Volume 10 (2005)

THE USE OF DIGITAL IMAGES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION OF AMPHIBIANS

RODICA PLĂIAŞU, TIBOR HARTEL, RALUCA IOANA BĂNCILĂ, DAN COGĂLNICEANU

Mark-recapture techniques are widely used in amphibian demographical studies (Beausoleil et al., 2004; Donnely et al., 1994; Schmidt, 2003). A variety of marking techniques are available for adult amphibians, with permanent or temporary marks, either date-specific or individual specific. Long-term studies, including monitoring, require permanent marks, that ideally should be individual-specific. Among the marking techniques used for adult amphibians are: toe clipping, pattern mapping (Donnely et al., 1994), branding (Donnely et al., 1994; Ehmann, 2002), passive integrated transponders and microtags (Sinsch, 1992; Jehle & Hödl, 1998), skin grafting (Rafinski, 1977; Plytycz & Bigaj, 1993), the use of polymers and pigments (Donnely et al., 1994; Cogãlniceanu, 1997). The ideal mark should be as free of pain and/or stress as possible, allow the individual identification of the animal, be easy to apply in the laboratory and the field, cost-effective and able to utilize materials that are easy to obtain, should not cause death or have sub-lethal effects on fitness, or influence the behavior and detection probability of the marked individuals (Beausoleil et al., 2004). The most frequently used marking technique for amphibians is toe clipping. This marking technique involves some level of stress and tissue damage that might increase the risk of infection (Parris & McCarthy, 2001; McCarthy & Parris, 2004; May, 2004; Funk et al., 2005). Pattern mapping was until recently a rather costly and time-consuming technique. The decrease in cost of digital cameras and their improved quality has made this technique more attractive, since it allows the rapid marking of large number of individuals in the field. It is similar to the finger prints technique used in individual human identification for over a century. Pattern mapping was used in a variety of amphibian species for the identification of both adults (Loafman, 1991) and larvae (Eitam & Blaustein, 2002). This marking technique is limited only to those species of amphibians that have highly variable dorsal (among Romanian taxa: Salamandra salamandra, Rana temporaria, Pelobates fuscus, P. syriacus, Bufo viridis) or ventral (e.g. Triturus vulgaris, T. dobrogicus, T. cristatus, Bombina sp.) color patterns. Most attention was given to Bombina sp., for belly pattern identification of hybrids (Covaciu-Marcov et al., 2004; Voros et al., 2002), but also for individual identification (Delarze et al., 2000; Seidel et al., 2001). In this paper we present a simple method for individual recognition of the yellow bellied toad (Bombina variegata) based on belly pattern.

DATA REGARDING THE TROPHIC SPECTRUM OF ONE POPULATION OF BOMBINA VARIEGATA FROM PIATRA NEAMÞ (NEAMÞ COUNTY)

DANIEL GHIURCĂ, LĂCRĂMIOARA ZAHARIA, IULIAN GHERGHEL

The species Bombina variegata belongs to the family Discoglossidae from Anura order, being a common species in Romania spread at altitudes between 200-1500 m (Cogãlniceanu et. al., 2000). The studies regarding the stomach content of Bombina variegata are poor in Romania (Sas et al 2004, Ghiurcã et al 2005). From this point of view we aim to bring new data regarding the food of this species. The study was undertaken in an ecosystem from the neighborhoods of Piatra Neamþ town (Neamþ County). The research was focused on the taxonomic groups which represent the prey of yellow-bellied toad (both the number of species and specimens), and, also, on the occurrence frequency of different categories of organisms.

THE STRUCTURE AND DYNAMIC OF A MIXED HIBERNATION COLONY AND THE MICROCLIMATE CONDITIONS FROM GROTA MARE (REPEDEA, IAªI)

IRINA IFRIM, NICULAI VALENCIUC

Pieces of information referring to the ecology of the bats from the caves in Moldavia are few. Valenciuc N. (1973, 1989), starting from 1963s, studied the dynamic and the microclimate conditions from 2 caves in Moldavia: Peºtera Liliecilor from Rarãu (the Bats’ Cave) and Peºtera Toºorog (the Toºorog Cave) from the county of Neamþ. The cave was discovered and studied beginning with the hibernation. They signalled 4 species (Myotis blythii, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis nattereri and Myotis daubentonii), out of which 3 new species for the Chiroptera fauna of Moldavia (Valenciuc, Chachula 2001a, 2001b). Under the same competent guidance we continued the study of Chiroptera, with a view to present the results of monitoring the Chiroptera community from the cave. In the years that followed, December 2002 – April 2005, besides the species earlier recorded we registered other 6 species (Myotis myotis, Myotis mystacinus, Myotis brandtii, Plecotus auritus, Plecotus austriacus and Barbastella barbastellus1), Myotis brandtii being for the first time signalled in Moldavia. Four of them are presented in the annex II of the Habitats Directive (92/43 concerning the Conservation of the Natural Habitats of Wild Fauna and Flora): Myotis myotis, Myotis blythii, Myotis bechsteinii and Barbastella barbastellus. The geological reservation ”Dealul Repedea (the Repedea Hill)” lies at 9 km from the city of Iaºi, close to the National Road Iaºi-Vaslui; Grota Mare is the biggest cave from the reservation. It is dug in oolitic limestone.