Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 36/1. (2016)
Zoology
PRELIMINARY DATA ON BAT SPECIES HIBERNATING IN CUPCINI AND HORDINESTI STONE QUARRIES FROM THE NORTHERN ZONE OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Victoria NISTREANU, Vlad CAL DARI, Alina LARION, Vlad POSTOLACHI Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova Academiei str., no 1, 2028-MD Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, vicnistreanu@gmail.com Abstract: The studies have been performed in the stone quarries near Cupcini and Hordinesti from the northern part of the Republic of Moldova at the end of January, 2015. A total of 6 km of underground passages were investigated. Bats were studied directly by visual observations, all observed individuals were identified. During the study 461 individuals from 3 species (Myotis blythii, M. daubentonii, M. mystacinus) have been registered in Cupcini quarries and 265 individuals from 5 species (Rhinolophus hipposideros, M. blythii, M. daubentonii, M. mystacinus, Plecotus austriacus, P. auritus) in Hordinesti quarries. The community structure and species dominance was different in the studied mines. In Cupcini mines the most numerous were M. blythii (86.33%), in Hordinesti — M. daubentoni (84.62%). All registered bat species belong to different areas of Palearctic zone. The found species have various category of rarity. Keywords: bats, stone quarries, Cupcini, Hordinesti, hibernation, community structure, rarity criteria Introduction The geographic position of the Republic of Moldova and favorable ecological conditions contribute to the existence of rather rich and abundant bat fauna. Thus, among mammals the order Chiroptera is the second according to species richness after ord. Rodentia and comprises 21 species belonging to families Rhynolophidae (2 species) and Vespertilionidae (19 species). Many species hibernate in underground roosts, like stone quarries, mainly in the northern and central part of the republic. Such roosts are suitable for hibernation due to large surfaces, constant and favorable temperature and humidity conditions and presence of many galleries, cracks, hollows, corners etc. The studies of bat wintering roosts started 60’s-70’s of the past century all over the republic, but mostly in the northern and central zones [1, 3, 4]. A t the end of 90s they continued by several researchers mostly in the central part of Moldova and in Nistru river valley [2, 9, 10). Since 2013 intense studies on bat species hibernating in various underground shelters from the northern part of Moldova have started, but mostly in Nistru river valley [6, 7, 8]. Some data on bat species occurrence in some areas form the northern zone can be found, including Edinet district, to which Cupcini and Hordinesti villages belong [3, 4, 5]. The aim of the paper is the preliminary analysis of bat communities hibernating in two locations from the northern zone of the republic - Cupcini and Hordinesti, situated in Prut river basin. Previously only Hordinesti quarries have been studied, but no data have been published. M A R I S I A, XXXVI, p. 77-82
