Plecotus Auritus Research Articles

Predicting landscape-scale summer resource selection for the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) in Iowa

AbstractThe northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) is currently listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act largely due to population declines resulting from the spread of white-nose syndrome in North America. White-nose syndrome was confirmed in Iowa in 2015, emphasizing a need to closely monitor populations of M. septentrionalis statewide. We applied presence-only models to predict landscape-scale resource selection by M. septentrionalis using roost tree observations and mist net captures from various research and environmental assessment projects in Iowa (2003–2015). We used a simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) model to account for residual spatial autocorrelation in our compiled data set and estimate the proportional probability of use of summer habitats for M. septentrionalis. We estimated SAR models using four environmental predictor variables measured at two landscape scales (0.5- and 2.4-km) representative of M. septentrionalis home range sizes in North America. The SAR models resulted in high predictive fit with withheld test observations and an independent data set of acoustic detections of M. septentrionalis from recent surveys (2016–2018), indicating a significant positive relationship existed between habitat quality (as an index of selection) and distribution of M. septentrionalis at landscape scales. At both spatial scales, M. septentrionalis showed positive selection of closed canopy interior forest, bottomland hardwood forest, and total perennial stream length, whereas at the 0.5-km scale, M. septentrionalis also showed a positive association with open canopy forest. Our models indicated that up to 7.0% and 8.5% of the state was comprised of potentially suitable forested summer habitats for M. septentrionalis for 0.5- and 2.4-km scales, respectively. Our models also indicated the distribution of highly selected habitats at landscape scales in Iowa and accurately predicted independent observations of M. septentrionalis in areas of the state where no capture efforts have occurred. This study provides methods to predict landscape-scale resource selection and distribution for bats where multiple fine-scale data sources exist across broad geographic regions.

White-nose syndrome dramatically altered the summer bat assemblage in a temperate Southern Appalachian forest

White-nose syndrome (WNS), an epizootic disease caused by an invasive fungus, threatens bat populations across North America. WNS-induced changes in summer bat populations could impact functional diversity. We assessed the shift in relative abundance within an assemblage of bats in a temperate southern Appalachian forest in North Carolina and Tennessee from 2009 through 2016. We used mixed linear effects models to identify bat species significantly impacted by WNS and those showing resistance, and to determine effects on reproductive rates for WNS-affected species. Four once-common species — the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), Indiana bat (M. sodalis), northern long-eared bat (M. septentrionalis), and tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) — showed significant and dramatic declines (82–99%), while the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), red bat (Lasiurus borealis), Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), and small-footed bat (M. leibii) did not decline significantly after WNS was detected on the landscape. We detected no significant interactions between reproductive condition and WNS period (pre- and post-arrival of the disease). Declines in summer populations mirrored declines detected in nearby winter hibernacula. Because the loss of WNS-affected bat species could negatively impact ecosystem health, it is important to monitor bat, insect, and plant community responses wherever WNS threatens bats. We hypothesize that, in the absence of small-bodied bats, there might be increases in populations of small forest pests, such as defoliating moths, as larger WNS-resistant bats may avoid or miss these small prey.

Frequent or scarce? Damage to flight-enabling body parts in bats (Chiroptera).

Bat wings are characterized by high endurance, and these mammals have developed a number of adaptations that protect them from falling into obstacles and potential injuries. However, in bat populations, there are individuals with visible fresh or healed injuries to the flight–enabling body parts. The aim of this research was to determine the differences in the occurrence of wing membrane damages among species of bats that differ in ecology and behavior. The study was conducted in southern and western Poland in the years 2000–2016 and included 3,525 individuals of six species: lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolopus hipposideros, Daubenton’s bat Myotis daubentonii, Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri, greater mouse–eared bat Myotis myotis, western barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus, and brown long–eared bat Plecotus auritus. In all, 2.9% of the bats studied showed damage to the flight–enabling body parts. Natterer’s bat was the species with the highest number of injured individuals (21.74%). The lowest number of injured individuals (0.3%) was found in the brown long–eared bat. The most frequently observed type of damage was loss of an edge of the wing membrane (29.3%). The bat species studied differed significantly in the occurrence and location of flight enabling body parts damages. Certain behavioral and ecological factors like foraging mode, foraging habitats and habitat types of bat species determine the number of wing and tail membrane damages.

