This article presents the results of an archaeozoological analysis of a collection of 1002 post-consumption bone remains, which were recovered from the site of a former Dominican Monastery inŁęczyca (Łódzkie Voivodeship, Poland). The material comes from excavations carried out in 2020-2021. The objective of the research was to reconstruct the meat consumption patterns, animal husbandry practices and economic importance of animals in the community residing in the monastery between the 2nd half of the 13th century and the end of the 18th century. The analysed mammal and bird remains were retrieved from layers that were dated to the 13th-16th century (Phase I) and the 16th-18th century (Phase II). The analysis of the Order of Preachers' culinary offerings revealed a diet consisting mainly of beef, followed by mutton, goat and pork. In addition to the benefits of keeping domesticated livestock, the friars also consumed poultry (mainly geese as well as, to a lesser extent, chickens, turkeys and ducks). They also made use of live poultry. Valuable parts of the carcass, obtained from animals of differing ages, were consumed. