Bat Specimens Research Articles

Evolutionary Relationships of Unclassified Coronaviruses in Canadian Bat Species

Bats are recognized as natural reservoirs for an array of diverse viruses, particularly coronaviruses, which have been linked to major human diseases like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. These viruses are believed to have originated in bats, highlighting their role in virus ecology and evolution. Our study focuses on the molecular characterization of bat-derived coronaviruses (CoVs) in Canada. Tissue samples from 500 bat specimens collected in Canada were analyzed using pan-coronavirus RT-PCR assays to detect the presence of CoVs from four genera: Alpha-CoVs, Beta-CoV, Gamma-CoV, and Delta-CoV. Phylogenetic analysis was performed targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) gene. Our results showed an overall 1.4% CoV positivity rate in our bat sample size. Phylogenetic analysis based on the ~600 bp sequences led to the identification of an unclassified subgenus of Alpha-CoV, provisionally named Eptacovirus. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the diversity and evolution of CoVs found in the bat species of Canada. The current study underscores the significance of bats in the epidemiology of CoVs and enhances the knowledge of their genetic diversity and potential impact on global public health.

Reproductive cycle of the Egyptian Fruit Bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus (Chiroptera: Petropodidae) in northern Egypt

The reproductive patterns of both sexes of the Egyptian Fruit Bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus, were studied in a population inhabiting a roost within Giza Governorate, northern Egypt. Bat specimens were collected over a period of 13 months extending from June 2017 to June 2018, inclusive. The reproductive cycle of males consisted of four consecutive phases, namely the active phase in autumn and the early winter months (October to January), the regressing phase in late winter and early spring months (February to April), the regressed phase in late spring and summer (May to August), and the recrudescence phase in early autumn (September). No active sperms were observed in smears of the cauda epididymis during the regressed phase (June–August) and males were considered to be sexually inactive during this phase. Varying percentages of reproductively active females (pregnant, lactating, pregnant and lactating) were collected in all months, with peaks in summer (June–July) and late autumn and early winter (November–January).

Monitoring the trade in bat taxidermy and specimens on e-commerce platforms

Wildlife trade is a major economic activity but can pose a threat to many species. Previous research has focused on the trade of bats (Chiroptera) for food and medicine but little is known about the online, international trade in bat taxidermy and specimens, which is thought to be an emerging threat. We aimed to characterise this trade by sampling two major e-commerce platforms over an 18-month period. We used an automated pipeline, whereby data were accessed programmatically; filtered using a neural-network classifier; and the locations and species mentioned in relevant listings were identified using Named Entity Recognition. We retrieved 40,412 relevant results, representing 2363 and 2116 unique listings from Etsy and eBay, respectively. Although the accuracy of listings could not be verified, most (57 %) provided species-level information. Hence, 47 bat species were listed for sale, of which 32 are not currently identified by the IUCN Red List as traded for any purpose. The highest number of listings were sold from USA, Hong Kong and the UK, whilst traded species' ranges were predominantly located in South East Asia. We provide one of the first longitudinal datasets on the online bat trade, indicating that several species are being traded at potentially high volumes, with demand from North America and Europe driving exploitation in South East Asia. This is concerning for highly-traded species which occur at low densities, such as the painted wooly bat Kerivoula picta. Our automated pipeline can be used for subsequent monitoring of this trade, or could be adapted for monitoring of trade in other taxa.

Bat consumption by holostean fishes in the Eocene Lake Messel: insights into the trophic adaptability of extinct gars and bowfins.

Direct evidence of trophic interactions between extinct species is rarely available in the fossil record. Here, we describe fish-mammal associations from the middle Eocene of Messel (Germany), consisting of three specimens of holosteans (one Atractosteus messelensis (Lepisosteidae) and two Cyclurus kehreri (Amiidae)) each preserved with a bat specimen (Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon) lying in close contact with its jaws. This suggests that these fishes probably died after failed swallowing attempts, with the bat wing membrane entangled in their jaws resulting in a fatal handicap. Based on data from modern gars and bowfins, A. messelensis and C. kehreri may have opportunistically attacked drowning and dying individuals or scavenged on floating/sinking carcasses. This hypothesis is also supported by the unusually high number of bat specimens preserved in the deposits of the Eocene Lake Messel, suggesting that this group of small mammals may have represented a substantial food source for generalist feeders. This is the earliest case of chiropterophagy and the first known evidence of bat consumption by lepisosteid and amiid fishes, emphasizing the high trophic variability and adaptability of these groups throughout their evolutionary histories. The newly described associations provide important information for reconstructing the Eocene Lake Messel palaeoecosystem and its trophic web.

