Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 1–8, 2010

Title: Two new species of Aporcelaimellus (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) from the Americas

Author: Andrássy, I.

Author's address: Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology of the Eötvös Loránd University and Systematic Zoology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary

Abstract: This paper provides the descriptions and illustrations of two new species of the nematode genus Aporcelaimellus (family Aporcelaimidae). Aporcelaimellus salsus sp. n. from the United States is characterized by the medium-sized body, short odontostyle, unsclerotized vulva, conical, dorsally not concave tail with distinctly separated layers of terminal cuticle. Aporcelaimellus acaudatus sp. n. from Ecuador is distinguished by the large body, sclerotized vulva and especially by the exceedingly short and blunt tail with strongly thickened inner layer of terminal cuticle.

Key words: Aporcelaimellus, description of new species, Ecuador, United States

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Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 9–41, 2010

Title: Seven new Afrotropical species of Poecilosomella Duda (Diptera: Sphaeroceridae)

Author: Papp, L.

Author's address: Department of Zoology, Hungarian Natural History Museum and Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1088 Budapest, Baross utca 13, Hungary, E-mail: lpapp@zoo.zoo.nhmus.hu

Abstract: Seven new species of the genus Poecilosomella Duda, 1920 are described from the Afrotropical region. They are P. additionalis sp. n. (Republic of South Africa), P. duploseriata sp. n. (Republic of South Africa), P. kittenbergeri sp. n. (N Tanzania, Uganda), P. occulta sp. n. (Republic of South Africa), P. parangulata sp. n. (Republic of South Africa), P. setimanus sp. n. (République du Congo, Togo) and P. setosissima sp. n. (Republic of South Africa). The differentiating features of P. longecostata (Duda, 1925) are re-defined. The relationships in the species groups are discussed. With 68 original drawings and 4 wing photos.

Key words: Sphaeroceridae, Poecilosomella, new species, taxonomy, Afrotropical region

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Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 43–53, 2010

Title: A characterisation of the pair forming acoustic signals of Isophya harzi (Orthoptera, Tettigonioidea, Phaneropteridae)

Authors: Orci, K. M.1, Szövényi, G.2 and Nagy, B.3

Authors' addresses: 1Animal Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Hungarian Natural History Museum, H-1088 Budapest, Baross u. 13, Hungary, E-mail: kirill@nhmus.hu
2Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány P. sétány 1/c, Hungary
3Plant Protection Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, H-1525 Budapest, P. B. 102, Hungary

Abstract: This study gives the first description of the male calling song and male-female duet of Isophya harzi, an Eastern European bush-cricket species known as an endemism of the Cozia Mountains (Southern Carpathians, Romania). The male calling song is a long sequence of syllable groups. Each group is composed of two syllable types and the song can be formulated as A…A – BA…A – BA…A – B (where "A…A" means a varying number of "A" syllables, and "–" means a longer inter-syllable interval). Females emit their short response songs after the "B" syllables of the male song with a response delay of 125–186 ms from the beginning of the male syllable. The male calling song has a wide band frequency spectrum with intensive components between 15–30 kHz. The oscillographic pattern of the male song resembles that of the songs of Isophya beybienkoi and I. posthumoidalis. However, syllables are distinctively longer, repeated at a lower rate and "A…A" syllable groups contain less syllables in Isophya harzi than in the other two species. The stridulatory file consists of 100–130 pegs. Our results support the validity of the specific status of this narrow range, vulnerable bush-cricket.

Key words: song pattern specificity, oscillogram, male-female duet, Isophya posthumoidalis, Isophya beybienkoi

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Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 55–71, 2010

Title: The body size, age structure and growth pattern of the endemic Balkan mosor rock lizard (Dinarolacerta mosorensis Kolombatovic, 1886)

Authors: Tomasevic Kolarov, N.1, Ljubisavljevic, K.1, Polovic, L.2, Dsukic, G.1 and Kalezic, M. L.1,3

