Animals live in Mordovia. Animals of the Republic of Mordovia. Flora of Mordovia

Schur (Pinicola enucleator L)- a very rare vagrant species. On January 25, 1979, 2 males (an adult and a juvenile) were recorded in the area of ​​the "South-West".

Black-headed Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis L)- sedentary look. Birds gather in huge flocks in autumn and migrate from forests to wastelands, where they willingly feed on burdock and thistle seeds. After snow falls, they break into small groups and roam in search of food and overnight stays.

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs L) is a rare breeding species. Some individuals remain for the winter. Birds were noted in the forest park zone and residential areas in the winter of 1990. The male chaffinch stayed in the residential area all winter. The bird was feeding on the pavement under a mountain ash (probably its seeds).

Greenfinch (Chloris chloris L) rare, partly settled, nesting species. Birds recorded on the outskirts of the southwest, in forest parks and in residential areas (3.12.78). On the territory of the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute on December 13, 1993, a flock of greenfinches was encountered.

Siskin (Spinus spinus L)- the usual regularly wintering species. It usually lives alone or in small flocks. However, in individual years flocks of up to 30 or more individuals were noted. A flock of 10 individuals was seen on 01/26/83 near the Furmanov stop. Feeding of siskin with birch, red mountain ash, and thistle seeds was noted.

Linnet (Acanthis cannabina L.)- common nesting species. Found on the outskirts of the city, kept in flocks of up to 50 individuals. Birds were noted in the area of ​​"South-West" on November 28, 1978 and on the territory of the Zelenaya Roshcha camp site on February 9, 1979.

Common tap dance (Acanthis flammea L.)- a common winter look. More often observed near birch forest plantations, alleys, parks, along roads. Found in flocks of 10 to 250 individuals. On A. Nevsky Street on 01/28/83, a flock of about 250 tap-dancers was observed. They ate birch seeds.

Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus L.)- a common, regularly occurring species. The number is 7.9 individuals / km 2. Found in all parts of the city. Birds keep in groups, often together with other species. They feed mainly on anthropogenic feed, as well as plant seeds. It feeds on feeders and dumps along with other birds: jackdaws, crows, rooks, pigeons, tits.

House sparrow (Passer domesticus L.)- numerous species. The number is 152.3 individuals / km 2. It is observed in parks, alleys, squares, near residential buildings. Birds keep both singly and in flocks. Often seen in flocks with other birds.

Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis L)- a very rare wintering species. A meeting with a flock of birds (16 individuals) was registered on January 3, 1989 in the Svetotekhstroy microdistrict.

Common Bunting (Emberiza citrinella L.) rare view. Encounters with buntings were recorded in the central park and forest parks. Keeps in small groups up to 10 - 15 individuals.

Thus, the winter avifauna of the city of Saransk is quite rich, it makes up 26.9% of the total bird fauna of Mordovia. It is represented by 37 nesting species, 2 (buzzard, green woodpecker) migratory, 4 (waxwing, bullfinch, tap-dancing, snow bunting) wintering, 1 (smur) vagrant. The species composition is dominated by a group of forest birds. This is explained by the fact that between the microdistricts "South-West" and "Svetotekhstroy" there is a large forest area, which is part of the city and, apparently, is the way birds penetrate into the urbanized landscape. In addition, a variety of biotopes attract birds in the city ( summer cottages, city parks, alleys, roadside forest belts, garden plots of the private sector, wastelands, ravines, floodplains, modern microdistricts, industrial enterprises), which are used for feeding, rest and overnight stays.

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The project on the topic: "The animal world of Mordovia" was completed by: student "3B" class Almazova Julia

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Our country - Russia - occupies a vast territory where you can meet a wide variety of representatives of the animal world. Due to the diversity of climate and landscape, unique species of animals and plants are found in our country. We live in the Republic of Mordovia, animal world which is also diverse and rich due to the geographical position of the republic, which is located at the junction of the zone of forests and steppes. Due to the fact that the republic is located on the border of the forest zone and the forest-steppe, the fauna has a number of features. The first feature is the richness of species. In Mordovia, 268 species of birds are registered, of which 70 species are classified as rare and endangered, and 10 species are included in the Red Books. The second feature of the fauna of the republic is the diversity of life forms. Here you can meet both purely steppe species - common mole rat, large jerboa, speckled ground squirrel, steppe lemming, as well as marten, capercaillie, hazel grouse and others. Many terrestrial animals associated with water: muskrat, muskrat, beaver. Today I want to talk about some species of the animal world, including rare ones.

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HARE Hares tend to stick to scrub or sparse forest, avoiding open spaces. They have no permanent home. They feed at night, at dusk and at dawn. In summer they eat cereals, leguminous plants, sedge, larch needles. In winter - small branches and bark of trees and shrubs, as well as hay around haystacks. There is a saying - "cowardly as a hare." But the hare is not so much cowardly as cautious. This caution saves him from enemies.

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FOX main feature foxes - her fluffy tail. With it, she acts as a rudder during persecution. She hides with him, curled up during her rest in a ball. Foxes go hunting at any time of the day. Their main prey is small rodents. In summer, foxes eat insects, berries and fruits of plants. At any time of the year, the fox mouses: it looks for holes in field and forest mice, tears them up and eats these harmful animals.

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WOLVES Wolves lead a wandering life in winter, going out in search of prey at dusk and at night. During the day, they hide in thickets of bushes and along ravines. They hunt deer, elk, cows, partridges and black grouse, pursue hares, and when there is no live prey, they feed on carrion. Wolves do not hunt alone, but together. In search of prey, wolves roam open spaces, making transitions without rest up to 50 km. The wolf eats 2 kg of meat per day, hides the rest of the food in a secluded place in reserve.

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BEAR Male brown bear weighs 500-750 kg. It looks clumsy, although in reality it is very mobile and agile: it can run fast, jump, swim, climb trees. It goes out in search of food in the evening. Eats young shoots, roots, bulbs, mushrooms, berries, acorns, nuts. In the forest, it spreads ant heaps, eats eggs of chicks from nests on the ground, catches small rodents, frogs. Attacks large animals. By autumn, bears grow fat and go into hibernation.

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ELSE An elk is a forest giant with beautiful spade-shaped horns. The females are hornless. Quickly moving its ears in all directions, the moose quickly catches the rustles of the forest and goes into the thickets. In summer, moose feed on succulent marsh plants and rhizomes, foliage, young shoots. They love Ivan-tea and dandelions, but do not eat berries and mushrooms, do not touch cereals and potatoes. In winter, they switch to roughage - aspen and willow branches, bark, lichens and needles.

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DEER Deer live in broad-leaved forests, preferring oak plantations where they feed on acorns. In summer, they eat various herbs, leaves of trees and shrubs. Deer become the prey of wolves, especially in spring, when they are weakened and cannot run fast.

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BOAR The boar is a very common wild animal. The closest relative of the boar is the pig. The body length of a hardened boar can range from 130 centimeters to 170 centimeters. The height of the boar can be 1 meter. Body weight usually reaches sixty kilograms. Boars have a huge head, slightly elongated forward, large and long ears, very small eyes, and a snout. The body is covered with coarse bristles in summer, becoming thicker and softer in winter, with a larger undercoat. The dependence of the distribution of wild boars in a particular territory depends on the presence of a large amount of food on it.

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BARSUK The badger is a typical representative of mixed forests. It is an omnivore that lives in burrows. It is larger than a fox but smaller than a wolf. Wide paws with long claws allow him to dig holes well. They spend most of their lives in a hole, falling into hibernation, and the rest of the day they hide in a hole, at night they hunt mouse-like rodents and harmful insects.

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BOBR The beaver is the most large rodent. Beavers are nocturnal animals closely associated with water bodies. They love quiet forest rivers with high banks and thickets of shrubs and trees. Willows, aspens, poplars, birches are their main food. Beavers eat the roots and stems of water lilies, various aquatic plants and succulent grasses. The beaver swims well thanks to its tail. On land, the tail serves as a support for him when sitting, in the water - with an oar, with his tail the beaver compacts the clay, building his hut.

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Squirrel The squirrel has an elongated body with a fluffy long tail, long ears, dark brown color with a white belly, sometimes gray (especially in winter). Found everywhere except Australia. The squirrel is a source of valuable fur. The squirrels store nuts for the winter. Some bury them in the ground, others hide them in hollow trees. The poor memory of some species of squirrels helps to preserve forests, as they bury nuts in the ground and forget about them, and new trees appear from germinated seeds. Squirrels are omnivorous: in addition to nuts, seeds, fruits, mushrooms and green vegetation, they also eat insects, eggs and even small birds, mammals and frogs.

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The list of animals of Mordovia, listed in the "Red Book" of Russia, consists of 32 species: muskrat, boletus, European, bison, black-throated loon, black stork, osprey, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, peregrine falcon (falcon), burial ground, red-throated goose, white-eyed pochard, steppe harrier, white-tailed eagle, greater spotted eagle, saker falcon, steppe kestrel, ptarmigan, curlew, stilt, oystercatcher, little tern, steppe tirkushka, little tern, eagle owl, gray shrike, aquatic warbler, blue tit, common sculpin.

