Yüksel Coşkun

Is Evolution of Blind Mole Rats Determined by Climate Oscillations

The concept of climate variability facilitating adaptive radiation supported by the “Court Jester” hypothesis is disputed by the “Red Queen” one, but the prevalence of one or the other might be scale-dependent. We report on a detailed, comprehensive phylo-geographic study on the ∼4 kb mtDNA sequence in underground blind mole rats of the family Spalacidae (or subfamily Spalacinae) from the East Mediterranean steppes. Our study aimed at testing the presence of periodicities in branching patterns on a constructed phylogenetic tree and at searching for congruence between branching events, tectonic history and paleoclimates. In contrast to the strong support for the majority of the branching events on the tree, the absence of support in a few instances indicates that network-like evolution could exist in spalacids. In our tree, robust support was given, in concordance with paleontological data, for the separation of spalacids from muroid rodents during the first half of the Miocene when open, grass-dominated habitats were established. Marine barriers formed between Anatolia and the Balkans could have facilitated the separation of the lineage “Spalax” from the lineage “Nannospalax” and of the clade “leucodon” from the clade “xanthodon”. The separation of the clade “ehrenbergi” occurred during the late stages of the tectonically induced uplift of the Anatolian high plateaus and mountains, whereas the separation of the clade “vasvarii” took place when the rapidly uplifting Taurus mountain range prevented the Mediterranean rainfalls from reaching the Central Anatolian Plateau. The separation of Spalax antiquus and S. graecus occurred when the southeastern Carpathians were uplifted. Despite the role played by tectonic events, branching events that show periodicity corresponding to 400-kyr and 100-kyr eccentricity bands illuminate the important role of orbital fluctuations on adaptive radiation in spalacids. At the given scale, our results supports the “Court Jester” hypothesis over the “Red Queen” one.

On distribution, morphology and biology of the Mole Vole, Ellobius lutescens Thomas, 1897 (Mammalia: Rodentia) in eastern Turkey

Abstract Ellobius lutescens reaches the western limit of its distribution in Turkey, and is confined there to a relatively small area in the eastern part of the country near the borders with Iran and Iraq, from where new records are provided (Hakkari: Yüksekova). The species lives in family groups and excavates underground tunnels by scratching the soil with the incisors and pushing the loosened soil behind the body with the fore and hind limbs. Mole Voles are vegetarian and forage in underground burrow systems. They feed primarily on large subterranean edible parts of plants. Both sexes have an apparently identical karyotype (2n = 17, NF = 34). The karyotype consists of 8 pairs of biarmed autosomes and a single small submetacentric chromosome. Both sexes have the chromosome constitution XO. Some biological and morphological peculiarities are discussed.

A new species of mole rat, Nannospalax munzuri sp. n., and the karyotype of Nannospalax tuncelicus (Coşkun, 1996) (Rodentia: Spalacidae) in eastern Anatolia

Abstract Two different forms of Nannospalax have been found in the central part of eastern Anatolia. The one has a karyotype of 2n = 54, NF = 74, and NFa = 70, and was found in the Bingöl, Elazığ and Tunceli provinces. Their karyotypes consist of 9 of pairs metacentric and submetacentric autosomes and of 17 pairs of acrocentric autosomes. The X chromosomes are largesized submetacentrics and the Y chromosomes are small acrocentrics. This form corresponds to the description of Nannospalax tuncelicus (Coşkun, 1996). The second form is morphologically and karyologically clearly distinct. The parietals are trapezoid (not square-shaped as in N. tuncelicus), palatal foramina are large and situated in a deep groove (not minute and situated in a shallow groove as in N. tuncelicus), and the upper molars have only one root (not three as in N. tuncelicus). The karyotype of this form is 2n = 58, NF = 68, NFa = 64, and the autosomal set has 4 pairs of biarmed and 24 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes. The X chromosomes are small and biarmed, and the Y chromosomes are small acrocentrics. This form is described as a new species, Nannospalax munzuri sp.n.

First earthworm records in Mesopotamia (Oligochaetae).