DNA barcoding, visual-guide resource, new localities and host associations of genus Periglischrus Oudemans, 1902 (Acari: Mesostigmata, Spinturnicidae) from Minas Gerais, Brazil

The family Spinturnicidae (Oudemans, 1902) comprises hematophagous mites found exclusively on bats. In this article, we present DNA barcodes (mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase I) for 71 specimens morphologically assigned to six spinturnicid species from 34 bat specimens (11 species) obtained from 10 caves and one forest fragment in karst areas from Minas Gerais state, southeast Brazil. A visual guide with diagnostic characters for Periglischrus acutisternus Machado-Allison, 1964, P. caligus Kolenati, 1857, P. herrerai Machado-Allison, 1965, P. iheringi Oudemans, 1902, P. paravargasi Herrin and Tipton, 1975, P. torrealbai Machado-Allison, 1965 is provided. Along DNA barcode data, photo-documentation of vouchering material of each individual sequenced have been deposited at BOLD (Barcoding of Life Data System v4) database. Periglischrus herrerai, P. caligus and P. paravargasi are reported for the first time in Minas Gerais state, extending their distribution ranges.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Cryptosporidium bat genotype XXI and bat genotype XXII in fruit bats (Rousettus leschenaultii) inhabiting a tropical park in Hainan Province, China

Bats stand as one of the most diverse groups in the animal kingdom and are key players in the global transmission of emerging pathogens. However, their role in transmitting Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and genetic diversity of the two pathogens in fruit bats (Rousettus leschenaultii) in Hainan, China. Ten fresh fecal specimens of fruit bats were collected from Wanlvyuan Gardens, Haikou, China. The fecal samples were tested for E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp. using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis and sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and partial small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, respectively. Genetic heterogeneity across Cryptosporidium spp. isolates was assessed by sequencing 4 microsatellite/minisatellite loci (MS1, MS2, MS3, and MS16). The findings showed that out of the ten specimens analyzed, 2 (20 %) and seven (70.0 %) were tested positive for E. bieneusi and Cryptosporidium spp., respectively. DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of two novel Cryptosporidium genotypes with 94.4 to 98.6 % sequence similarity to C. andersoni, named as Cryptosporidium bat-genotype-XXI and bat-genotype-XXII. Three novel sequences of MS1, MS2 and MS16 loci identified here had 95.4 to 96.9 % similarity to the known sequences, which were deposited in the GenBank. Two genotypes of E. bieneusi were identified, including a novel genotype named HNB-I and a zoonotic genotype PigEbITS7. The discovery of these novel sequences provides meaningful data for epidemiological studies of the both pathogens. Meanwhile our results are also presented that the fruit bats infected with E. bieneusi, but not with Cryptosporidium, should be considered potential public health threats.

African bats in the collection of the National Museum, Prague (Chiroptera). II. Bats from Benin

A list of 58 specimens of bats belonging to 16 species of six families originating from Benin, housed in the collection of the National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic, is presented in a systematic review. The specimens represent 24 new records (species vs. locality) of bats from Benin. The species lists are complemented by comments on distribution and morphometric data. The collection contains three species new for the Beninese fauna, Hipposideros jonesi, H. abae, and H. cf. lamottei, and the bat fauna of Benin now comprises 55 species in total. Scotophilus nigrita is documented from Benin for the second time, and for the first time from a specific record site in this country. Besides the majority of common bat species, considering their available records in Benin, the collection includes several other species rather uncommon in the country, such as Rhinolophus fumigatus, Hipposideros cf. ruber, Pseudoromicia rendalli, or Scotophilus livingstonii. In two of the latter group of species, the molecular genetic analysis revealed new extents of distribution for particular mitochondrial lineages in Benin, like the D lineage of H. cf. ruber or S. livingstonii s.str. As complete as possible check-list of the Beninese bat fauna comprising all known record localities is included.

Expanding the knowledge of the bat fauna of the Brazilian Caatinga: new geographical records of molossid bats (Chiroptera, Molossidae) for the Chapada Diamantina region, with taxonomic notes.

