Strand’s birch mouse (Sicista strandi) in the fauna of Ukraine: analysis of zoological collections of natural history museums

Abstract

Materials on findings of birch mice in Ukraine are extremely incomplete and require verification, so the relative abundance of species and their distribution are estimated based on collections of natural history museums of Ukraine, both academic and university museums. In general, the detailed descriptions of 30 specimens of S. strandi (10 records) collected during 1951–2000 are presented. Each record is given with all of the important details (collection, numbers, specimen types, location, date, and collector), and appropriate comments are given for all problematic data: species identification, publication data, location, date, or collector. Analysis of the distribution of specimens by months showed that specimens of S. strandi were collected mainly from May to August, and the whole period of seasonal activity covers not more than 4 months (10 decades), in fact from 12 of May to 24 of August. A map showing the geographical location of collecting sites of the described material is presented, supplemented by other record localities of the species, including records of karyotyped specimens and other findings.