In Mesopotamia, one would expect the presence of a rich autochthonous earthworm fauna especially in the mountainous regions characterised by abundant winter precipitations, and on banks of rivers and other permanent water sources. However, no records about earthworms were available up to now neither from the Turkish, Iraqi, Iranian or Syrian parts of Mesopotamia (see CSUZDI et al. 2006 for details). This lack of data prevents, among others, the understanding of the faunal connections between different zoogeographic units in the Middle East (MISIRLIO LU et al. 2008), and the use of earthworms as biomarkers of soil diversity and soil fertility in the region. We chose the Diyarbak r region (Upper Mesopotamia) in Turkey as a starting point to explore earthworm biodiversity in Mesopotamia because, in our opinion, there should be a similarity between the autochthonous earthworm fauna of this region and the one of the rest of Mesopotamia. From here earthworms (at least the semi-aquatic ones) could penetrate into the lower parts of Mesopotamia along Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This assumption is based on the expectation that faunal elements from Anatolia colonised the Arabian tectonic plate after its conglomeration to Asia in a similar fashion as described for the Levant (PAVLÍ EK et al. 2006). Samples were collected in the Diyarbakir region by digging during the period from May 21 till June 2, 2008 and preserved in ethanol. The identification was done at the Hungarian Natural History Museum (HNHM), Budapest and the samples were deposited there. Eleven collected species represent new records for Mesopotamia. The following list includes the collection sites given in Table 1 and the species origin taken from CSUZDI et al. (2006) and PAVLÍ EK et al. (2006) (A = autochthonous, I = introduced):

Small mammals in the diet of the Long-eared Owl, Asio otus, from Diyarbakır, Turkey

KIRWAN, G. M. & R. P. MARTINS (2000): Turkey Bird Report 1992–1996. – Sandgrouse 22: 13–35. KIRWAN, G. M., M. ÖZEN, B. KURT & R. P. MARTINS (2003): Turkey Bird Report 1997–2001. – Sandgrouse 25: 8–31. WELCH, H. J. (Ed.) (2004): GAP Biyolojik Çe itlilik Ara t rma Projesi 2001-2003, Sonuç Raporu [GAP Biodiversity Study Project 2001-2003, Results Report]. DHKD (Do al Hayat Koruma Derne i), stanbul.

A new karyotype and chromosomal banding pattern in Nannospalax ehrenbergi (Nehring, 1898) (Rodentia: Spalacidae) from southeast Anatolia, Turkey

This paper presents new data on chromosomes of the Palestine mole rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi, from southeast Anatolia, Turkey. A new chromosomal form, 2n = 56, NF = 62 and NFa = 58, is determined from the region. C-banding revealed pericentromeric constitutive heterochromatin in one submetacentric and seven acrocentric autosome pairs. Two acrocentric autosome pairs and an acrocentric chromosome with a secondary constriction showed interstitial C-positive bands on their long arms. A secondary constriction was detected in the Y chromosome. The NORs were observed in one medium-sized metacentric autosome pair, and in four acrocentric pairs of autosomes.

The tunnel structure of blind mole rats (genus Spalax) in Turkey

Abstract The structure of the tunnels and burrows of mole rats (genus Spalax) was examined in Central and Southeastern Anatolia in the years 2002–2009. There are two types of mounds: linear ones and scattered ones. While a one-layer tunnel structure is observed in nearly all parts of Turkey, we also found three-layer tunnels, which were made in soft and moist soil. The tunnels made in moist soil were deeper than the ones made in hard soil. We found that mole rats blend the soil with their urine and produce a sticky mud with a bad odour in order to strengthen the walls of the opened galleries.

Morphological Properties of Nannospalax (Rodentia: Spalacidae) Distributed in North-Iraq

Kuzey Irak bölgesinden 3 farklı lokaliteden toplanan 11 Kör Fare (Nannospalax) örneği üzerinde ayrıntılı olarak morfolojik özellikleri çalışılmıştır. Bazı taksonomik özellikleri, dış vücut ve baş iskeleti ölçüleri araştırılmıştır. Örneklerden elde edilen bilgiler literatür bilgileriyle karşılaştırılmıştır. Sonuçlar bu bölge Körfare’lerinin incelenen populasyonlarının benzer morfolojik özelliklere sahip olduklarını göstermektedir. Böylece, Kuzey Irak populasyonları morfolojik bakımından Nannospalax ehrenbergi türü olarak değerlendirilmiştir.