Mammals in MZNA-VERT: project Biodiversity of mammals in Pamplona

Study Extent

Pamplona is a city located in the middle of Navarra (north Spain) with a population around 200.000 inhabitants. It has several parks among its area which constitute refugee for wild fauna especially for birds and small mammals. Moreover, it is crossed by Arga river which plays a key role as a natural corridor for fauna. Six localities were chosen for the sampling the small mammals’ community of the area of Pamplona. Azoz and Zolina are two small villages near Pamplona that were checked for pellets. Azoz is situated in the north near Mountain Ezcaba while Zolina is to the south of the city. Likewise as Pamplona they are surrounded by crop fields although they are near elevated areas covered by pines and oaks. Trapping took place in four different biotopes that can be found in Pamplona and its surroundings: riparian forest of Arga River, pine repopulation, Mediterranean scrubland and crop field.

Sampling

Barn owl pellets were found in Azoz and Zolina. Typical sites like churches and barns were checked for barn owl pellets in these villages. When found, they were transported to laboratory for posterior identification of their remains. Live trapping campaigns were conducted in four localities from June to September (2011). Sherman traps (7,5x9x23 cm) were baited with bread and oil and placed along a transect. Each sampling event consisted on two nights and the total sampling effort made was 80 traps per night. Specimens were sexed and identified in field before their release. Specimens found dead were transported to the laboratory.

Quality Control

All specimens found in pellets and those found dead as a result of live trapping samplings are deposited in the Zoological Museum of the University of Navarra (MZNA, Pamplona, Spain). Identification of most of specimens was verified by Carmen Escala and David Galicia. Scientific names were validated according to Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder 2005, Palomo et al. 2007). Once identified, data of each specimen was incorporated to MZNA database (Zootron v4.5, Ariño 1991). Unique catalogue numbers were assigned to each specimen. Coordinates in UTM/MGRS were transformed to geographic system. The consistency of all records was checked by visual inspection overlapping coordinates with a map from Navarra using GIS (Chapman 2005) and their uncertainty was calculated in metres using the point-radius method.

Method steps

1. Barn owl pellets were frozen at -20ºC for removing bugs. After that, pellets were dissected and skulls, mandibles and other bones were separated for taxonomic identification. Specimens were identified using a stereoscopic microscope and appropriate literature (Gosálbez 1987). Finally, specimens were placed in plastic bags with their unique catalogue number and stored in the museum facilities. Specimens found dead were transported to laboratory where the skin and skull were prepared. First, skin was removed, cleaned with soap and dried using sodium borate. Then, head and limbs were boiled and flesh was removed from bones. Once dried, skull, mandibles and other bones were placed in zip plastic bags with their unique catalogue number. From some specimens following measures were taken: body length, tail length, left ear length, right ear length, left hind foot length, right hind foot length, left fore foot length and right fore foot length. Information about specimens and occurrence was incorporated to MZNA database (Zootron v4.5, Ariño 1991).

All specimens found in pellets were identified to genus or species level using skull’s external morphology, teeth features and looking up suitable literature (Gosálbez 1987). Mandibles found separated from skull were generally identified to family level and stored as well in the collection. Animals trapped in filed were identified to genus or species level attending to external morphology. The collection is composed of 15 species of rodents and soricomorphs. The most abundant species are Apodemus sylvaticus (147 records), Crocidura russula (116 records) and Microtus agrestis (88 records).

1. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
2. Chordata
   rank: phylum
3. Mammalia
   rank: class
4. Rodentia
   rank: order
5. Soricomorpha
   rank: order
6. Cricetidae
   rank: family
7. Muridae
   rank: family
8. Soricidae
   rank: family
9. Apodemus
   rank: genus
10. Arvicola
    rank: genus
11. Crocidura
    rank: genus
12. Microtus
    rank: genus
13. Mus
    rank: genus
14. Myodes
    rank: genus
15. Rattus
    rank: genus
16. Sorex
    rank: genus
17. Suncus
    rank: genus
18. Talpa
    rank: genus
19. Apodemus sp
    rank: species
20. Apodemus flavicollis
    common name: Yellow-necked field mouse rank: species
21. Apodemus sylvaticus
    common name: Long-tailed field mouse rank: species
22. Arvicola sapidus
    common name: Southwestern water vole rank: species
23. Crocidura russula
    common name: Greater white-toothed shrew rank: species
24. Microtus agrestis
    common name: Field vole rank: species
25. Microtus duodecimcostatus
    common name: Mediterranean pine vole rank: species
26. Microtus gerbei
    common name: Pyreenean pine vole rank: species
27. Mus domesticus
    common name: House mouse rank: species
28. Mus spretus
    common name: Western mediterranean mouse rank: species
29. Myodes glareolus
    common name: Bank vole rank: species
30. Rattus norvegicus
    common name: Brown rat rank: species
31. Rattus rattus
    common name: Black rat rank: species
32. Sorex coronatus
    common name: Millet's shrew rank: species
33. Sorex minutus
    common name: Eurasian pygmy shrew rank: species
34. Suncus etruscus
    common name: Etruscan shrew rank: species
35. Talpa europaea
    common name: European mole rank: species

This collection covers the mammal’s community found in Pamplona (Navarra, Spain) and its surroundings.