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DESKEDER On the banks of calm forest rivers, tributaries of the Volga, the Urals and the Dnieper, funny animals live - desmans. The muskrat is an excellent underwater swimmer. Everything in her is adapted for swimming: her paws have membranes, a flat tail is compressed from the sides, like an oar, her silky fur does not get wet. Under water, the blind-sighted muskrat finds prey by sniffing it out with its movable proboscis nose. The muskrat feeds not only on insects - larvae of caddisflies and dragonflies, swimming beetles, but also on snails, leeches, and small fish. In winter, the sleepless muskrat feeds on the rhizomes of aquatic plants. In the Old Russian language there was a word "huhat" - to stink. It was from him that the word desman came from. On the tail of the muskrat there is a special organ (gland) that secretes an oily odorous substance - musk. People find this smell pleasant. In the old days, dried muskrat tails were used to move linen in the closet so that it would absorb the musky aroma. To the delight of the muskrat, the smell of musk discourages the appetite of most predators.

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BLACK STORK The black stork is a secretive bird, little is known about it. Winters in Africa. After arrival, around the beginning of April, the storks begin to build a nest. They arrange their nest not at the very top, but on the side branches of the tree, approximately 2 m from the main trunk. They nest no closer than 6 km from each other. The stork's favorite food is fish, snakes, lizards and frogs, but he will not refuse small insects and other arthropods. There is a known case in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, when one of the parents brought 48 frogs to their chicks at once.

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THE BERKUT The golden eagle is the largest bird from the eagle tribe. He can safely be called the king of eagles. This large and strong bird weighs from 3 to 6 kilograms. The wingspan of some individuals reaches three and a half meters. The appearance of the golden eagle is typically aquiline, the color is dark brown. When it flies, white spots on the wings and the same base of the tail are clearly visible. It is very easy to distinguish a young golden eagle from an old one. Juveniles have a lot of white spots. By the way, the golden eagle has the longest tail of all eagles. This bird of prey skillfully uses ascending air currents, thanks to which it can soar in the air for hours. At the sight of prey, the golden eagle dives sharply at it.

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Owl Birds often have a red color or ocher-colored plumage. The owl's eyes are yellow. The body length of an adult individual reaches 60 - 70 centimeters, and an eagle owl can weigh about 3 kilograms. When flying, its wingspan is striking, it ranges from 150 to 180 centimeters. The plumage of the bird has a special structure, the flight of the owl is silent, this feature is very important when hunting at night, because when everything in the forest falls asleep, even the smallest rustle can disrupt the hunt. Scientists involved in the study of these birds found that the average life expectancy of owls is approximately 20 years. And owls are also famous for their ability to turn their heads: they can turn it as much as 270 degrees, i.e. practically make a complete turn of the head around the neck. This allows them to notice everything that happens around them. The eyes of an eagle owl are adapted to see even in the dark - well, is there really a chance to hide from such a sharp-sighted hunter?

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BISON The bison is a forest giant, it was once widespread in Europe. Today this species has been preserved, and even then, only in the reserves of Belarus, Poland and Russia. The bison's head is small in relation to the body. The eyes are dark brown, the nose is large, with large nostrils. The horns of a bison, and there are two of them, grow throughout life and do not change, as, for example, in a deer. A hump, a sloping back, a powerful physique, strong low legs and a long tail - that's what he is, a bison. Under the chin is a thick beard. The color of the fur of the animal is chestnut, the sides are brown. The fluffy and soft undercoat of the bison keeps the body of the animal warm and protects from getting wet. The bison has a well-developed sense of smell, but hearing and vision are slightly worse.

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There are several nature reserves in Mordovia. Mordovian State nature reserve named after P.G. Smidovich - a reserve located in the Temnikovsky district of the Republic of Mordovia, on the right bank of the Moksha River, on the border of the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests and forest-steppe. The reserve was established on March 5, 1936. Named after statesman Pyotr Germogenovich Smidovich, who paid much attention to environmental protection issues. The reserve is located on the wooded right bank of the Moksha River, the left tributary of the Oka. The main objectives of the reserve were the preservation and restoration woodland southern spur taiga zone, conservation and enrichment of the animal world. The Smolny National Park. The Smolny Natural Park is located on the territory of the Ichalkovsky and Bolshe-Ignatovsky regions of the Republic of Mordovia. Created to save natural complex representing ecological systems typical for Mordovia.

"AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF MORDOVIA: SPECIES DIVERSITY, DISTRIBUTION, POPULATION SARANSK PUBLISHING HOUSE OF MORDOVIAN ..."

-- [ Page 1 ] --

A. B. Ruchin, M. K. Ryzhov

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF MORDOVIA:

SPECIES DIVERSITY,

SPREADING,

POPULATION

SARANSK

PUBLISHING HOUSE OF MORDOVIAN UNIVERSITY

UDC 597.6: 598.1 (470.345)

R e e n s e n t s:

Department of Zoology, Tambov State University (acting head of the department, Candidate of Biological Sciences

Associate Professor G. A. Lada) Doctor of Biological Sciences Professor B. D. Vasiliev (Moscow State University) Ruchin A. B.

P921 Ruchin A. B., Ryzhov M. K. Amphibians and reptiles of Mordovia: species diversity, distribution, abundance. - Saransk: Publishing House of Mordov. un-ta, 2006. - 160 p.

The monograph presents the results of our own studies of amphibians and reptiles of Mordovia, carried out in 2000–2005. There are 11 species of amphibians and 6 species of reptiles on the territory of the republic. Possibly living species include the marsh turtle, the steppe viper and the water snake. For each type, there is short description, area, nature of distribution in the republic and abundance of the species. A detailed analysis of the distribution and population systems of green frogs of the Rana esculenta complex is given, as well as the results of a study of amphibians and reptiles in the city of Saransk. The monograph is intended for biologists and ecologists, students, graduate students and teachers of biological specialties, as well as for a wide range of non-specialists interested in issues of batracho- and herpetology and nature conservation.

ISBN 5 - 7103 - 1323 - 8 UDC 597.6: 598.1 (470.345) BBK E 6 P921 Ruchin, M.K. Ryzhov, 2006

FOREWORD

IN last decade batracho- and herpetology in a number of regions of Russia, after a break, is experiencing a noticeable rise. 3 conferences of herpetologists of the Volga region (Togliatti, 1995, 1999, 2003) and 3 interregional meetings on the study of amphibians of the Volga basin (N. Novgorod, 2002) were held;

Saransk, 2003; Tambov, 2004) (Ruchin and Pestov, 2003; Lada et al., 2004). Works have been published on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the territories of the Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Penza, Vladimir, Ulyanovsk, Perm, Saratov regions, as well as a number of republics. Candidate's dissertations were defended on the ecological and biological characteristics of amphibians and reptiles in the Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Saratov regions, Kalmykia, Bashkiria, Udmurtia, Tatarstan.

A recent summary (Astradamov et al., 2002) also provides a cadastral summary from the territory of Mordovia. However, the amount of material presented in it clearly did not give a complete picture of the distribution and abundance of species of batracho- and herpetofauna, and often, as it turned out later, contradicted reality. This monograph is the result of six years of special research devoted to the study of "reptiles" in the Republic of Mordovia. They were started by the authors in 2000, but the batracho- and herpetofauna have been studied more deeply and systematically since 2002. The impetus for such studies was precisely the above summary. We do not pretend to be a comprehensive description of the distribution and abundance of amphibians and reptiles in Mordovia. Such work should be carried out for decades, and this monograph will serve as its beginning.

This monograph consists of seven parts. Species essays are based solely on our observations and research. In some cases (for example, the spread of verdigris), literary data were used for a more objective picture. Some chapters contain photographs of biotopes characteristic of individual species. Annexes 1 and 2 contain materials on species cadastre and species lists. Appendix 3 presents full list works (1790–2005), to some extent concerning amphibians and reptiles of the republic. Appendix 4 contains a list of museum collections from the territory of Mordovia.

IN tasks research included:

Clarification of the species diversity of amphibians and reptiles of the republic;

Study of distribution of representatives of batracho- and herpetofauna on the territory of the republic;

Study of the abundance of amphibians and reptiles in Mordovia;

Study of the Rana esculenta complex in the Republic (exact identification, distribution features, biotopes);

Study of species diversity, distribution, abundance, biotopes of species living in urban areas (Saransk);

Determination of morphometric characteristics of species from the territory of the Republic of Mordovia.

