Mammals of Yakutia: Changes in the understanding of the composition of the mammal fauna over the past 50 years and an Annotated List. Part 2. Carnivorous, Cetaceans, and Artiodactyls

Abstract

This study presents data on the mammal fauna including Carnivora (5 families, 12 genera, and 17 species), Cetacea (2 families, 3 genera, and 3 species), and Artiodactyla (3 families, 8 genera, and 3 species). A total number of 28 species demonstarted an increase in the richness of these taxa over the past 50 years due to the introduction of one carnivorous species and two ungulate species. Among the latter, only the introduction of musk ox can be considered successful. In addition, sporadic occurrences of four species that were not part of the original fauna in Yakutia have been registered. The northern sea lion and bowhead whale can colonize marine regions of Yakutia, whereas the Asian badger can colonize its terrestrial regions if the current climate trend stays unchanged. The tiger is unlikely to survive the Yakutian conditions, due to both low temperatures and low density of the ungulates, which constitute the major part of its food supply. At present, the complete list of species that inhabit the terrestrial and marine areas of Yakutia includes 70 representatives of the Mammalia class. The major part of the mammalian fauna of the region consists of indigenous species, whereas the share of non-native species was only approximately 10%. The changes in the composition of the mammalian fauna over the last 50 years are connected with a better current knowledge of the regional fauna, introduction, and changes in the taxonomic rank of species and subspecies. Moreover, four new species were identified: Chiroptera (2), Insectivora (1), and Rodentia (1). Some clarifications have been made to the taxonomic rank of species and subspecies belonging to the genera Ochotona, Urocitellus, and Alexandromys (Microtus). The use of genetic approach can clarify the taxonomic rank of a number of species. More complete and precise data on the composition of the faunistic list, geographic ranges of these species can be obtained by covering the territorial gaps in the previous studies and additional research on understudied taxa, in particular chiropterans and marine mammals.