Ahmet Karataş

Karyological comparison of populations of the Spalax leucodon Nordmann, 1840 superspecies (Rodentia: Spalacidae) in Turkey

Abstract One hundred and seventy-seven specimens of Spalax leucodon Nordmann, 1840 from 41 localities in Turkey were examined for their karyologicalfeatures. Nine karyotypic forms were recorded. 2n= 50, NF= 72, NFa= 68 was recorded from Bayburt, Erzincan, Giresun, and Rize, 2n= 54, NF= 74, NFa= 70 from Kırıkkale, 2n= 52, NF= 70, NFa= 66 from Bolu, and 2n= 56, NF= 72, NFa= 68 and 2n= 60, NF= 78, NFa= 74 from Isparta. Based on an extensive literature review, it was shown that the karyotypic form 2n= 60 has the widest distribution in the subspecies cilicicus, while the form 2n= 50 has the widest distribution in the subspecies nehringi. The subspecies nehringi was also found in the area of Kırıkkale in Inner Anatolia for the first time. A map of all the karyotypes is given, based on literature data and our own results.

Contribution to the distribution and karyology of some vespertilionid bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from Turkey

Abstract New records from 41 localities are given for six species of vespertilionid bats, namely Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797), M. blythii (Tomes, 1857), M. capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837), Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774), P. kuhlii (Kühl, 1819) and Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774). The diploid number of chromosomes (2n) and the total numbers of autosomal arms (NFa) were determined as 2n= 44, NFa= 50 for M. myotis, M. blythii, M. capaccinii, P. pipistrellus, P. kuhlii and as 2n= 32, NFa= 50 for B. barbastellus.

Contribution to karyology, distribution and taxonomic status of the Long-winged Bat, Miniopterus schreibersii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), in Turkey

Abstract The distribution of the Long-winged Bat, Miniopterus schreibersii, in Turkey is described with the help of literature records and our own new records. The range extends all over the country, with populations in Thrace, the Marmara region and the western Black Sea region belonging to the nominate form, and those in the eastern Black Sea region, in Central, eastern, southern and south-eastern Anatolia to M. s. pallidus. The transition between the two subspecies occurs in a wide area extending from the Aegean region to the central Black Sea region, where intermediate forms exist. The karyotype was analysed from the western Black Sea region, and was found to be 2n= 46, FN= 52, FNa= 48, which is in conformity with the karyotype described from other parts of the distribution area of this species.

First record of Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Anatolia

Abstract According to morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA sequences, eight very small bats of the Pipistrellus pipistrellus complex captured at the Kuş Cenneti National Park in the Marmara Region of Turkey could be assigned to the recently discovered species Pipistrellus pygmaeus. This finding represents the first record of Pipistrellus pygmaeus in Anatolia and the second in Turkey. The species may be distributed much further along the Aegean coast of Anatolia.

Karyotypes of seven rodents from Jordan (Mammalia: Rodentia)

Abstract We present here data on the karyotypes of seven species of rodents from Jordan. The karyotype of Acomys dimidiatus was found to be 2n= 38, NF= 70; Acomys russatus russatus and A. r. lewisi 2n= 66, NF= 94; Apodemus flavicollis 2n= 48, NF= 48; Apodemus mystacinus 2n= 48, NF= 52; Meriones tristrami 2n= 72, NF= 76; Skeetamys calurus 2n= 38, NF= 70; Allactaga euphratica 2n= 48, NF= 96. Of these species, the karyotypes of A. flavicollis, A. mystacinus, S. calurus, and A. euphratica are here reported for the first time from Jordan.

The bat fauna of the caves near Havran in Western Turkey and their importance for bat conservation

Abstract This paper describes the bat fauna of a cave system with three caves in a karst area near Havran in Western Turkey. One of these caves harbours approximately 15–20,000 adult bats of eight species, all of them forming nursery colonies. This represents the second largest summer colony of bats in Turkey. The species richness and the colony sizes qualify the site as an Important Mammal Area and would qualify it as a Special Area for Conservation, according to the Habitats Directive of the European Union. The area including the most important bat cave will be partly flooded by a dam which is currently being constructed by the State Water Authority.

Dobrava hantavirus variants found in Apodemus flavicollis mice in Kırklareli Province, Turkey

Hantaviruses infect humans via inhalation of viral particles within secretions of infected rodents or rarely through direct contact with infected rodents. Determining the prevalence of hantavirus infections among rodent populations is of vital importance to obtain information on hantavirus‐related cases and to predict possible outbreaks. We hypothesized that DOBV strains circulating in the Thrace Region in Turkey would be related to other Balkan DOBV strains. In this study, hantavirus infections in the rodent population of the Kırklareli‐İğneada Region (north‐western Turkey, near the Bulgarian border) were investigated. This region is of particular importance, as it is located in the south‐eastern margin of the European continent and was used as an entrance point of Asian faunal elements into Europe. DOBV infection was detected in eight of 73 rodents; all were of the Apodemus flavicollis species. Partial sequences of the viral S‐, M‐, and L‐genome segments were recovered and compared with previously reported DOBV sequences. The newly characterized Turkish strains were similar to other DOBV variants. Silent nucleotide mutations were dominant. The hantavirus prevalence in the İğneada region was similar to what has been reported in Greece and Bulgaria. For the first time, the M‐segment sequences of DOBV from Turkey were recovered and genetic data of hantaviruses from Thrace region of Turkey were obtained.

On the occurrence of Geoffroy’s Bat, Myotis emarginatus (Geoffroy, 1806), in Turkey (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Abstract Myotis emarginatus was collected at eleven new localities in southern Turkey and Turkish Thrace, and specimens were examined from morphological and biometric points of view. Comparison of these characteristics with literature data revealed that the Turkish population belongs to the nominate subspecies. The distribution area extends mainly along the coastal zones of Turkey.

Karyology of three bat species of the genus Myotis (M. myotis, M. bechsteinii, M. brandtii) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Turkey

Abstract The karyotypes of three vespertilionid bat species from Turkey were examined. The karyotypes of these species were found as 2n=44, NF=54 and NFa=50 for Myotis myotis; 2n=42, NF=50, and NFa=46 for Myotis bechsteinii; 2n=44, NF=54, and NFa=50 for Myotis brand- tii. The M. brandtii karyotype of was studied for the first time for Turkey. Further details on the karyotype of M. bechsteinii, which had been described previously, are given.

The karyotypic characterisation of the Large Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774) (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae) from Iran

Abstract The diploid number of chromosomes of the karyotype of the Large Horseshoe Bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum from West Azerbaijan, Iran, is 2n=58, the fundamental number of chromosomes NF=62, and the number of chromosomal arms NFa=58. The Iranian karyotype thus shows similarity to different populations in neighbouring countries as regards the diploid chromosome number, but it is quite different in the fundamental chromosome number and the number of autosomal arms.