The menu varies with metabarcoding practices: A case study with the bat Plecotus auritus.

Metabarcoding of feces has revolutionized the knowledge of animal diets by providing unprecedented resolution of consumed resources. However, it is still unclear how different methodological approaches influence the ecological conclusions that can be drawn from such data. Here, we propose a critical evaluation of several data treatments on the inferred diet of the bat Plecotus auritus using guano regularly collected from various colonies throughout the entire active season. First and unlike previous claims, our data indicates that DNA extracted from large amounts of fecal material issued from guano accumulates yield broader taxonomic diversity of prey than smaller numbers of pellets would do, provided that extraction buffer volumes are adapted to such increased amounts of material. Second, trophic niche analyses based on prey occurrence data uncover strong seasonality in the bat’s diet and major differences among neighboring maternity colonies. Third, while the removal of rare prey items is not always warranted as it introduces biases affecting particularly samples with greater prey species richness. Fourth, examination of distinct taxonomic depths in diet analyses highlights different aspects of food consumption providing a better understanding of the consumer’s diet. Finally, the biologically meaningful patterns recovered with presence-absence approaches are virtually lost when attempting to quantify prey consumed using relative read abundances. Even in an ideal situation where reference barcodes are available for most potential prey species, inferring realistic patterns of prey consumption remains relatively challenging. Although best practice in metabarcoding analyses will depend on the aims of the study, several previous methodological recommendations seem unwarranted for studying such diverse diets as that of brown long-eared bats.

Martial’s lagalopex ‘Long-Eared Bat’

The Roman epigrammatist Martial mentions the ‘long-eared lagalopex’ (Latin aurītā lagalōpece in the ablative sg.) as a pet animal kept by his good friend Flaccus (Ep. VII 87, 1). Multiple identifications of the Latin zoonym lagalōpex (gen. sg. lagalōpecis) have been suggested so far. The author discusses the problem at hand once more, concluding that the correct identification of Flaccus’ pet animal as the long-eared bat (Pol. gacek) was offered 110 years ago by Jan Czubek, the excellent classical philologist and translator from Cracow.

Morphology and Composition of Peripheral Blood Cells during Hibernation in Bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) of Northwestern Russia

The composition and morphology of peripheral blood cells during hibernation were studied in five species of bats of the order Chiroptera: Myotis daubentonii (Daubenton’s bat), M. brandtii (Brandt’s bat), M. mystacinus (whiskered bat), Plecotus auritus (brown long-eared bat), and Eptesicus nilssonii (Northern bat). It is noted that these species are characterized by a low level of leukocytes and the prevalence of neutrophils over lymphocytes in the leucogram. Interspecific differences in the morphology of neutrophils, the total number, the absolute and relative content of certain types of leukocytes, and the size of the erythrocyte surface area have been established. They were found to be especially pronounced between the rare species of P. auritus and M. mystacinus and the more common species of M. daubentonii and M. brandtii, as well as the dominant species of E. nilssonii.

STUDIES OF THE BAT FAUNA (MAMMALIA, CHIROPTERA) IN THE GREEN BELT OF FENNOSCANDIA

The article deals with the least-studied taxonomic group of mammals in the Green Belt of Fennoscandia (GBF) and Karelia as a whole – bats (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae). The aim was to determine the status of species in the process of their inventory us-ing traditional and modern research methods. For the first time, an integrated assess-ment of the species composition, relative abundance (%) and relative numbers (ind./km of the route) of bats during the hibernation period and summer activity is given for GBF. Underground hibernacula (mines and former military concrete bunkers) were mon-itored in 2009–2018 years. Up to 25 bats of 5 species overwinter in the largest hibernac-ulum described for Karelia (Ruskeala) – the northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii Keyserling, Blasius, 1839, Brandt’s bat Myotis brandtii Eversmann, 1845, whiskered bat M. mystac-inus Kuhl, 1817, Daubenton’s bat M. daubentonii Kuhl, 1817, and brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritusLinnaeus, 1758. The northern bat dominated, with a relative abundance of 65.8 %. The history of bats hibernating in the Ruskeala Mining Park in connection with the reconstruction of the gallery was traced. Changes in the habitat conditions for bats and their consequences for the diversity, species numbers and hibernation ecology are shown. In summer, in addition to the species recorded at hibernacula, car transect and control point surveys using the Song Meter SM2 Bat+ (USA) static ultrasound detec-tor and Kaleidoscope Pro software (ver. 3.1.1) detected common noctule Nyctalus noct-ula Schreber, 1774, parti-coloured bat Vespertilio murinusLinnaeus, 1758, Natterer’s bat M. nattereri Kuhl, 1817, and pond bat M. Dasycneme Boie, 1825. The summer censuses reached up to 66°23ʹN, and the northern bat also dominated the records, with 52.4 % rel-ative abundance, and 0.238 ind./km route relative numbers. The high prevalence of bats at waterbodies in GBF (69.2 %) and its species-specific features at waterbodies of var-ious categories are shown. The first inventory of bats in protected areas within GBF has significantly expanded the list of bat species known in these territories. In general, studies have shown the northern bat predominated in the bat communities both at hibernacula and during the summer period. The northernmost records of species, including migrants, have been updated, modifying the previous ideas about their distribution in the region.