Authors' addresses: 1Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research "Sinisa Stankovic" Bulevar Despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade, Serbia, E-mail: natasha@ibiss.bg.ac.rs
2The Natural History Museum of Montenegro, Trg Vojvode Becir Bega Osmanagica 16, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
3Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract: The Mosor rock lizard (Dinarolacerta mosorensis) is a distinctly flattened endemic species that occupies discontinuously distributed rocky areas at high elevations in the Dinaric Mountains of the Balkans. The body size, age structure, longevity, survival rates and growth patterns of this species were studied using skeletochronology and back-calculation methods. The modal age was found to be 5 years for males and 6 years for females, while the maximal longevity was found to be 9 years in both sexes. The age and body length were positively correlated in both sexes. Both sexes reached maturity at 3 years, with a snout-vent length of 53.3 and 56.5 mm for males and females, respectively. The growth coefficient had significantly higher values in females (0.54) than in males (0.40). The asymptotic size of females was lower (66.01 mm) than that of males (70.82 mm). The growth rate of females decreased soon after maturation whereas males continued to grow for a longer time. Juveniles had lower survival rates than adults (0.5 vs 0.7). The effective age at maturity (13.5 months) was significantly greater than that for the small lacertid lizards living at the low altitudes of a Mediterranean climate, greater than but within the range of values predicted for those living at low altitudes of a temperate climate, and lower than but within the range of values predicted for montane small lacertids.

Key words: lacertid lizards, longevity, skeletochronology, endemic species

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Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 73–87, 2010

Title: The migratory fattening of the Barn swallow Hirundo rustica in Hungary

Authors: Halmos, G.1, Karcza, Zs.1, Németh, Á.2 and Csörgõ, T.3

Authors' addresses: 1BirdLife Hungary, H-1121 Budapest, Költõ u. 21, Hungary, E.mail: @.hu
2Kiskunság National Park Directorate, H-6000 Kecskemét, Liszt Ferenc u. 19, Hungary
3Eötvös Loránd University, Department of Anatomy, Cell and Developmental Biology, H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány sétány 1/c, Hungary

Abstract: Studies conducted within the framework of the EURING Swallow Project in the Mediterranean area pointed out that the fattening of Barn Swallows is dependent on the distance they need to cover to pass over ecological barriers, such as sea and desert via their migration route. Our study was conducted at inland sites and we analysed the data in comparison to results previously obtained in the western Mediterraneum. Barn Swallows were captured at two roosting sites in Hungary: Ócsa peat bog and Izsák, at Lake Kolon between 2000–2002 with tape-luring set up each day one and a half hours before sunset. During the study period 7000 adult and 36000 juvenile Barn Swallows were caught. Wing length, 3rd primary length, tail length, body mass and fat score were measured for all adults and for the first 100 juveniles birds each night. Based on the dynamics of fat accumulation the study period was separated to a post-breeding, a transitional and a pre-migratory phase. The observed pattern between years and sites were similar, and there were recaptures during the same autumn between the two roosting sites (60 km from each other) to north and to south direction as well. Our results can not exclude one of the two alternative hypotheses on Barn Swallow migration strategy that is: (1) Barn Swallows build up their fat reserves in Hungary and afterwards they maintain it while slowly reaching the ecological barriers, and (2) Barn Swallows capable of a non-stop migration from Hungary to the southern edge of the Sahara. Efforts to find important refuelling sites in the eastern Mediterranean are needed to support any of the hypotheses.

Key words: Barn swallow, fat stores, Hungary, migration, Mediterranean

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Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 56 (1), pp. 89–101, 2010

Title: Spatial, temporal and individual variability in the autumn diet of European hare (Lepus europaeus) in Hungary

Authors: Katona, K.1, Biró, Zs.1, Szemethy, L.1, Demes, T.2 and Nyeste, M.2

Authors' addresses: 1Szent István University, Institute for Wildlife Conservation, H-2103 Gödöllõ, Páter Károly u. 1, Hungary, E-mail: katonak@ns.vvt.gau.hu, bzsolti@ns.vvt.gau.hu
2University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4010 Debrecen, Hungary

Abstract: The number of European hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778) has been on the decline for several decades, mainly due to the intensification of agriculture that has decreased variability in the hare"s food supply. Therefore, our aim was to investigate the variability in the diet of hares in agricultural, pastural and woody habitat types. Microhistological analysis of stomach contents was used to define the plant species eaten by hares. Our results show that the European hare diet is greatly varied (24 species were eaten). The dominant cultivated species in the diet was wheat, Triticum aestivum. Grasses and browses were also important food components in every area. Among browses we found a generally high consumption of elderberry, Sambucus spp. Hares consumed forbs and seeds in smaller proportions. When possible, hares select a varied diet; even in faeces collected in different cultivations the given cultivated plant species was not dominant. Individual variability in diet composition was also high. Hare habitats should be improved by providing patchy habitat with various field edges, which are connected together (green corridor system). Elderberry should be grown in hedges, and wheat favoured in monocultures.

Key words: cultivated plants, elderberry, habitat heterogeneity

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