The Caatinga, an exclusive biome in Brazil, is the largest tropical dry forest area in the Americas. It is characterized by a semi-arid climate and various soils that harbor a great diversity of flora and fauna. Novel records of aerial insectivorous bat species in the family Molossidae in the Chapada Diamantina, northeastern Brazil are presented. The study is based on field sampling of 115 molossid bat specimens from six genera and 12 taxonomically confirmed species, along with four taxa requiring further evaluation for definitive species identification. All specimens were obtained using mist nets around a small freshwater lagoon surrounded by semideciduous dry forest. The verified genera were Cynomops, Eumops, Molossops, Molossus, Neoplatymops, and Nyctinomops. Our findings enhance the understanding of bat diversity in the Brazilian Caatinga, with the first records of Eumopsdelticus, E.bonariensis, and Molossuscurrentium. The most abundant species were Molossusrufus, Eumopsglaucinus, Cynomopsplanirostris, Nyctinomopslaticaudatus, and Molossusmolossus. Previously unreported morphological and morphometric variations for these Caatinga taxa were examined. Additionally, information on sexual dimorphism in craniodental characteristics of Molossopstemminckii and variations in the presence of the sagittal crest in Neoplatymopsmattogrossensis are provided. Based on the voucher specimens from this study, the recognized number of species of Molossidae known from the Caatinga has increased to 21. Our results offer new insights into the taxonomy and biogeography of Neotropical molossids, highlighting their importance as members of bat communities in dry forest ecosystems from northeastern South America.

Remarks on the diversity and echolocation calls of hipposiderid bats (Chirroptera: Hipposideridae) in Cuc Phuong National Park, northeastern Vietnam

Cuc Phuong is the oldest and most well-known National Park in Vietnam. With its large primary forest area and karst cave systems, it is assumed to be an ideal home to a highly diverse bat fauna. However, species diversity and echolocation of bats in this park are poorly characterized. Between April 2021 and April 2022, three bat surveys were conducted in the park with special attention on the species of the family Hipposideridae. The bat specimens collected previously from the park were also examined. According to past records, hipposiderids in the park comprised at least seven species: Aselliscus stoliczkanus, Coelops frithii, Hipposideros alongensis, Hipposideros armiger, Hipposideros gentilis, Hipposideros lylei and Hipposideros poutensis. In this series of field surveys, six of these seven species were captured while Coelops frithii was only confirmed from specimen examination. Each species is clearly distinguishable by their morphology and echolocation calls. This study provides the first comparison of echolocation calls of all seven species which will be useful for potential acoustic identification and monitoring bats in the park and surrounding areas in future.

The Diversity of Trematodes in Myotis Bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from the Samarskaya Luka (European Russia)

Various bat species often occupy the same habitats. Cohabitation should induce different preferences in spatial or trophic components of the bat ecological niche to reduce their competition. This determines the differences in the trematode fauna of Myotis spp. The purpose of our research was to study the biodiversity of trematodes in syntopic populations of five Myotis species in the Samarskaya Luka National Park. In the 2005–2007 period, we studied 867 bat specimens via the methods of complete helminthological dissection. In total, 11 trematode species from the families Plagiorchiidae (Plagiorchis koreanus, P. mordovii, P. muelleri, and P. vespertilionis), Pleurogenidae (Parabascus duboisi), and Lecithodendriidae (Prosthodendrium ascidia, Pr. chilostomum, Pr. cryptolecithum, Pr. hurkovaae, Pr. longiforme, and Lecithodendrium linstowi) were found in five Myotis species. Only three trematode species, P. koreanus, Pr. chilostomum, and P. duboisi, are common to all studied Myotis spp. Prosthodendrium cryptolecithum was recorded for the first time in Russia. Trematode species diversity is higher in Myotis daubentonii and M. dasycneme. The trematode fauna of M. brandtii, M. nattereri, and M. mystacinus is less diverse. The determining factor in the infection of bats with trematodes is feeding on semi-aquatic insects, possible second intermediate hosts of the parasites. The infection of bats with flukes occurs at different levels of host (Myotis spp.) abundance as a result of the realization of the main bat trophic relationships. Our results confirm the data that the ecological niches of the five Myotis species partially overlap. Analysis of the trematode fauna in Myotis spp. showed that, in the Samarskaya Luka, there may be weak competition for food items among bats.