Roost selection by male northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in a managed fire-adapted forest

Wildlife conservation in multi-use landscapes requires identifying and conserving critical resources that may otherwise be destroyed or degraded by human activity. Summer day-roost sites are critical resources for bats, so conserving roost sites is a focus of many bat conservation plans. Studies quantifying day-roost characteristics typically focus on female bats due to their much stronger influence on reproductive success, but large areas of species’ ranges can be occupied predominantly by male bats due to sexual segregation. We used VHF telemetry to identify and characterize summer day-roost selection by male northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis) in a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest in South Dakota, USA. We tracked 18 bats to 43 tree roosts and used an information-theoretic approach to determine the relative importance of tree- and plot-level characteristics for roost site selection. Bats selected roost trees that were larger in diameter, more decayed, and under denser canopy than other trees available on the landscape. Much like studies of female northern long-eared bats have shown, protecting large-diameter snags within intact forest is important for the conservation of male northern long-eared bats. Unlike female-specific studies, however, many roosts in our study (39.5%) were located in short (≤3 m) snags. Protecting short snags may be a low-risk, high-reward strategy for conservation of resources important to male northern long-eared bats. Other tree-roosting bat species in fire-prone forests may benefit from forest management practices that promote these tree characteristics, particularly in high-elevation areas where populations largely consist of males.

Spindle Cell Tumor in a Brown Long-Eared Bat (Plecotus auritus)

Most reports of neoplasia in bats are in captive Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), a megachiropteran species. Only three reports of neoplasia in microchiropteran species have been reported. We report the detection of a tumor in a wild brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), a microchiropteran species, in England. Histolopathology indicated the mass was a spindle cell tumor, likely of smooth muscle origin, which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

Testing multichambered bat box designs in a habitat-offset area in eastern Australia: influence of material, colour, size and box host

Bat boxes are frequently used as conservation and habitat-offset measures, yet their effectiveness is equivocal, particularly in Australia. Boxes used in Australia are largely voluminous-type boxes with Chalinolobus gouldii (Gould’s wattled bat) frequently dominating their use. We tested multichambered boxes comprising fissure-type cavities made from either plywood (~20000cm3) or woodcement (~7400cm3). We investigated whether occupancy was influenced by box colour (white boxes facing morning sun versus black boxes facing afternoon sun), box material/size, chamber width (15mm versus 20mm) and box host (tree versus pole). Boxes were monitored over 1.8 years. Overall, 245 bat observations were recorded. Boxes were frequently used (15% of 1088 box checks) by Nyctophilus geoffroyi (lesser long-eared bat), a species uncommonly reported to use boxes, which used 50 of the 64 boxes (78%), including for maternity roosting (n=6). In comparison, C. gouldii was rarely detected (1% of box checks). Two other species were also found in boxes at low frequencies. Modelling showed a preference by N. geoffroyi for black boxes, the larger plywood box and boxes installed on poles. Fissure-type boxes appear to meet the roost requirements of N. geoffroyi but not that of C. gouldii, the species principally detected in voluminous-type boxes and postulated to gain a competitive advantage. The black woodcement box was the second most frequently used design, demonstrating that this long-lasting box material can be a suitable alternative to the less durable plywood material. Given that just one species commonly used boxes, there is a need for further research on box designs.