All illustrations (with the exception of individual photographs provided by O.N. Artaev) were made by A.B. Ruchin. The authors are grateful for the help and advice during the preparation of the manuscript by L.Ya. Borkin (Zoological Institute RAS), G.A. Lade (Tambov University), V.I. Garanin (Kazan University), A.G. Bakiev (Institute of Ecology of the Volga Basin, Russian Academy of Sciences). Separately, I would like to thank S.N. Litvinchuk and Yu.M. Rozanov (Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences) for painstaking processing of material on green frogs by DNA cytometry. The authors are grateful for the help in collecting field material to the students of the Mordovian University E.A. Lobachev, O.N. Artaev, S.V. Lukiyanov, M.A. Radaeva (Mironova), E.N. Salnikov, A.A. Bashkaikin, I.V. Skvortsova. A significant part of the work was supported by the Federal Target Program "Integration" (project E-0121).

TO THE HISTORY OF THE STUDY OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

ON THE TERRITORY OF MODERN MORDOVIA

- Spasskoye - Stavropol - Simbirsk - Stavropol - Samara (Garanin, Bakiyev, 2004). However, references to the "reptiles" of Mordovia in "Journeys through different provinces Russian state» (1773–1778) are absent.

In 1888 N.A. Varpakhovsky (cited in: Garanin, 1971) compiled a list of amphibians and reptiles in the Nizhny Novgorod province, the southern districts of which later became the territory of Mordovia. M.D. Ruzsky (1894), who was engaged in herpetological collections in the Surye, noted 6 species of amphibians and 2 species of reptiles in the Ardatovsky district (now the Ardatovsky district of Mordovia). The list of amphibians and reptiles of the Penza province, the northern part of which later became part of Mordovia, included “toad, green tree frog, green frog, newt, common lizard, green lizard, common snake, viper” (Spravochnaya kniga…, 1901, p. 38). Detailed characteristics batracho- and herpetofauna of the floodplain of the river. Alatyr is given by B. Zhitkov (1900).

Some information about the herpetofauna of the western part of Mordovia, which was part of the Tambov province, is given by S.A. Predtechensky (1928). Unfortunately, the author did not indicate specific distribution points of the species.

After the organization of the Mordovian Reserve, the expedition of S.S. Turov. The published lists (Ptushenko, 1938) mention 8 species of amphibians and 4 species of reptiles. Rare species included the common newt Triturus vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758), the green toad Bufo viridis Laurenti, 1768, the lake frog Rana ridibunda Pallas, 1771, and the viviparous lizard Zootoca vivipara (Jacquin, 1787). In the future, I.I. BarabashNikiforov (1958) added 4 species to the list. The species composition of amphibians and reptiles of the reserve is indicated in the faunistic review (Tereshkin et al., 1989). The most numerous are the common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758), the pond frog Rana lessonae Camerano, 1882, and the moored frog Rana arvalis Nilsson, 1842 lizard Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758 and the grass snake Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758). A summary of amphibians and reptiles of the Mordovian Reserve has been published (Ryzhov et al., 2005).

In the 1950s–1960s IN AND. Garanin carried out counts of amphibians and reptiles in the Volga-Kama region. His research also covered the eastern part of Mordovia, in particular, the Surye region and the environs of the city of Saransk (Garanin, 1968, 1971, 1983; Borkin et al., 1979). Later, this author (Garanin, 2000) published a list of cadastral points on the territory of Mordovia. More recently (Astradamov et al., 2002) another cadastral summary has appeared. In a number of works (Smirina, 1974; Quick lizard, 1976; Borkin et al., 2003, 2003a; Khalturin et al., 2003; Bakiyev et al., 2004; Borkin et al., 1979; Babik et al., 2004; Lada et al.,

2005) provides information obtained from samples from the territory of the republic.

The most complete and systematic studies of the amphibian ecology of Mordovia, and more precisely, the Middle Surye, were carried out from 1968 to 1977. During this time, 269 route surveys with a total length of over 143 km were laid (Astradamov, 1975; Astradamov, Alysheva, 1979a). 10 species of amphibians were identified, which were divided into three groups: those living in the floodplain on continental terraces, living in the floodplain on non-flooded terraces, and aquatic. The moor frog was the dominant species in the pine forests of the Middle Surye. The feeding habits of this species were studied (Makarov and Astradamov, 1975). More than 130 species of invertebrates, the majority of which were insects, have been noted in the stomachs of the moor frog. The authors made interesting calculations, according to which 10,000 specimens of moor frogs on an area of ​​100 hectares in 5 months destroy 15 million specimens of animals, of which 9 million are "harmful". The feeding spectra of the toad Bombina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761), the green toad, the spadefoot Pelobates fuscus (Laurenti, 1768), pond and lake frogs, and the lizard were also determined (Astradamov, 1973, 1975; Ryzhov et al., 2004). The place of amphibians in the food chains of some lakes has been studied (Astradamov et al., 1970).

In another work (Astradamov, Alysheva, 1979), the dynamics of the number of amphibians in the Simkinsky Reserve is characterized using Lake Baikal as an example. Trostnoye for a ten-year period. The average weight and total biomass of individual species are given, the first place among which in terms of abundance and biomass was occupied by the moor frog and spadefoot (land species) and the pond frog (aquatic form). Interestingly, the abundance of the lake frog is 5.5 times lower than that of the pond frog. In addition, only 8 species of amphibians are mentioned in the article, while earlier (Astradamov, 1975) there were 10 of them. The authors do not discuss this circumstance.

In 1986–1996 V.S. Vechkanov et al. (1998) conducted surveys in closed water bodies of the floodplain of the river. Sura. Stationary observations were again carried out on the territory of the Simkinsky forestry on Lake. Cane. The number of amphibians varied over the years. In 1986–1988 on the spawning grounds, the toad frog, the pond frog and the moor frog alternately took the lead. The concentration of larvae by mid-July was 8.4 ind./m2. Since 1989, a rapid decline in the abundance of the toad began, which by 1994 (June) had fallen to 0.03 ind./m2. Since 1992, the concentration of moor frog spawners on spawning grounds has decreased to 2.5 ind./m2 (for comparison: in 1988 - 614 ind./m2). In 2001–2002 not a single toad was found at the same station (Ruchin and Ryzhov, 2003a). In the same years, the number of common toad and spadefoot increased.

The authors indicate that the noted dynamics coincided with an increase in the processes of eutrophication of closed floodplain water bodies, their strong overgrowth over time due to the long-term absence of full-fledged spring floods of the river.

The article by V.I. Astradamova and G.I. Alysheva (1979a), which presents the results of studying some aspects of the ecology and behavior of amphibians. The authors showed that an increase in stocking density of marsh and pond frog tadpoles accelerates their development and inhibits their growth. Positive phototaxis of larvae of spadefoot, toad, lake and pond frogs was also noticed in the cages, which gathered to the eastern wall of the cage in the morning, dispersed along it in the afternoon, and moved towards the western wall in the evening in accordance with the sunset. Observations of the daily movements of brown frogs showed that they cover about 100 m per day. The authors identified 6 environmental factors, depending on which nocturnal toads and spadefoot sharply increase their activity in the daytime. The study of spatial orientation showed that when returning to the "native" reservoir, some species of amphibians largely use sight and smell.

Two papers (Alba et al., 1995; Specially Protected..., 1997) present a preliminary list of amphibians national park"Smolny" (NP "Smolny"). More detailed studies of this specially protected natural area identified the common frog (Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758) as rare and small in number (Alba et al., 2000). In the publication of V.A.

Kuznetsova (2002), this species is classified as common. There are other discrepancies in the mentioned works. As an interesting faunal find, the discovery in the pond of the village. Lesnoy (Aleksandrovskoye forestry) of an edible frog (Alba et al., 2000), which was determined on the basis of morphometric parameters (see below) and subsequently confirmed on the basis of bioacoustic and cytometric data (Grishutkin, 2003; Ruchin et al., 2005a).

General information about the biology and distribution of rare amphibians and reptiles is presented in some works (Alba, 1983; Astradamov and Vorsobina, 1988; Alba and Vechkanov, 1992; Ruchin et al., 2003; Ruchin and Ryzhov, 2004a; Ryzhov et al., 2003 ). In the second work, the common toad, the common frog, the spindle Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758, the copperhead Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768, the viviparous lizard, and the steppe viper Vipera renardi (Christoph, 1861) are classified as rare species. Presence the last kind in the region at that time was not scientifically confirmed. However, this was also pointed out by V.I. Garanin (1971), who noted the northward movement of some species due to climatic and anthropogenic factors. Although the authors (Astradamov, Vorsobina, 1988) point out that the steppe viper "is rare in the territory of Mordovia" (p.

97), i.e. present, but no documentary evidence is provided.

In other works, only reptiles are classified as rare species. The latest summary of rare plant and animal species recommended in the Red Data Book of Mordovia (List of Rare..., 2002; Ruchin, 2003) includes 4 amphibian species and 2 reptile species. A detailed analysis of the common frog distribution in Mordovia was made by us (Ruchin and Ryzhov, 2004). In 2005, the Red Book of Mordovia was published, including 4 amphibian species and 3 reptile species.