Survey of euthanasia methods used in neotropical chiropterans in São Paulo State, Brazil

Zoonotic Surveillance Divisions (ZSDs) rescue and euthanize bats in contact with humans. The euthanasia procedure should be conducted safely for the animal and caretaker and minimal stress for the animal is important. The objectives of this study were: i. evaluate the methods of euthanasia used by ZSDs in the State of São Paulo; ii. compare the methods with national and international guidelines for animal euthanasia practices; iii. assess the methodologies considering taxonomy and eating habits of the main bat species, and iv. propose standardization of euthanasia procedures. Sixty-five ZSDs locations received an online questionnaire or were contacted by telephone and 33 ZSDs (50.8%) responded and are distributed in 11 mesoregions in the state to remain anonymous. The euthanasia methods were divided into chemical (injectable or inhalation), physical, or mixed methods. Bat specimens (n = 550) were identified and classified to evaluate the main genera found in the state. The location of the ZSD, species, eating habits, and the method of euthanasia used were analyzed. The specimens by bat families were Molossidae (n = 340), Phyllostomidae (n = 171), and Vespertilionidae (n = 39). Chemical methods were used in 25 ZSDs (75.75%), physical in 5 (15.15%), and mixed in 3 (9.09%). There is no uniformity or standardization in bat euthanasia methods used by ZSDs, although most are based on acceptable chemical methods. It was proposed an algorithm to assist the veterinarian in choosing the method of euthanasia for bats that will allow standardizing euthanasia procedures for this species, considering physiological differences, and respecting technical, bioethical, and animal welfare guidelines.

Remarkable fungal biodiversity on northern Belgium bats and hibernacula

ABSTRACT Bats can be affected by fungal pathogens such as Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of the white-nose syndrome. Their body surface can also be colonized by fungal commensals or carry transient fungal species and participate in their dispersal. In this study, 114 bat specimens belonging to seven species were sampled from various locations in northern Belgium. Culture-based methods revealed an important mycological diversity, with a total of 209 different taxa out of the 418 isolates. Overall, a mean of 3.7 taxa per bat was recorded, but significant differences were observed between sampling sites and seasons. The mycobiomes were dominated by cosmopolitan and plant-associated species, in particular from the genera Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. Other species known to be related to bats or their environment, such as Apiotrichum otae, were also retrieved. Sampling of hibernacula indicated that diverse fungal species can inhabit these sites, including a yet undescribed Pseudogymnoascus species, distinct from Ps. destructans, namely, Ps. cavicola.

Serological evidence of hantavirus infection in neotropical bats in an urban area of São Paulo State, Brazil.

Although hantaviruses have long been associated with rodents, they are also described in other mammalian hosts, such as shrews, moles and bats. Hantaviruses associated with bats have been described in Asian, European and Brazilian species of bats. As these mammals represent the second major mammalian order, and they are the major mammals that inhabit urban areas, it is extremely important to maintain a viral surveillance in these animals. Our aim was to conduct serosurveillance in bats in an urban area in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil, to contribute to the information about hantaviruses circulation in bats. We analyzed samples from 778 neotropical bat specimens classified into 21 bat species and four different families collected in the urban area of Ribeirão Preto city, from 2014 to 2019 by an ELISA for the detection of IgG antibodies against orthohantavirus. We detected IgG-specific antibodies against the nucleoprotein of orthohantavirus in 0.9% (7/778) bats tested, including four Molossus molossus (Pallas' Free-tailed Bat), two Glossophaga soricina (Pallas's Long-tongued Bat) and one Eumops glaucinus (Wagner's mastiff bat). Overall, our results show the first serological evidence of hantavirus infection in three common bat species in urban areas.

Highly diverse ribonucleic acid viruses in the viromes of eukaryotic host species in Yunnan province, China.