Contribución al conocimiento de los murciélagos (Mammalia, Chiroptera) del Parque Natural de Penyagolosa (provincia de Castellón)

Se exponen los principales resultados obtenidos en los muestreos efectuados en agosto de 2004 en el Parque Natural de Penyagolosa. La comunidad de quirópteros del Parque Natural está integrada por al menos 14 especies. Diez de ellas fueron localizadas en los muestreos, siendo ocho nuevas citas tras ellos. La revisión de la bibliografía e informes técnicos más recientes permiten añadir las restantes cuatro especies. De entre las especies localizadas en los muestreos, destacan las forestales Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) y Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774); las fisurícolas Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) y Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774) y la cavernícola Myotis escalerai Cabrera, 1904. Plecotus auritus y Pipistrellus pipistrellus son las especies mayormente localizadas en consonancia, en la primera de ellas, con el carácter netamente forestal del Parque Natural y, en la segunda, con su carácter generalista y por ello ser la especie más abundante en el interior de la Comunidad Valenciana. La información obtenida sobre P. auritus y B. barbastellus confirma la presencia de poblaciones en un contexto de elevado valor biogeográfico al tratarse, en la primera de las especies, de una población situada en el límite meridional de su área de distribución y, en la segunda de ellas, al ser una especie con una distribución restringida a determinados ambientes forestales del interior.

ECOLOGY OF CHIROPTERA BATS IN ALTAI-SAYAN REGION OF SOUTHERN SIBERIA

Aim.The aim of this work is to summarize the available data on zoogeographic analysis and fauna of the bats of the Altai-Sayan region.Discussion.The chiropterofauna of the AltaiSayan highlands includes the representatives of 13 species. The obtained data on the distribution of bats in the region made it possible for the first time to carry out a zoogeographic analysis of the chiropterofauna of the Altai-Sayan highland. The faunal complex of bats in the study area and adjacent territories is represented by boreal, European and Central Asian species. The cluster analysis by Jaccard coefficient allowed us to distinguish two main chiropterological complexes: Altai-Sayan and Ubsunur. Our boundary between these complexes coincides or is close to the biogeographic boundaries drawn for various groups of vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as plants.Conclusion.Altai-Sayan territory is inhabited by 13 bat species of six genera belonging to Vespertilionidae family. The most common species are the following: eastern water bat –Myotis petaxHollister, 1912; Siberian bat –Myotis sibiricusKastschenko, 1905; Ikonnikov's bat –Myotis ikonnikovOgnev, 1912; Northern bat –Eptesicus nilssoniiKeyserling, Blasius, 1839; Parti-coloured bat –Vespertilio murinusLinnaeus, 1758; Ognev's long-eared bat –Plecotus ogneviKishida, 1927. In the fauna of the region, the boundary between two chiropterological complexes (Altai-Sayan and Ubsunur) runs through Kurtushibinsk-Usinsk province.

The Balkan long-eared bat (Plecotus kolombatovici) occurs in Italy – first confirmed record and potential distribution

In recent years, many cryptic species of bats have been discovered thanks to the application of molecular techniques. The several long-eared bat species (genus Plecotus) occurring in Europe show a marked morphological similarity and occur in sympatry, so that when confusion may arise, molecular approaches have prime importance to establish the actual specific identity. Italy represents a diversity hotspot for bats in Europe, hosting 35 species, among them four Plecotus species. In this study we report on the first confirmed record of the Balkan’s long-eared bat Plecotus kolombatovici for peninsular Italy, review previous unconfirmed records and analyse the species’ potential distribution in the country using a modelling approach. The species’ potential distribution is strongly associated with warm summer temperatures and relatively high winter precipitations, typical of Mediterranean climate. The modelling exercise we did highlights that P. kolombatovici may occur in much of the Italian territory, including the Tyrrhenian coast and on many islands that border it. We therefore argue that P. kolombatovici presence has been so far overlooked due to the morphological resemblance of this species with the grey long-eared bat P. austriacus. Comprehensive surveys are needed to ascertain the actual distribution and establish the conservation status in Italy of this poorly known species to adopt effective legal and practical conservation measures.

<p class="Body">Morphological and ontogenetic characteristics of Demodex plecoti sp. nov. (Acariformes: Demodecidae) from the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), with comments on parasitism

A new species, Demodex plecoti sp. nov. (Acariformes: Demodecidae), is described based on adult and immature stages from the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Poland. The mites were found in 100% of the examined bat individuals, with a mean intensity of 23.5 parasites per host. Demodex plecoti sp. nov. was observed only in the hairless body regions, were the skin was membranous, thin and delicate.

