Petr Koubek

Directional preference may enhance hunting accuracy in foraging foxes

Red foxes hunting small animals show a specific behaviour known as ‘mousing’. The fox jumps high, so that it surprises its prey from above. Hearing seems to be the primary sense for precise prey location in high vegetation or under snow where it cannot be detected with visual cues. A fox preparing for the jump displays a high degree of auditory attention. Foxes on the prowl tend to direct their jumps in a roughly north-eastern compass direction. When foxes are hunting in high vegetation and under snow cover, successful attacks are tightly clustered to the north, while attacks in other directions are largely unsuccessful. The direction of attacks was independent of time of day, season of the year, cloud cover and wind direction. We suggest that this directional preference represents a case of magnetic alignment and enhances the precision of hunting attacks.

Distribution and status of lynx in the border region between Czech Republic, Germany and Austria

This paper summarizes available information concerning the presence of the Eurasian lynxLynx lynx Linneaus, 1758 in the Šumava Mountains and adjacent areas along the common border of Czech Republic, Germany and Austria. Our data give an overview of the lynx population occupying the border region between the three countries from 1990 to 1999. We estimated population size using radiotracking data. From 1990 to 1998, population increased from under 20 to nearly 70 resident animals. During this time, reproduction increased as well, with a maximum of 55 kittens observed in the rearing period of 1998 to 1999. Mortality data indicated that illegal hunting was widespread. Our paper discusses possible links with other lynx populations and describes the legal status of lynx in the three different countries. Current management approaches are outlined and steps toward a long-term conservation plan for the population are proposed.

Variation of mitochondrial DNA in the Hipposideros caffer complex (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) and its taxonomic implications

Abstract The Afrotropical leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros caffer has been traditionally regarded as a complex of populations, currently pertaining to two recognized cryptic species, H. caffer and H. ruber. Extent of distribution and morphological variation of these bats has raised concerns over whether the current perception of the complex reflects true phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic diversity. Our phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene challenged the hypothesis of two cryptic species. Instead of the two reciprocally monophyletic lineages expected, corresponding to the two species, we recovered four distinct lineages with deep internal divergences. Two sister clades within a lineage of bats of H. caffer represent respectively the nominotypical form H. c. caffer, restricted to Southern Africa, and H. c. tephrus, inhabiting the Maghreb, West Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Geographical isolation and deep genetic divergence suggest species status of both the forms. Another lineage comprises specimens of both morphotypes from West and East Africa. It probably represents a distinct species but its taxonomic assignation remains obscure. A Central African lineage of H. ruber comprises two sister clades, which become sympatric in Cameroon. Their status has to be clarified with additional evidence, since nuclear gene flow might be taking place. A further divergent lineage with H. ruber morphotype, most probably representing another distinct species, is restricted to West Africa. Although all three genetic forms of H. ruber may correspond to named taxa, their proper taxonomic assignation has to be assessed by comparison with type material.

Eurasian Lynx (Lynx Lynx) and its Chance for Survival in Central Europe: The Case of the Czech Republic

4,873 records of Eurasian lynx occurrence in the Czech Republic (CR) were obtained from 1990. During 1990–1994, the occurrence was recorded in 21.7% of the territory of the CR, during 1995–1999 in 35.6% and during 2000–2001 in 20.5%. The Eurasian lynx population was at its peak in 1997.1998 with abundance 100–150 individuals. The current estimate shows only 80–100 animals. Four of the nine radio-telemetrically monitored Eurasian lynx have probably been illegally shot. Hunters. attitude to the Eurasian lynx was examined on the basis of anonymous questionnaires in the areas of Eurasian lynx occurrence. Only 19.2% of the polled hunters believed the Eurasian lynx to play a positive role in ecosystems, 36.9% of them were aware of concrete cases of illegal hunting and 10.3% of them admitted to killing the Eurasian lynx illegally. Poaching turns out to be the most serious cause of the decrease of Eurasian lynx population in the CR. The attitude of students of game management to the Eurasian lynx was more positive.

Karyotypic Variation in Rhinolophid and Hipposiderid Bats (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae, Hipposideridae)

According to current phylogenetic hypotheses, the bats of the families Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae are sister groups nested within the clade of Pteropodiformes. A conservative nature of karyotypic evolution was previously reported within the two families. Karyotypes with diploid number (2n) varying between 58 and 62 chromosomes were assumed to prevail among the rhinolophid species, whereas, karyotypes with 32 chromosomes were found in most of the hipposiderid bats. However, divergent lower or higher 2n numbers have been recorded in some species in both families. Variation is documented in the present paper by examination of non-differentially stained karyotypes in 10 species belonging to genera Rhinolophus and Hipposideros from western Africa and southern India. Among the species studied, the karyotypes with a 2n of 32, 36, 52, 56, 58, and 62, and with relatively stable number of autosomal arms (FNa = 60, 62, 64) were recorded.