Previously, 10 species of amphibians were indicated for the territory of Mordovia (Alba, 1983; Geography of the Mordovian ASSR, 1983; Astradamov and Lysenkov, 1985; Yamashkin, 1998; Kamenev et al., 2000; Astradamov et al., 2001). Thanks to the latest more accurate studies (Ruchin, 2002), the presence of 11 species has been shown. The species diversity of reptiles in the republic includes 6 (Lapshin et al., 1996), 7 (Kamenev et al., 2000), or 8 species (Kuznetsov et al., 2000). IN latest work the steppe viper and the marsh turtle (Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758)) are included in the list. We mentioned the steppe viper above. Encounters of the marsh turtle in the territory of Mordovia are reliably known from the Mordovia Reserve and the city of Saransk (Astradamov et al., 2002). However, it is still premature to talk about natural populations of the species.

In conclusion of the review of articles, we will make a few remarks regarding the Latin names of animals (Ruchin and Ryzhov, 2003). The moored frog appears in most works as Rana terrestris Andrzejowski, 1832, but L.Ya. Borkin (1975) indicated that the correct species name is R. arvalis. In this regard, it is not entirely clear why the old name is retained in relatively recent works (Lapshin et al., 1996; Vechkanov et al., 1998). The pond frog is referred to in these publications as R. esculenta, which we noted separately (Ruchin et al., 2002). At the same time, the hybrid complex of Central European green frogs includes three species: R. ridibunda, R. esculenta, R.

lessonae (Ananyeva et al., 1998; Kuzmin, 1999). Last thing Latin name considered correct.

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The Republic of Mordovia is located in the center of the Russian Plain between longitudes 42 11 and 46045/E and 53038/ and 55011/N on the southwestern periphery of the Volga basin in the interfluve of the Moksha and Sura (Fig. 1).

The maximum length from west to east is 298 km, from north to south - up to 140 km. Most of the territory is located in the northwestern region of the layered-tier Volga Upland, which in the west of the republic passes into the layered Oka-Don lowland. This determines the general trend of decreasing activity of erosion-denudation processes from the southeast to the northwest (Yamashkin, 1998, 1999).

Rice. 1. Geographical position Republic of Mordovia.

The erosion-denudation plain, characterized by significant erosion dissection, occupies the southern and southeastern parts of Mordovia. From the surface, it is "armored" with resistant siliceous-carbonate rocks of the Oligocene age. The remnant-watershed massifs have maximum absolute elevations on the territory of the republic of 280–320 m (up to 334 m in the Chamzinsky district). The depth of the erosion cut reaches 100–120 m. The minimum absolute heights are noted in the Sura valley (89 m). Long-term tectonic inversions have led to the active development of erosion processes.

The density of linear erosional forms in some areas exceeds 1 km/km2. Almost everywhere on watershed massifs and steep slopes, outcrops of carbonate and siliceous-carbonate rocks are observed. On the lower parts of the slopes, they are overlain by thin (2–5 m) Quaternary formations (Yamashkin, 1999). A secondary moraine plain of Late Pleistocene age extends to the west and north of the erosion-denudation upland. The boundary between them is well marked in the relief by a ledge about 80 m high. The maximum absolute heights of the plain are 270–280 m. They are confined to the watersheds of the rivers of central and western Mordovia. The watershed spaces of the secondary moraine plains, flat-convex and convex, have a width of 2-3 km, the depth of the erosion incision is 60-80 m. To the east of the river. Insar, denudation remnants are observed.

Many remnants are called "mountains" and have their own names:

Piksiasi, Kamenka, Piterka, and others (Yamashkin, 1999). In the basins of the Vad and Sivin rivers, in the Moksha-Alatyr interfluve, along the left bank of the Alatyr, a water-glacial plain with absolute elevations of 150–180 m is widespread. It is characterized by the widest watersheds up to 8–10 km, gentle and poorly dissected slopes. The depth of the erosion incision does not exceed 30–40 m. The surfaces of the watersheds of the plain are quite often complicated by dunes and suffusion, and in the interfluve of the Moksha and Alatyr by karst depressions (Yamashkin, 1999).

On the territory of the republic there are 1525 watercourses with a total length of 9250 km. A large proportion of the river network falls on rivers and streams less than 10 km long - 1320. The main rivers of the territory are: Sura, Alatyr, Insar, Pyana, Moksha, Sivin, Issa, Vad, Partsa, Vysha. Of these, 24 small rivers and 286 very small rivers and streams flow into the Sura, forming the Sura basin ( East End Mordovia), 30 small rivers and 385 very small rivers and streams - into Moksha, forming the Moksha basin (western part of Mordovia). There are several thousand lakes, ponds and reservoirs in Mordovia. In total, the water area is 21,000 hectares, 14,500 hectares of territory are under the swamps.

The climate of Mordovia is determined by its physical and geographical position in temperate zone the center of the Russian Plain, which is characterized by a clear expression of the seasons of the year. The influx of direct solar radiation varies from 5.0 in December to 58.6 kJ/cm2 in June. The total radiation for the year is 363.8 kJ/cm2, the radiation balance is 92.1 kJ/cm2. Average annual temperature air has a value of 3.5 to 4.0 0C. The average January temperature is from -11.5 to -

12.30C, there are drops to -470C. The average July temperature is from +18.9 to +19.80С, the extreme value is up to +370С.

2.2. Botanical and geographical zoning of the Republic of Mordovia On the basis of many years of research by botanists of the Mordovian University, botanical and geographical zoning of the Republic of Mordovia was carried out (Astradamov et al., 2002). In accordance with it, it is subdivided into 8 botanical and geographical regions (Fig. 2).

1. Boreal region with two sub-regions:

1 a. Moksha boreal subregion. The nature of the flora and vegetation is determined by the distribution of sandy Quaternary deposits. Pine and pine-broad-leaved forests with a greater or lesser proportion of spruce are widespread here. On the territory of the Mordovia Reserve there are small areas of pure spruce forests. Small-leaved forests - birch and aspen forests - predominate in clearings and on the site of fires. The area is characterized by the presence of many boreal species: common juniper, northern linnaea, phegopteris binding, white-backed protruding, broad-leaved sedge, two-seeded sedge, hedgehog sedge, kumanika, alpine pondweed, cereal pondweed, dull pondweed. It is this region that is characterized by the presence of small transitional and raised bogs with many taiga species, such as marsh cranberries, marsh scheuchzeria, swamp sedge, string-root sedge.

1 b. Alatyr boreal subregion. The flora and vegetation of this subarea resembles subarea 1a in many respects. However, it can be noted that in coniferous and mixed forests less participation spruce. It is likely that some kind of western gravity is absent here. For example, until the prostrate shield was found here. And only in this area is the northern orchid gammar marsh so far known.

2. The Primokshansky steppe region covers a vast region of chernozems in the left-bank part of Moksha. The steppes of the region are almost completely plowed up and occupied by agricultural land. Apparently their species composition was quite typical for the northern meadow steppes. The surviving areas with fragments of steppe vegetation are confined to the slopes of ravines and gullies, to river valleys. Steppe tracts rich in species composition have been preserved near the village. Surgod, Torbeevsky district, near the village. Troitsk, Kovylkinsky district. Feather grass, hairy feather grass, rich herbs are marked on them. The region is characterized by the presence in the steppe groups of steppe sage, false veronica, in the south of changeable carnation.

3. The Rudnyansky steppe region adjoins the Pochinkovsky region of the Nizhny Novgorod region and is its continuation. On the territory of the Republic of Mordovia, it is completely plowed up, the steppe vegetation has been destroyed and is represented only by individual species.

4. The Insar oak forest region covers a vast array of gray forest soils, which in the past was occupied by continuous broad-leaved forests. At present, broad-leaved forests and aspen forests in their place Fig. 2. Botanical and geographical zoning of the Republic of Mordovia. The dashed lines show the borders of the BGR, the numbers show their numbers given in the text.

preserved in small patches. This region is characterized by Beneken's rump, prickly sedge, tall wrestler, brittle vesicle, and plain maple is found in the south of the region. The southern edges and glades of these forests are considerably steppe.

5. The Saransk steppe region covers the territories adjacent to the river.

Insar. Characterized a high degree development, a large percentage of the territory is occupied by settlements, industrial and agricultural enterprises. Steppe associations are preserved along the slopes of gullies and ravines. Some steppe species are noted only in this floristic region: perennial flax, pale rank, Germanic elecampane, hairy breast, squat skullcap, creeping tar.

6. The Chamzinsky carbonate region covers most of eastern Mordovia. Based on the predominance of chernozem soils in this area, it can be assumed that steppe vegetation was widespread here in the past, and leached chernozems indicate that upland oak forests were also encountered earlier. In general, this area is difficult to distinguish from the previous one. But the Chamzinsky district is characterized, first of all, by the peculiar flora of the Alatyr swell, where carbonate outcrops are widespread. Therefore, the flora includes not only steppe, but also pronounced calciphilous species: kachim highest, protozoan onosma, plain carnation, cup beetroot, Austrian astragalus, coin-leaved sunflower, hard scabiosa, ball-headed onion. In the steppe areas, meadow sage is replaced by steppe sage; in oak forests, Arnelli's sedge grows instead of hairy sedge.