BackgroundThe diversity in currently documented viruses and their morphological characteristics indicates the need for understanding the evolutionary characteristics of viruses. Notably, further studies are needed to obtain a comprehensive landscape of virome, the virome of host species in Yunnan province, China.Materials and methodsWe implemented the metagenomic next-generation sequencing strategy to investigate the viral diversity, which involved in 465 specimens collected from bats, pangolins, monkeys, and other species. The diverse RNA viruses were analyzed, especially focusing on the genome organization, genetic divergence and phylogenetic relationships.ResultsIn this study, we investigated the viral composition of eight libraries from bats, pangolins, monkeys, and other species, and found several diverse RNA viruses, including the Alphacoronavirus from bat specimens. By characterizing the genome organization, genetic divergence, and phylogenetic relationships, we identified five Alphacoronavirus strains, which shared phylogenetic association with Bat-CoV-HKU8-related strains. The pestivirus-like virus related to recently identified Dongyang pangolin virus (DYPV) strains from dead pangolin specimens, suggesting that these viruses are evolving. Some genomes showed higher divergence from known species (e.g., calicivirus CS9-Cali-YN-CHN-2020), and many showed evidence of recombination events with unknown or known strains (e.g., mamastroviruses BF2-astro-YN-CHN-2020 and EV-A122 AKM5-YN-CHN-2020). The newly identified viruses showed extensive changes and could be assigned as new species, or even genus (e.g., calicivirus CS9-Cali-YN-CHN-2020 and iflavirus Ifla-YN-CHN-2020). Moreover, we identified several highly divergent RNA viruses and estimated their evolutionary characteristics among different hosts, providing data for further examination of their evolutionary dynamics.ConclusionOverall, our study emphasizes the close association between emerging viruses and infectious diseases, and the need for more comprehensive surveys.

P504 Screening of Belgian bats and hibernacula for the description of related fungal microbiomes and the detection of Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PMBats can be affected by fungal pathogens such as Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of the white-nose syndrome. Their body surface can also be colonized by fungal commensals or carry transient fungal species and participate in their dispersal. The present study aimed to assess the presence of P. destructans in Northern Belgium, to describe the skin mycobiome of active bats during summer and autumn, and to analyze possible differences in fungal diversity among bat species, sampling sites, and seasons. In total, 114 bat specimens belonging to seven species were sampled from various localities. Culture-based methods revealed an important mycological diversity with 209 different taxa. Overall, a mean of 3.7 taxa per bat was recorded but significant differences were observed between sampling sites and seasons with a higher diversity in autumn as compared to summer. The mycobiomes were dominated by cosmopolitan and plant-associated species, in particular from the genera Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus. Other species known to be related to bats or their environment, like Apiotrichum otae, were also retrieved. Although P. destructans was not detected, the sampling of the hibernacula indicated that they can be inhabited by diverse fungal species including a yet undescribed Pseudogymnoascus species, distinct from P. destructans, namely P. cavicola, sp. nov.

Exploring whole proteome to contrive multi-epitope-based vaccine for NeoCoV: An immunoinformtics and in-silico approach.

Neo-Coronavirus (NeoCoV) is a novel Betacoronavirus (β-CoVs or Beta-CoVs) discovered in bat specimens in South Africa during 2011. The viral sequence is highly similar to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, particularly that of structural proteins. Thus, scientists have emphasized the threat posed by NeoCoV associated with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) usage, which could lead to a high death rate and faster transmission rate in humans. The development of a NeoCoV vaccine could provide a promising option for the future control of the virus in case of human infection. In silico predictions can decrease the number of experiments required, making the immunoinformatics approaches cost-effective and convenient. Herein, with the aid of immunoinformatics and reverse vaccinology, we aimed to formulate a multi-epitope vaccine that may be used to prevent and treat NeoCoV infection. Based on the NeoCoV proteins, B-cell, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), and helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes were shortlisted. Four vaccines (Neo-1–4) were devised by fusing shortlisted epitopes with appropriate adjuvants and linkers. The secondary and three-dimensional structures of final vaccines were then predicted. The binding interactions of these potential vaccines with toll-like immune receptors (TLR-2, TLR-3, and TLR-4) and major histocompatibility complex molecules (MHC-I and II) reveal that they properly fit into the receptors’ binding domains. Besides, Neo-1 and Neo-4 vaccines exhibited better docking energies of -101.08 kcal/mol and -114.47 kcal/mol, respectively, with TLR-3 as compared to other vaccine constructs. The constructed vaccines are highly antigenic, non-allergenic, soluble, non-toxic, and topologically assessable with good physiochemical characteristics. Codon optimization and in-silico cloning confirmed efficient expression of the designed vaccines in Escherichia coli strain K12. In-silico immune simulation indicated that Neo-1 and Neo-4 vaccines could induce a strong immune response against NeoCoV. Lastly, the binding stability and strong binding affinity of Neo-1 and Neo-4 with TLR-3 receptor were validated using molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations (Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area method). The final vaccines require experimental validation to establish their safety and effectiveness in preventing NeoCoV infections.

