Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 35/2. (2015)

Zoology

Bat species (Mammalia, Chiroptera) hibernating in abandoned stone quarries from Saharna, Republic of Moldova

During both years the dominant species was E. serotinus with about 65% in 2013 and only 40% in 2014, followed by M. daubentonii and R. hipposideros in the first year and by R.hipposideros then M. daubentonii in the second year of study (fig.l). In general, the ratio of species distribution is more even in February than in March, the quantitative difference between the dominant species being less pronounced in winter. The whiskered bat (M. mystacinus) was the fourth species after its abundance and registered 6.73% in February and 4.7% in March. The rest of the species were registered in low number, between 0.5% and 4%. The Plecotus genus individuals weren’t registered in the first year of study, while in the February of the second year P. austriacus had 2,35% and P auritus only 0,5%, being the least abundant bat species.

□ E. seotinus hM. blythii

□ R. hipposideros

□ M. mystacinus o|,l. dasycneme

□ M. daubentonii

□ B. barbastellus

□ E. serotinus нм. dasycneme ■ P. auritus

HM. mystacinus hM. blythii ДР. austriacus

□ M. daubentoni

□ R. hipposideros

□ B. barbastellus

Fig. 2: Structure of hibernating bat community in abandoned stone quarries from Saharna in 2013 (left) and in 2014 (right)

It must be mentioned the presence of B. barbastellus species (fig. 3) with approximately 2% in each study period. It is a very rare, endangered species of our fauna and the Saharna site represent the only known hibernation place of this species in R. Moldova. Previously, the species was recorded in Cricova and Milestii Mici underground shelters [3], but at present it disappeared from these roosts [9, 10].

Fig. 3: Barbastella barbastellus — one of the rarest species in the fauna of Moldova

A very interesting fact was that during the studies a ringed individual of E. serotinus was found (ring no ХС011567), adult male ringed in 1995 by one of the authors (Andreev, pers. comm.). Therefore, it was confirmed the extraordinary longevity of these small animals. The

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