Morphometric and molecular characterization of Parapharyngodon echinatus (Nematoda, Pharyngodonidae) from the Senegal gecko ( Tarentola parvicarinata )

A West African species of gecko, Tarentola parvicarinata Joger (Gekkonidae), collected in the Niokolo Koba National Park in East Senegal is a new host species for the nematode Parapharyngodon echinatus (Rudolphi, 1819). Fifty one specimens of P. echinatus were studied under a light microscope and thirteen specimens were studied for the first time by a scanning electron microscope. The main differences between P. echinatus and other African species, especially Parapharyngodon micipsae (Seurat, 1917), were in the shape of annules on body cuticle, broad lateral alae and their terminations, the shape of the distal extremity of the spicule and number of outgrowths at the anterior cloacal lip. For the purposes of DNA characterization, partial sequence of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU rRNA) was obtained from two specimens of P. echinatus. This is the first published sequence of a species from the family Pharyngodonidae.

Morphologically Uniform Bats Hipposideros aff. Ruber (Hipposideridae) Exhibit High Mitochondrial Genetic Diversity in Southeastern Senegal

Two mitochondrial lineages of bats that are morphologically attributed to Hipposideros ruber have been shown to occur sympatrically in southeastern Senegal. We studied genetic diversity in these bats in the Niokolo Koba National Park using sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to determine the taxonomic status of the two genetic forms, and included skull morphology for comparison. Detailed multidimensional analysis of skull measurements indicated slight morphological differences between the two genetic forms. Exploration of peak frequency of the constant-frequency echolocation signals in a local population of Hipposideros aff. ruber was not available for both groups. Phylogenetic comparison with other available West African representatives of H. aff. ruber revealed paraphyletic relationship of the two Senegalese forms, with the less abundant form from Senegal forming a monophyletic group with that from Benin. Based on genetic divergence and sympatric occurrence, the two forms from Senegal might represent cryptic species. However, absence of nuclear gene flow between them is yet to be investigated to demonstrate their reproductive isolation.

Admixture of Eastern and Western European Red Deer Lineages as a Result of Postglacial Recolonization of the Czech Republic (Central Europe)

Due to a restriction of the distributional range of European red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) during the Quaternary and subsequent recolonization of Europe from different refugia, a clear phylogeographical pattern in genetic structure has been revealed using mitochondrial DNA markers. In Central Europe, 2 distinct, eastern and western, lineages of European red deer are present; however, admixture between them has not yet been studied in detail. We used mitochondrial DNA (control region and cytochrome b gene) sequences and 22 microsatellite loci from 522 individuals to investigate the genetic diversity of red deer in what might be expected to be an intermediate zone. We discovered a high number of unique mtDNA haplotypes belonging to each lineage and high levels of genetic diversity (cyt b H = 0.867, D-loop H = 0.914). The same structuring of red deer populations was also revealed by microsatellite analysis, with results from both analyses thus suggesting a suture zone between the 2 lineages. Despite the fact that postglacial recolonization of Central Europe by red deer occurred more than 10000 years ago, the degree of admixture between the 2 lineages is relatively small, with only 10.8% admixed individuals detected. Direct translocations of animals by humans have slightly blurred the pattern in this region; however, this blurring was more apparent when using maternally inherited markers than nuclear markers.

Conflicting mitochondrial and nuclear paraphyly in small-sized West African house bats (Vespertilionidae)

Vallo, P., Benda, P., Červený, J. & Koubek, P. (2012). Conflicting mitochondrial and nuclear paraphyly in small‐sized West African house bats (Vespertilionidae). —Zoologica Scripta, 42, 1–12.

Hidden diversity in Senegalese bats and associated findings in the systematics of the family Vespertilionidae

IntroductionThe Vespertilionidae is the largest family of bats, characterized by high occurrence of morphologically convergent groups, which impedes the study of their evolutionary history. The situation is even more complicated in the tropics, where certain regions remain under-sampled.ResultsTwo hundred and thirteen vespertilionid bats from Senegal (West Africa) were studied with the use of non-differentially stained karyotypes and multi-locus sequence data analysed with maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. These bats were identified as 10 different taxa, five of which were distinctive from their nominate species (Pipistrellus hesperidus, Nycticeinops schlieffenii, Scotoecus hirundo, Neoromicia nana and N. somalica), based on both karyotypes and molecular data. These five cryptic taxa are unrelated, suggesting that these West African populations have long been isolated from other African regions. Additionally, we phylogenetically analysed 166 vespertilionid taxa from localities worldwide using GenBank data (some 80% of the genera of the family) and 14 representatives of closely related groups, together with our Senegalese specimens. The systematic position of several taxa differed from previous studies and the tribes Pipistrellini and Vespertilionini were redefined. The African Pipistrellus rueppellii was basal to the Pipistrellus/Nyctalus clade and the Oriental species Glischropus tylopus was basal to the East Asian pipistrelles within the tribe Pipistrellini. The African genus Neoromicia was confirmed to be diphyletic. Based on GenBank data, Eptesicus was polyphyletic, with the Asian E. nasutus and E. dimissus both supported as phylogenetically distinct from the Eptesicus clade. The subfamily Scotophilinae was confirmed as one of the basal branches of Vespertilionidae.ConclusionsNew taxa and new systematic arrangements show that there is still much to resolve in the vespertilionids and that West Africa is a biogeographic hotspot with more diversity to be discovered.