Assessment of the stability of bat ectoparasite communities using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method

The paper deals with a research of epiparasite communities in native karst caves in the South of Nizhny Novgorod Region. Six species of bats such as Daubentons water bat, Brandts bat, whiskered bat, pond bat, northern bat and long-eared bat were examined. A Principal Component Analysis was used to identify factors influencing the composition of ectoparasites as well as the number and distribution of mites in mixed colonies of bats. As the cave and its inhabitants can be considered as a microbiotope, it is obvious that there are specific relations between inhabitants in caves. Special habitat conditions indirectly influence the parasitic systems developing there which are characterized by certain stability. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to estimate the difference between samples of animals from different habitats. Methods of nonparametric statistics didnt find significant distinctions by the hosts, years and biotopes, the bat colony and their ectoparasites can be estimated as a single complexly organized system, existing long in space and time. From all possible factorial space four factors have significant effect on systems. The contribution of the first and second factors is equal to 65% of variance (specificity of parasites to hosts and a factor of dominant species presence). In parasite communities of bats interrelations which cause successful existence of all types without the expressed competition are observed. Our results indicate a complex relationship between the parasites in the community on the one hand, and long-term existence of the community on the other hand. Each member of parasitic system has a position in factorial space. In parasite communities of bats we met only one factor-dependent species ( Spinturnix acuminatus, Sp. plecotinus, Leptotrombidium russicum ). Species that show moderate and positive, moderate and negative correlation dependence with several factors are found. For example, Spinturnix myoti , Sp. kolenatii , Macronyssus heteromorphus , etc. Heterogeneity of environmental impact on the parasitic systems which are formed in natural caves provides stability of bat parasite communities in general.

Bats in Southwest Wisconsin During the Era of White-Nose Syndrome

Since 2004, my students and I have caught and examined 1441 individual bats representing 7 species from mist-net surveys in Grant County, WI. Across all years and sites, Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) was the most frequently captured bat (59.6% of all captures). We captured over 78% (n = 1106) of bats within the first 120 min after sunset. Based on the capture of lactating females, the following species raise young in southwest Wisconsin: Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored Bat), Little Brown Bat, M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat), and L. cinereus (Hoary Bat). Secondary sexual dimorphism was most evident in Big Brown Bats and Eastern Red Bats. Trends at 1 primary research site for the 3 most commonly captured species showed that, from 2007 to 2017, there was no significant change in number of bats captured per mist-net-meter-hour for Big Brown Bats and Eastern Red Bats. In contrast, and coincident with the occurrence of white-nose syndrome in Wisconsin, there was a signicant decline in the number of Little Brown Bats captured per mist-net-meter-hour over that same time period. Monitoring of bat populations in southwest Wisconsin should continue.

Bats of the Boston Harbor Islands

Insectivorous bats are an integral part of ecosystems because they consume significant quantities of nocturnal insects. White-nose syndrome is decimating populations of susceptible bat species in North America; thus, inventorying and monitoring bats are critical first steps in managing these important populations. We inventoried bat species at Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (BOHA), MA, from 2010 to 2011. Using a combination of capture and acoustic methods, we documented 6 bat species, including Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat), Lasiurus cinereus (Hoary Bat), Lasionycteris noctivagans (Silver-haired Bat), Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat), and Myotis septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat). Bats occurred at all inventoried islands, although most activity of Northern Long-eared Bat, a species Federally listed as threatened, was documented at a mainland site in Worlds End, near Ice Pond. Although the full extent of bat use on the islands remains unclear, we provide evidence of bats roosting and foraging on the islands. During long-term acoustic monitoring at Thompson and Lovells Islands, we assessed the effects of weather and season on bat activity; the latter analysis provided evidence of bats migrating through the area in spring and autumn.

Long-Term Increase in Hibernating Bats in Swedish Mines — Effect of Global Warming?