A comparative study of RNA yields from museum specimens, including an optimized protocol for extracting RNA from formalin-fixed specimens

Animal specimens in natural history collections are invaluable resources in examining the historical context of pathogen dynamics in wildlife and spillovers to humans. For example, natural history specimens may reveal new associations between bat species and coronaviruses. However, RNA viruses are difficult to study in historical specimens because protocols for extracting RNA from these specimens have not been optimized. Advances have been made in our ability to recover nucleic acids from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (FFPE) commonly used in human clinical studies, yet other types of formalin preserved samples have received less attention. Here, we optimize the recovery of RNA from formalin-fixed ethanol-preserved museum specimens in order to improve the usability of these specimens in surveys for zoonotic diseases. We provide RNA quality and quantity measures for replicate tissues subsamples of 22 bat specimens from five bat genera (Rhinolophus, Hipposideros, Megareops, Cynopterus, and Nyctalus) collected in China and Myanmar from 1886 to 2003. As tissues from a single bat specimen were preserved in a variety of ways, including formalin-fixed (8 bats), ethanol-preserved and frozen (13 bats), and flash frozen (2 bats), we were able to compare RNA quality and yield across different preservation methods. RNA extracted from historical museum specimens is highly fragmented, but usable for short-read sequencing and targeted amplification. Incubation of formalin-fixed samples with Proteinase-K following thorough homogenization improves RNA yield. This optimized protocol extends the types of data that can be derived from existing museum specimens and facilitates future examinations of host and pathogen RNA from specimens.

The wing mites (Acari: Spinturnicidae) of the Turkish bats, including new records

This study is based on 93 Spinturnicidae specimens collected on 312 bat specimens obtained from various parts of Turkey. As a result of the study, six mite species were identified: Eyndhovenia euryalis (Canestrini, 1884), Spinturnix acuminatus (Koch, 1836), S. myoti (Kolenati, 1856), S. psi (Kolenati, 1856), S. plecotinus (Koch, 1839), and S. punctata (Sundevall, 1833). Of these species, S. plecotinus and S. punctata are new records for the Turkish fauna.

Первые наблюдения за летучими мышами в девственной пещере (пещера Чекановского, Восточная Сибирь)

The cave was mapped by A. Chekanovsky in 1873, but until 2018 it was not visited by people, as it is located in a sparsely populated and difficult to access area. To date, it has been established that this is a complex karst labyrinth with a length of more than 3 km, located in the mountain taiga about 50 km northwest of Lake Baikal (Olkhonsky district of the Irkutsk region). In 2019-2021 the first data on bats (Chiroptera) were collected in the Chekanovsky Cave. Visual observations were carried out at the entrance and inside the cave, 40 bats were caught with mist nets, subfossil remains of bat skeletons (n=1041) were collected. 7 species of bats were found, including 3 species included in the Red Book of Irkutsk region. The frequency of finds based on the results of identifying subfossil skulls was: Plecotus ognevi (78.9%), Murina hilgendorfi (10.5%), Myotis sibirica (10.5%), Myotis ikonnikovi (5.0%), Myotis frater (1.1%), Eptesicus nilssonii (0.3%), Myotis petax (0.1%). Only the first three species are represented in net catches: P. ognevi (81.6%), M. hilgendorfi (12.1%), M. sibirica (2.1%). The modern habitat of M. ikonnikovi and E. nilssonii in the cave was established from photographs and finds of recently dead animals. A group M. hilgendorfi (n=13) that looked sick were discovered in a cave in August 2021. Single specimens of bats of at least 4 species were found in a state of hibernation when examining the cave in late autumn and winter. Signs of swarming were noted in autumn. The discovery of a large number of skeletal remains of bats and the presence of several species of bats in different seasons of the year indicate that the cave has served as an important refuge for these animals for a long time. The cave has not been completely covered and is promising as an object for further scientific research. The results of the first observations of bats are considered as an argument in favor of a positive decision to give the Chekanovsky Cave area the status of a specially protected natural area of regional significance.

Systematic catalogue of mammals (Mammalia) in the collection of the National Museum Prague. I. Chiroptera: Rhinolophoidea 1

A list of 1,673 specimens of bats belonging to 36 species, seven genera, and five families of the superfamily Rhinolophoidea, housed in the collection of the National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic, is presented in a systematic review.