7. The Prisursky pine region occupies the ancient alluvial deposits of the Sura. This area is characterized by a variety of pine forests from lichen forests on dry sandy soils, to complex pine forests with an admixture of oak and linden on rich soils and long-moss pine forests and sphagnum pine forests in conditions of high humidity. There are massifs of floodplain oak forests, there are small areas of thin alder forests, floodplain meadows and thickets of shrubs. Many boreal species are present here (club-shaped, year-old, flattened, blueberry willow, wintergreens, large-flowered single-flowered, marsh boletus), but there is no spruce at all, single junipers are found. On the other hand, in the flora of steppe pine forests, in the meadows along the dry manes of the floodplain, there are steppe plants (sand carnation, open lumbago, sand cinquefoil, kachim panicled, Polesskaya fescue, cornflower blueberry, hornate spirea). Black poplar, or black poplar, is common on riverbanks, and spiked currant is often found.

8. The Bolsheignatovsky steppe region adjoins the Pyansko-Sursky region of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Upland vegetation has been destroyed, its place has been occupied by fields. Steppe groupings survived only along the slopes of gullies and ravines. They noted feather grass, hairy feather grass, spring adonis, leafless iris, low almond, small glandular gerbil.

Chapter 3 MATERIALS AND RESEARCH METHODS

The material for this work was the field research carried out in April-September 2000-2005. During the work, field material was collected from 163 points (Fig. 3). One cadastral point was summarized information obtained on average in one day from the territory with a maximum length in any direction up to 2 km. In most cases day and night observations were combined. Some of the most interesting points were visited repeatedly in different seasons and periods.

The censuses were carried out on routes that lay, if possible, in various biotopes according to the standard method (Novikov, 1953; Shlyakhtin, Golikova, 1986; Garanin, Darevsky, 1987), which made it possible to study the species composition and distribution, as well as to give a certain estimate of abundance. In total, more than 470 km of hiking routes were produced. Specific data on the number of amphibians and reptiles in cadastral points are given in Appendix 2.

The main method was accounting on routes. At the same time, the route, depending on the biotope, ranged from 50 m to 15 km. Transect width for aquatic species amphibians was 2 m (1 m of coastline and 1 m of water surface), for terrestrial amphibians and all reptiles - 2 m.

For an expert assessment of the abundance of amphibians and reptiles at each cadastral point, we used a scale for estimating the abundance proposed by herpetologists from the Nizhny Novgorod region (Pestov et al., 2001):

0 points – the species is not noted (there are no encounters);

1 point - the species is rare (irregular encounters of single individuals in biotopes common for the species);

2 points - the species is not numerous (regular encounters of single individuals on separate routes in biotopes common for the species);

3 points - the species is common (small specimens were encountered on most routes in biotopes common to the species);

4 points - the species is numerous (encounters of a large number of individuals on most routes in biotopes common to the species).

To assess the abundance of a particular species at a particular point, one number was put down from 0 to 4. To assess the abundance of a species in a particular botanical and geographical area, GPA characterizing the entire territory as a whole and, in brackets, the limits of its fluctuations. At the same time, the lower limit was almost always estimated at 0 points, because there were points where this species was not found. The upper limit was determined by the maximum estimate at one of the points of a given botanical-geographical region.

To accurately identify the green frogs of the Rana esculenta complex, we used the DNA flow cytometry method, which consists in measuring the DNA content in frog erythrocytes. The details of the method have been described previously (Borkin et al., 2001). The genome size of R. ridibunda is 16% larger than that of R. lessonae and 8% larger than that of R. esculenta; 3. Cadastral points from the territory of Mordovia (2000–2005). For designations of points, see appendix. 1.

DNA reduction does not exceed 2%. This method makes it possible not only to accurately determine which form the individual under study belongs to, but also, in the case of R. esculenta, to establish which particular genome is contained in its gametes, which is very important.

The genome size value was expressed in picograms (pg). The amount of nuclear DNA (genome size) was measured in 46 R. ridibunda, 116 R. lessonae, and 17 R. esculenta. These studies were performed at the Institute of Cytology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg) by A.M. Rozanov and S.N. Litvinchuk (Ruchin, 2005, 2005a).

An important point in the study of amphibians and reptiles is their size, both absolute and relative. At the same time, certain indices play a role in taxonomy and serve to distinguish individual subspecies. We have studied the main indices used in batracho- and herpetology (Terentyev and Chernov, 1949; Terentyev, 1950; Bannikov et al., 1977) in all species of amphibians and reptiles. An exception was the common copperhead, the material for morphological analysis of which could not be obtained. External morphological features were studied in 479 individuals of amphibians and reptiles. More detailed information is provided in the respective tables. Morphometric processing included the measurement of morphometric parameters used in batracho- and herpetology (Terentyev and Chernov, 1949; Terentyev, 1950; Bannikov et al., 1977). On their basis, indices were calculated that reflect the proportions of the body. The significance of differences was determined using the Microsoft Excel software package.

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Description. Small newt, body length up to 24–62 mm, with tail up to 56–105 mm (Kuzmin, 1999). Series of vomer teeth in the form of parallel lines, slightly converging in the distal part. The tail is slightly shorter, equal to or slightly longer than the body with the head. The skin is smooth or slightly granular. Head with dark longitudinal stripes, one of which runs along the eye and is always visible. The back and sides are brown, brownish-gray, brownish-yellow or olive-gray. The belly is light yellow to orange, with dark dots or spots. Unlike the female, the male has a scalloped crest along the middle of the back and wide webbing on the hind legs, especially developed during the breeding season. At this time, light bluish stripes appear on the lateral surfaces of the tail and sometimes on the body of the male, the cloaca becomes more convex. The cloacal swelling in the male is larger and more rounded than in the female. In addition, the dorsal and ventral surfaces of the male are covered with large dark spots, which are reduced or absent on the back and sides of females; small spots on the belly of the female. They are also present in mating season. The background coloration of the back is always darker in males than in females. On average, females are slightly larger than males.

The nominative subspecies T. v. lives on the territory of Mordovia. vulgaris.

It can be seen (Table 1) that the sexual dimorphism in the common newt is clearly expressed in the index L/L.cd. (p0.001). According to Belarusian scientists (Yasyulya and Novitsky, 2001), dimorphism in T. vulgaris is expressed only by index k. On the other hand, results similar to ours were obtained on the Central Chernozem and Nizhny Novgorod populations of the common newt (Lada, 1993; Pestov et al., 2001).

Table 1. Morphological features of the common newt

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Description. Body length up to 38–79 mm, with tail 97–137 mm. The series of vomer teeth are symmetrical, slightly curved in length, the proximal ends are slightly approached, the distal ends are slightly divergent. The body is stocky, the head is wide. The tail is approximately equal to or slightly shorter than the body with the head. The muzzle of the male is rounded. The skin is rough, coarse-grained. The back and sides are black or brownish-black with dark spots. On the sides of the body there are numerous white dots. The throat is black (sometimes yellowish) with white dots. The cloaca of the male is convex and dark; tail with a longitudinal bluish-white stripe. In the mating season, the male has a deeply serrated crest along the middle of the back, extending from the level of the eyes to the base of the tail, as well as an unserrated crest along the tail; bluish-white stripes become brighter. The female does not have these features. Her cloaca is flattened and reddish; tail below with longitudinal reddish or orange stripe (Kuzmin, 1999).

Area. The species inhabits Europe (except Southern Europe) and Asia up to the western part of Western Siberia. It is found in the Kaliningrad region and in Lithuania.

Further, the northern border of the range runs northeast from Latvia and Estonia to Russia, then approximately along the line Leningrad region - Karelia, then turns southeast and goes along the line: Vologda region - north of the Kostroma region - outskirts of the city of Kirov - Perm region . The southern border of the range runs along the line: Belgorod region - Lipetsk region - Tambov region - Penza region - Saratov region - Samara region

– Tataria – Orenburg region – Chelyabinsk region- south of the Kurgan region (Kuzmin, 1999).

Previously (Teren'ev and Chernov, 1949; Bannikov et al., 1979) it was believed that T.

cristatus includes 4 or 5 subspecies. It is currently considered (Ananyeva et al., 1998) that each of them represents a separate species. In contrast to the common newt, the crested newt does not exhibit sexual dimorphism in metric characters (indices) at all, which was shown by a number of authors (Lada, 1993; Litvinchuk, 1998) and obtained in our studies (Table 2).

Table 2. Morphological features of the crested newt

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Distribution and abundance in the Republic of Moldova. Found at 32 points of 7 BGRs (Fig. 6). Like the common newt, it is more common during the breeding season.

