Ringing of bats from the Volga-Kaspian Region (Russia)

Study Extent

Probable migration rouites of bats between the Middle Volga Region and the Republic of Dagestan

Sampling

Both resident and migratory bats were captured between May and August in different years. Captures were conducted on warm, windless nights. On any given suitable night, the capture plot was selected according to wind direction. To prevent habituation, capture sites were usually changed each night. Each census typically began after sunset, from 8:00–9:00 PM, and continued until 12:00–1:00 AM, thereby covering the evening activity peak. Mist nets measuring 8 × 3 meters with a mesh size of 17 × 17 mm (“Ptitselov”, Russia) were fixed on 7-meter-long fishing rods. Animals were weighed using a handheld jewelry scale “Emerald JE250” (Ohaus Corporation, USA) with an accuracy of 0.1 g, and their age and sex were determined. Females were classified as lactating or post-lactating based on the presence of milk in their nipples and the extent of the surrounding bare skin. Male reproductive status was assessed visually by testes development. Juveniles were identified by the visibility of cartilaginous epiphyseal plates in their finger joints under headlamp illumination (Anthony, 1988). Bats were ringed with metallic bat rings. During the lactation period, captures were less intensive, in accordance with international guidelines (Battersby, 2010).

Method steps

1. Captures by mist nets; aging and sexing; ringing; recaptures

The dataset presents data on 15 bat species from 6 genera of Vespertilionidae family

1. Myotis mystacinus Kuhl, 1817
   common name: whiskered bat rank: species
2. Myotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845)
   common name: Brandt’s bat rank: species
3. Myotis daubentonii (Kuhl, 1817)
   common name: Daubenton's bats rank: species
4. Myotis dasycneme (Boie, 1825)
   common name: pond bat
5. Plecotus auritus Linnaeus, 1758
   common name: long-eared bat
6. Nyctalus lasiopterus (Schreber, 1780)
   common name: greater noctule
7. Nyctalus noctula (Schreber, 1774)
   common name: noctule bat
8. Nyctalus leisleri (Kuhl, 1817)
   common name: Leisler's bat
9. Pipistrellus nathusii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839)
   common name: Nathusius' pipistrelle
10. Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825)
    common name: soprano pipistrelle
11. Eptesicus nilssonii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839)
    common name: northern bat
12. Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774)
    common name: serotine bat
13. Vespertilio murinus Linnaeus, 1758
    common name: parti-colored bat
14. Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774)
    common name: pipistrelle bat
15. Myotis nattereri (Kuhl, 1818)
    common name: Natterer's bat

Samara Region, Penza Region, Ulyanovsk Region, Astrakhan Region, the Republic of Mariy El, the Republic of Dagestan (Russian Federation)