We present the result of bat winter censuses in three old mines in southern Sweden from 1980 until present (2017). The Taberg and Kleva mines, each with about 1.5 km of accessible passages, have winter populations of 517 and 132 bats, respectively (maximum counts) belonging to six species, the highest numbers known in underground sites in Sweden. Adelfors is less extensive and has fewer individuals (maximum 22). The two former sites were protected and gated in the 1980′s while the third site still has no formal protection and is subject to disturbance. Generally Daubenton's bat Myotis daubentonii and the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus are common species and the numbers are stable. The whiskered and Brandt's bats M. mystacinus/brandtii and Natterer's bat M. nattereri have increased significantly, while the northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii, which is relatively rare in mines generally, has shown a slight but significant decline. At the species level the population trends conform well to those of the respective species in continental Europe and the British Isles. This suggests that there is a common factor behind the population changes across Europe. Although our data are very limited, the results question some previous explanations for the observed trends, but are in line with theoretical predictions based on global warming scenarios.

Long-term monitoring of a winter bat assemblage revealed large fluctuations and trends in species abundance

Abstract Monitoring studies in Strzaliny, one of the greatest hibernacula in Poland, comprised 31 annual bat censuses (1989–2019). The abundance peaked in 2002 for Myotis myotis, 2009 for Myotis nattereri and 2008 for the whole assemblage. Comparison of the maximum abundance in the monitoring period with that from 1980 to 1982 showed an almost fourfold increase for the whole assemblage, tenfold increase for M. nattereri and fourfold increase for M. myotis. In 1989–2019, the numbers of M. myotis, M. nattereri, Myotis daubentonii and Plecotus auritus were fluctuating, but most of the recorded changes could not be explained by methodological problems or a direct human impact. Therefore, the cumulative results largely reflected the real trends in the species abundance. A long-term upward trend in the whole bat assemblage was recognisable, but with a stable or slightly decreasing phase in the last decade. An upward trend in M. nattereri was even stronger and has only slightly flattened recently. In M. myotis, the trend was clearly upwards up to the early 2000s, but weakly downwards in the following years. In M. daubentonii and P. auritus, no significant trend was determined. In strongly fluctuating M. daubentonii, the numbers were mostly moderate or high, and even increasing, up to 2008 and only moderate or low in the following years. In P. auritus, an increase occurred in the 1980s and early 1990s, and then, after the stochastic human-induced drop in 1994, its abundance remained relatively stable. The population trends in Strzaliny largely reflected the general trends assessed for a large part of Europe. This suggests that the general population trends may be recognisable even in one large winter assemblage if it is reliably and consistently monitored through a long period. In this context, the hibernaculum in Strzaliny appeared to be a model object for such studies.

Alexandr Sergeyevich Lisetskiy and his collection of bats in the Museum of Nature at V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University

Aleksandr Sergeyevich Lysetskiy (1919–1991), whose centenary is celebrated this year, was a well-known ornithologist and mammologist and worked for a long time as an associate professor at the Department of Zoology at Kharkiv University. He has been interested in zoology since childhood and has been a young naturalist at the Kharkov Pioneer Palace and in Kharkiv Zoo as early as 1934. A.Lysetskiy started his studies at the biological faculty of KhNU in 1938 and finished it after the Great Patriotic War in 1948. Already in these years (from 1937 to 1947) he, together with his student friend A.Kunichenko, collected bat specimens, which are now stored in the Museum of Nature of KhNU. Since the labels of almost all specimens do not have the names of collectors, this collection was determined by us by comparing all the data (collection numbers, dates etc.) of the samples with the data given in their paper "To the bat fauna (Chiroptera) of Kharkiv region», which was published in 1952. In total, the Museum of Nature collection now has 139 specimens of bats from 18 species, 11 genera and 3 families. The majority – 129 specimens belong to the family Vespertilionidae. Of these, 52 specimens were collected by A.Lisetskiy (together with A.Kunichenko). This material is provided in the comparative table. Of the 9 species of this family represented in their collection, 6 species are representing fifty or more percent of the total number of all specimens stored in the Museum of Nature. These species are: Myotis dasycneme (66.6%), Plecotus auritus (75%), Nyctalus lasiopterus (100%), Nyctalus leisleri (55%), Pipistrellus nathusii (83.3%), Vespertilio murinus (100%). Only these collectors provided specimens of two species: these are the only specimen of Nyctalus lasiopterus and both specimens of Vespertilio murinus. Nowadays, all of these specimens (except Nyctalus lasiopterus, which is on display) are stored in separate boxes in the scientific collection of the museum. We can conclude that the collection of A.Lisetskiy and A.Kunichenko make up the prevailing part of the scientific collection of bats of the Museum of Nature of Kharkiv University.