of the present population remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodents play an important role in the transmission of zoonotic diseases. This study investigated the prevalence of Leptospira spp. and Bartonella spp. in Mastomys natalensis and its ectoparasites (fleas and mites) in selected villages of Morogoro, Tanzania. Mastomys natalensis were captured live in fallow habitats using Sherman® traps and anesthetized using Halothane. Blood samples were obtained from the retroorbital sinus Ectoparasites were removed from the fur using a hard brush and preserved in 70 % ethanol. Real time–qPCR was used to detect Leptospira spp. and Bartonella spp. from Mastomys natalensis blood and ectoparasites respectively. The study revealed a relatively larger number of males than females captures. Leptospira spp. was demonstrated in one out of 100 Mastomys natalensis. For Bartonella spp., prevalence of (14 %) was recorded in mites with a higher proportion in mites from adult male Mastomys natalensis than females. Upon Sanger sequencing, four positive samples showed a complete sequence of the ITS gene. Indicating that all samples belonged to Uncultured Bartonella. Low prevalence of Leptospira spp. and a high prevalence of Bartonella spp. was observed in Mastomys natalensis. Further exploration of rodent pathogens is recommended to raise awareness of the role of commensal rodents in disease transmission via their ectoparasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myotis bakeri is a Peruvian endemic bat with little information about its natural history and geographic distribution. Based on a revision of museum specimens, we report new records of M. bakeri extending its distribution range 143 km northwest and 98 km southeast. Also, the elevational range is extended to 1445 m. The current allopatric distribution of M. bakeri and M. atacamensis, and other bat species, suggests the existence of two unreported bat assemblages in the Peruvian western slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocidura olivieri is a large-sized shrew species showing a clear trend towards commensalism in West Africa, where it co-occurs and interacts with a number of rodent species in indoor small mammal communities. Among the rodents present is the house mouse Mus musculus, a major invasive species worldwide. We here test the hypothesis that M. musculus could be part of the diet of C. olivieri in a number of localities of Senegal where the two species are known to coexist. We use a metabarcoding approach based on the high-throughput sequencing of a 133 bp fragment of the COI gene, on DNA extracted from digestive tracts and faeces of a sample of 108 shrews. Beside insects of various groups (ants, beetles and cockroaches especially) representing usual items of shrew's diet, and traces of domestic mammals and poultry that were probably scavenged, several species of rodents were evidenced. Among them, M. musculus was by far the best represented species, found in 17 of the 54 shrews where at least one prey taxon was identified. This finding tends to confirm the potential role of C. olivieri as predator of house mice, while highlighting the capacity of this species to adapt its diet to environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]