Aquatic biotopes are similar to those of the previous species, and in many cases both species occur syntopically (19 out of 32 finds). Preference for forests various types, in the conditions of Mordovia, these are mixed and deciduous forests of various origins. In one case (point 2, Fig. 6) it was found in a ditch, from which water is consumed for irrigation of suburban areas. In most localities, the species breeds in small (up to 150 m2) water bodies. In the southern part of its range, the crested newt uses shallow water bodies for spawning (Kuzmin, 1999). Taking into account the proximity of the republic to the southern border of the distribution of the species and the preference for breeding sites noted above, we point out the correctness of this statement. Preference for forests of various types; in the conditions of Mordovia, these are mixed and deciduous forests of various origins. In one case (point 2, Fig. 6) was found in a ditch, Fig. 6. Sites of finds of the crested newt in Mordovia. See designations in fig. 3 and in App. 1.

from which water is consumed for irrigation of suburban areas. In most localities, the species breeds in small (up to 150 m2) water bodies. In the southern part of its range, the crested newt uses shallow water bodies for spawning (Kuzmin, 1999). Taking into account the proximity of the republic to the southern border of the distribution of the species and the preference for breeding sites noted above, we point out the correctness of this statement.

Despite their more frequent occurrence, the abundance of the crested newt is usually lower than that of T. vulgaris (Appendix 2, Table 2). It reaches a significant abundance (up to 120 ind./km) only in water bodies located directly near forest biotopes.

4.1.3. Red-bellied toad Bombina bombina (Linnaeus, 1761)

Description. Small species, body length 26–61 mm. The dorsal tubercles are more round than pointed. Above dark, grayish almost to black, with large dark spots. In reservoirs with muddy water, sandy bottom and sparse coastal vegetation, toads sometimes have a bright green back with rare dark green spots. The belly is red or orange, with large bluish-black spots and numerous white dots. The bright coloration on the belly does not exceed the dark one. The lower surface of the legs is covered with small bright spots that do not merge. Unlike the female, the male has internal resonators, a somewhat wider head, and, during the breeding season, dark nuptial calluses on the 1st and 2nd fingers of the forelimb, as well as on the forearms (Kuzmin, 1999).

Below (Table 3) are the results of the analysis of some morphometric characteristics of the red-bellied toad. Males and females do not differ in absolute size. The variation of the indices as a whole is within the limits indicated by other authors (Terentyev and Chernov, 1949; Bannikov et al., 1977). According to the L/T and F/T indices, sex differences were found only in the average values, while the fluctuation limits overlap to a large extent, therefore, they cannot be reliable indices in the differentiation of the sexes.

Table 3. Morphological features of the red-bellied toad (according to: Ruchin, Ryzhov, 2003; with changes)

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Description. Body length 40–80 mm. The body is stocky, the head is large, the hind legs are short. The inner calcaneal tubercle is very large, brownish-yellow. Above grayish yellow, grayish brown or brown with dark brown spots and small reddish dots. The belly is grayish-white, without a pattern or with rare gray dots. The forehead between the eyes is more or less convex. Unlike the female, the male has a protruding oval gland on the shoulder, the body is smaller, the color is darker, the pattern on the back is more contrasting. During the breeding season, the male has small tubercles on the palms and forearms (Kuzmin, 1999).

According to our data, sexual dimorphism in the common spadefoot was revealed only by the index L/l.c. (Fig. 4). In addition, females are clearly larger than males.

For other indices, the differences between males and females are not significant.

Similar data were obtained for the populations of the Central Chernozem Region (Lada, 1994). Using more extensive material, it was shown (Lada et al., 2005) that the sexual dimorphism of the eastern form of spadefoot manifests itself in 8 indices (L, L/T, L/D.p., L/L.c., L/D.r.o., T/D.p., D.p./C.int., L.c./L.t.c.). However, by L/T and D.p./C.int. differences were not found.

Table 4. Morphological features of common spadefoot

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Area. The range occupies vast areas from Germany, Italy to Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. The northern border of the range extends approximately to the level of 580 N. This border starts from the Baltic coast of Estonia and runs approximately along the line: Pskov and Leningrad region- south of the Vologda region - southwest of the Kostroma region - Udmurtia - Perm region - Sverdlovsk region - Tyumen region (Kuzmin, 1999). IN last years Thanks to cytometric data, it was shown that, according to the size of the genome, the populations of the common spadefoot, usually referred to the nominative subspecies (P. f. fuscus), are well separated, forming two geographical groups: “Western” with a smaller amount of nuclear DNA and “Eastern” with a large genome ( Borkin et al., 2001; Borkin et al., 2001, 2003, 2004). This is confirmed by allozyme analysis (Khalturin, 2003). When analyzing the traditional features of external morphology, as well as body color, it was not possible to identify clear differences between these forms (Lada et al., 2004), which indicates two cryptic forms, the taxonomic status of which has not yet been fully determined (Borkin et al., 2004). The use of DNA flow cytometry in the analysis of samples taken from the territory of Mordovia showed that the “eastern” form lives in the republic (Borkin et al., 2003; Khalturin et al., 2003; Borkin et al., 2003).

Distribution and abundance in the Republic of Moldova. Marked at 30 points in 7 BGRs (Fig. 9). It occurs in floodplains, in forests of various types, in vegetable gardens, fields, near abandoned farms. For this species, the mechanical composition of the soil plays a significant role. The spadefoot prefers soils that can be easily buried during the day. First of all, these are light soils - sandy, sandy loamy, and also plowed (Garanin, 1983; Leontieva, 1988; Jahn, 1997; Borisovsky, 1999). In most cases, the habitats of P. fuscus are characterized by the presence of a forest tract of various sizes and a fairly large water body. In the absence of a forest, it is replaced by gardens, summer cottages, orchards. The spadefoot can be considered one of the common types of land amphibians in the conditions of Mordovia.

The number varies widely: from 1 to 15 and 40 ind./km of adults and juveniles (Appendix 2, Table 4). The number of larvae in floodplain water bodies is significant and, according to our observations, can be up to 40–50 ind./m2, especially for floodplain water bodies of the river. Sura, Moksha, Alatyr (points 12, 21, 24, 95, Fig. 9).

4.1.5. Common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758)

Description. Large toad, body length 50–130 cm. Paratoid glands are large. The eardrum is not visible. Males do not have resonators. The second and third toes of the hind legs have paired articular tubercles. The inner edge of the tarsus without a longitudinal skin fold. Dorsal skin with rounded tubercles, sometimes with a pointed apex. Light grey, grey, brown or olive-brown above with more or less developed dark spots.

Sometimes these spots are absent, sometimes they merge into uneven longitudinal stripes. The background color during the breeding season becomes monotonous. The belly is light gray with dark spots. The male differs from the female in the presence of nuptial calluses on the 1st toe of the front foot (during the breeding season - on the 1st, 2nd and / or 3rd), smaller body size and some proportions. In individuals from the Carpathians, sex differences in coloration during the mating season were noted: the male is monochromatic, light greenish-brown above, and the female is more brown with dark brown spots, which sometimes merge into uneven longitudinal stripes, more distinct on the sides (Kuzmin, 1999) .

Rice. 9. Points of finds of common spadefoot in Mordovia. See designations in fig. 3 and in App. 1.

Morphological features of the common toad are shown in Table 5. It can be seen that sexual dimorphism in this species has not been recorded. Our data differ from the results obtained by other authors (Pestov et al., 2001; Novitsky, 2001), which can be explained by the small sample of individuals for morphometric analysis.

Table 5. Morphological features of the common toad

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Area. This species is widely distributed in Europe and Western Siberia, and penetrates into Eastern Siberia. The northern border of the range runs along the north of Russia from the northern coast of the White Sea in the Murmansk region. and crosses the whole of Karelia. IN Arkhangelsk region the border runs from the outskirts of the city of Arkhangelsk through the Pinezhsky Reserve, then approximately along the line: Komi - Pechoro-Ilychsky Reserve - through the Urals to the Tyumen Region - Krasnoyarsk region. Then the border crosses the river. Yenisei and turns southeast to the river.

Chuna in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Irkutsk Region (Kuzmin, 1999; Duisebaeva and Prokopov, 2002).

Distribution and abundance in the Republic of Moldova. Found at 15 points of 6 BGR (Fig.

10). In Mordovia, it occurs sporadically and tends to forest biotopes.

Only at one point (116, fig. 10) was the common toad found in the old "master"

garden. Mordovia is located close to the southern border of the distribution of the species. In the southern limits of its distribution, the common toad chooses damp biotopes:

wet meadows, floodplains of rivers and small streams (Garanin, 1968; Kuzmin, 1999; Duisebaeva and Prokopov, 2002). This fully applies to B. bufo biotopes in the republic. Breeding reservoirs are fairly large lakes, mostly flowing and deep.

In large forests of Zubovopolyansky, Tengushevsky, Temnikovsky districts, it is common (Appendix 2, Table 5). In the Smolny National Park, the common toad is a common species, and in the Mordovian Reserve, it is numerous. On one of the spawning grounds of the common toad for 3 years of observations (April), a downward trend in the number of females was revealed: 2000 - 36, 2001 - 15, 2002 - 4 individuals (Ruchin, 2003).

In the reserve, the number of underyearlings during landfall reaches significant values ​​(sometimes up to 500–600 ind./m2).

Rice. 10. Points of finds of the common toad in Mordovia. See designations in fig. 3 and in App. 1.

4.1.6. Green toad Bufo viridis Laurenti, 1768 Description. Body length 48–99 mm, usually 55–80 mm (Kuzmin, 1999).

There is a tympanic membrane, the male has resonators, the 3rd toe of the hind leg has single articular tubercles. The apex of the 4th toe of the fore foot extends beyond the 1st articulation of the 3rd toe of the fore foot. The inner edge of the tarsus with a longitudinal skin fold. The skin of the back is bumpy. The upperparts are greyish or olive with green or olive spots and red or orange-red dots on the flanks. The belly is greyish. The male differs from the female in the presence of mating calluses on the 1st toe of the front leg (during the mating season on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers), a smaller body, and sometimes a greener background color (greyish in the female) in marriage period. In addition, the male usually has a lighter build and a grayish belly (white in the female).

According to morphometric characters, sexual dimorphism in populations of the green toad from the territory of Mordovia is observed according to two indices L/L.c. and D.p./C.int. Similar data were obtained by Belarusian scientists (Novitsky, 2001). However, in contrast to their results, no dimorphism was registered in our samples for other indices.

Table 6. Morphological features of the green toad

–  –  –

Area. The species inhabits a vast territory from northeast Africa through Europe to Siberia and Central Asia. The northern border of the range runs along the western slope of the Urals and southeast through the forest-steppe and steppe zones. The range border begins in Latvia and southern Estonia. Then it passes through Russia to the east approximately along the line: Pskov region - Yaroslavl region – Ivanovo region- Nizhny Novgorod region - Kirov region - Udmurtia - south of the Perm region. Further, the border turns southeast into the Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions, then the border passes through northern and eastern Kazakhstan. Then it goes to the southeast through the Semipalatinsk and East Kazakhstan regions (Kuzmin, 1999).

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The fauna of the forests of Mordovia is diverse. Most of the species of insects recorded in our republic are found here, you can find many hymenoptera, butterflies, beetles. Some of the nicknames are listed in the Red Books - these are mnemosyne butterflies, swallowtail, many types of bumblebees.
The forest litter is also rich in species of invertebrates; a huge number of microorganisms develop here.
Among the amphibians in the forests live: moor and grass frog, spadefoot, green and gray toad, listed in the lists of rare and endangered species.
All six species of reptiles are found in the forests. On the outskirts there is a nimble lizard, along the edges - a viviparous lizard, in humid forests it is already ordinary, there are copperheads, brittle spindles.
The birds of the forests of Mordovia are also represented by a great variety. In the forest you can meet the small and motley woodpecker, nuthatch, wryneck, siskin, carduelis, hazel grouse, black grouse and many other birds. Some species are listed in the Red Books.
Mammals of forest biogeocenoses are divided into several ecological groups:
Wood-climbing. They spend most of their lives in trees, getting food there, arranging nests for reproduction and rest, and fleeing from squirrels and martens.
Mammals leading a semi-arboreal, semi-terrestrial lifestyle - forest dormouse, hazel.
Species leading a terrestrial lifestyle. These are elk, sika deer, roe deer, forest polecat, many species of mouse-like rodents.
Underground mammals are also found in the forest - various types of shrews, moles. Many species of forest animals are of commercial importance.

Snakes of the Republic of Mordovia

The snake fauna of the Middle Volga includes 9 species (Bakiyev, Malenev, 1996).
The Republic of Mordovia (RM), despite small size its territory (the length from west to east is about 280 km, from north to south - from 80 to 140 km), is characterized by a significant landscape diversity. By the nature of the relief, the territory of the republic is divided into two parts, between which there are no sharp transitions: the western part is low-lying (with the water system of the Moksha river) and the eastern part is hilly (the Sura river system). The least studied group of vertebrates inhabiting the territory of Mordovia are reptiles. According to different authors, from 6 to 8 species of reptiles live in Mordovia.
To date, three species of snakes have been established on the territory of Mordovia. The usual and mass species is the common grass snake (noted in 59 points).
The distribution of the common viper in Mordovia is sporadic. The viper was noted in 37 points and is mainly found in rather large forest areas. It prefers mixed forests, in which it is common in clearings, clearings, clearings, along the banks of swamps, rivers, lakes and streams.
Extremely a rare species is the common copperhead. Over the past 50 years, only 6 reliable finds of this species are known.

Amphibious republics of Mordovia

In 1888 (cited in: Garanin, 1971) N.A. Varpakhovsky compiled a list of amphibians and reptiles of the Nizhny Novgorod province, the southern districts of which later became the territory of Mordovia. M.D. Ruzsky (1894), who was engaged in herpetological collections in the Surye, noted 6 species of amphibians and 2 species of reptiles in the Ardatovsky district (now the Ardatovsky district of Mordovia).
The most complete and systematic studies of the amphibian ecology of Mordovia, or rather the Middle Surye, were carried out from 1968 to 1977. During this time, 269 route surveys with a total length of over 143 km were laid (Astradamov, 1975; Astradamov, Alysheva, 1979a). 10 species of amphibians were identified, which were divided into three groups: those living in the floodplain on continental terraces, living in the floodplain on non-flooded terraces, and aquatic. The moor frog was the dominant species in the pine forests of the Middle Surye. The feeding habits of this species were studied (Makarov and Astradamov, 1975). In her stomach, more than 130 species of invertebrates were noted, the basis of which were insects. The authors made interesting calculations, according to which 10,000 specimens of moor frogs, living on an area of ​​100 hectares, destroy 15 million specimens of animals in 5 months, of which 9 million are “harmful”.

Bats of the Republic of Mordovia

Bats are one of the little-studied orders of mammals in the republic and are represented only by the family - Smooth-nosed (Vespertilionidae). The main studies were carried out in the Mordovian Reserve (Morozova-Turova, 1938; Borodina et al., 1970; Barbash-Nikiforov, 1958). In the latest generalizing publications on bats of Mordovia, there are some disagreements. Thus, 9 species are included in the Red Book (2005), and 8 species are included in the textbook (Vechkanov et al., 2006). In addition to the pond and water bats common to these publications, the brown ear bat, the red bat, the karik and Nathusius bats, the skin of the two-colored bat, the Red Book lists the small and giant bats, and in study guide also a mustachioed night bat.
According to the latest report (Pavlinov et al., 2002), 13 species may inhabit the territory of the republic. Some of them are included in the Red Books of neighboring regions (Red Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, 2003; Red Book of the Ryazan Region, 2003; Red Book of the Ulyanovsk Region, 2004; Red Book Penza region, 2005) (table).
In addition to the mentioned types of L.S. Shaldybin (1964) noted two specimens of the tricolor night bat for the Mordovian Reserve. Apparently, this information should be considered erroneous, because. the range of the species within Russia is located only within North Caucasus(Pavlinov, 2002).

Many game animals have been preserved in the forests - a wolf, an elk, a badger, a beaver, a wild boar, a muskrat, a fox, a hare and a hare; from birds - black grouse, gray partridge, capercaillie. Carp, crucian carp, bream, pike are found in reservoirs.

Rare animals of the forests of Mordovia

Take care of these waters, these lands,
Even a small bylinochku loving.
Take care of all the animals inside nature,
Kill only the beasts within you.
(Demonstration of the presentation of rare animals with teacher's comments)
V Swallowtail (insect class)
B Mnemosyne (insect class)
B Grass frog (class amphibians)
B Copperhead ordinary (class reptiles)
B Black stork (bird class)
B Berkut (bird class)
B Owl (bird class)
B Small Vespers (mammals class)
IN· Noble deer(class mammals)
B Bison (class mammals)
The Mordovian Reserve is located on the territory of the republic.

Mordovian Reserve

It is located in the interfluve of the Moksha and its right tributary Satis, on the Oka-Klyazma plain, in Mordovia, near the town of Temnikov. Founded in 1936, the area is 32148 hectares, 30852 hectares are occupied by forests, 201 hectares are reservoirs. The relief is slightly dissected, small elevations between river floodplains and logs are typical. 4 terraces are pronounced, the heights of which are respectively 110, 110-120, 120-140 and 140-188 m above sea level. The rivers - Pushta, Moksha, Satis, Arga (a tributary of the Satis) flow through the territory of the reserve.
The climate is temperate, typical for middle latitudes. The average annual temperature is 3.4 В°С, average temperature July 19.8 °C, average January temperature - 12.4 °C, average annual rainfall 445 mm. About 950 species of plants are registered in the reserve, 619 - vascular, 77 - mosses, 83 - lichens, 25 species of trees and shrubs. The most common are pine forests with an admixture of broad-leaved species (birch, aspen, linden), as well as pure pine forests. In the floodplain of Moksha there are oak forests aged 140-150 years. In the undergrowth - bird cherry, blackberry, black currant, raspberry. Meadow vegetation is represented mainly by floodplain meadows.
The fauna is represented by 59 species of mammals, 194 species of birds, 10 species of amphibians, 6 species of reptiles, 29 species of fish. 12 species of predators live in the reserve - brown bear, European mink, pine marten, otter, lynx; 5 species of artiodactyls - roe deer, deer (spotted and noble), elk, bison. There are 22 species of rodents - beaver, dormouse (forest and garden), forest mouse, large jerboa, yellow-throated mouse. Bats 8 species - bats (pond, water and mustachioed), long-eared bats, red evening. Hares (hare and hare) are common; there are muskrat, shrew.
Of the birds, the black-throated loon, black stork, whooper swan, gray duck, red-headed pochard, honey buzzard, short-toed eagle, golden eagle, eagles (burial ground and dwarf), white-tailed eagle, buzzard, osprey, peregrine falcon, saker falcon, owl, black grouse, capercaillie, hazel grouse, quail, gray partridge and gray crane, great snipe, snipe, woodcock, curlew, stock dove, wood pigeon, scops owl, little owl, owl, marsh and long-eared owls, woodpeckers (7 species), scurry, grosbeak.
From amphibians there are newts (common and comb), toads (green and gray), garlic, frogs (4 species), toads, and from reptiles (6 species) - spindle, grass snake, viper, lizards (fast and viviparous). 29 species of fish have been registered, of which tench, pike, golden carp, perch, and topfish are the most common.

• Hares stick to scrub or sparse forest, avoiding open spaces. They have no permanent home. They feed at night, at dusk and at dawn. In summer they eat cereals, leguminous plants, sedge, larch needles. In winter - small branches and bark of trees and shrubs, as well as hay around haystacks.
• There is a saying - "cowardly as a hare." But the hare is not so much cowardly as cautious. This caution saves him from enemies.

• The main feature of the fox is its fluffy tail. With it, she acts as a rudder during persecution. She hides with him, curled up during the rest in a ball.
• Foxes go hunting at any time of the day. Their main prey is small rodents. In summer, foxes eat insects, berries and fruits of plants.
• At any time of the year, the fox is a mouse: it looks for the holes of field and forest mice, breaks them and eats these harmful animals.

• Wolves lead a wandering life in winter, going out in search of prey at dusk and at night. During the day, they hide in thickets of bushes and along ravines. They hunt deer, elk, cows, partridges and black grouse, pursue hares, and when there is no live prey, they feed on carrion.
• Wolves do not hunt alone, but together. In search of prey, wolves roam open spaces, making transitions without rest up to 50 km. The wolf eats 2 kg of meat per day, hides the rest of the food in a secluded place in reserve.

• The male brown bear weighs 500-750 kg. In appearance, he is clumsy, although in reality he is very mobile and dexterous: he can quickly run, jump, swim, climb trees.
• Comes out in search of food in the evening. Eats young shoots, roots, bulbs, mushrooms, berries, acorns, nuts. In the forest, it spreads ant heaps, eats eggs of chicks from nests on the ground, catches small rodents, frogs. Attacks large animals.
• By autumn, bears get fat and go into hibernation.

• Elk is a forest giant with beautiful spade-shaped horns. The females are hornless. Quickly moving its ears in all directions, the moose quickly catches the rustles of the forest and goes into the thickets.
• In summer, moose feed on succulent marsh plants and rhizomes, foliage, and young shoots. They love Ivan tea and dandelions, but do not eat berries and mushrooms, do not touch cereals and potatoes.
• In winter, they switch to roughage - aspen and willow branches, bark, lichens and needles.

• Deer live in broad-leaved forests, preferring oak plantations, where they feed on acorns. In summer they eat various herbs, leaves of trees and shrubs.
• Deer become the prey of wolves, especially in spring, when they are weak and cannot run fast.
• Young non-ossified antlers - antlers of spotted deer are used for the preparation of a medicinal product.

• Bison - a forest giant, was once widespread in Europe. Today this species has been preserved, and even then, only in the reserves of Belarus, Poland and Russia. The bison's head is small in relation to the body. The eyes are dark brown, the nose is large, with large nostrils. The horns of a bison, and there are two of them, grow throughout life and do not change, as, for example, in a deer. A hump, a sloping back, a powerful physique, strong low legs and a long tail - that's what he is, a bison. Under the chin is a thick beard. The color of the fur of the animal is chestnut, the sides are brown. The fluffy and soft undercoat of the bison keeps the body of the animal warm and protects from getting wet. The bison has a well-developed sense of smell, but hearing and vision are slightly worse.

• The boar is a very common wild animal. The closest relative of the boar is the pig. The body length of a hardened boar can range from 130 centimeters to 170 centimeters. The height of the boar can be 1 meter. Body weight usually reaches sixty kilograms. Boars have a huge head, slightly elongated forward, large and long ears, very small eyes, and a snout. The body is covered with coarse bristles in summer, becoming thicker and softer in winter, with a larger undercoat. The dependence of the distribution of wild boars in a particular territory depends on the presence of a large amount of food on it.

• The badger is a typical representative of mixed forests. It is an omnivore that lives in burrows. It is larger than a fox but smaller than a wolf. Wide paws with long claws allow him to dig holes well.
• They spend most of their lives in a hole, falling into hibernation for half a year, and the rest of the time they hide in a hole during the day, and at night they hunt mouse-like rodents and harmful insects.

• The beaver is the largest rodent. Beavers are nocturnal animals closely associated with water bodies. They love quiet forest rivers with high banks and thickets of shrubs and trees. Willows, aspens, poplars, birches are their main food. Beavers eat the roots and stems of water lilies, various aquatic plants, and succulent grasses.
• The beaver swims well thanks to its tail. On land, the tail serves as a support for him when sitting, in the water - with an oar, with his tail the beaver compacts the clay, building his hut.

• The squirrel has an elongated body with a fluffy long tail, long ears, dark brown color with a white belly, sometimes gray (especially in winter). Found everywhere except Australia. The squirrel is a source of valuable fur.
• Squirrels store nuts for the winter. Some bury them in the ground, others hide them in hollow trees. The poor memory of some species of squirrels helps preserve forests, as they bury nuts in the ground and forget about them, and new trees grow from germinated seeds.
• Squirrels are omnivorous: in addition to nuts, seeds, fruits, mushrooms, and green vegetation, they also eat insects, eggs, and even small birds, mammals, and frogs.

• The hedgehog is a predatory nocturnal animal. Lives in mixed forests. In search of food, it sometimes travels up to 3 km per night. It feeds on beetles, earthworms, newts, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, mice, as well as berries, acorns, fallen ripe fruits of apple trees, pears and other trees.
• By winter, hedgehogs grow fat and fall into deep hibernation, finding refuge in dense bushes, in depressions of the soil covered with fallen leaves. The hedgehog wakes up only with the cessation of frost.

• Snake - Not Poisonous snakes- inhabitants of the forest zone. Their distinguishing feature is the presence of yellow (sometimes white) crescent-shaped spots on the sides, which are called "cheeks". habitats - moist forests, banks of quiet rivers, lakes, ponds, grass swamps, shrubs.
• The food of snakes is frogs and toads, young lizards, small birds. The prey is swallowed whole.
• For the winter, snakes fall into a stupor, hiding in secluded places.

• Vipers are poisonous snakes. Their bite is painful, but not fatal (if given in time). health care). They live in swampy places, in glades with tall grass, along the banks of rivers and lakes.
• On a hot day, vipers bask in the sun, lying on old stumps or on forest paths. At night they become active and prey on rodents and other animals.
• Vipers winter in the soil, climbing into the holes of moles and rodents, under the roots of trees. The numbness lasts for about half a year.

• The Mordovian State Nature Reserve named after P.G. Smidovich is a reserve located in the Temnikovsky district of the Republic of Mordovia, on the right bank of the Moksha River, on the border of the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests and forest-steppe. The reserve was established on March 5, 1936. Named in honor of the statesman Pyotr Germogenovich Smidovich, who paid much attention to environmental issues. The reserve is located on the wooded right bank of the Moksha River, the left tributary of the Oka. The main tasks of the reserve were the preservation and restoration of the forest massif of the southern spur of the taiga zone, the preservation and enrichment of the animal world.
• Smolny National Park. The Smolny Natural Park is located on the territory of the Ichalkovsky and Bolshe-Ignatovsky regions of the Republic of Mordovia. It was created with the aim of preserving the natural complex, which represents ecological systems typical for Mordovia.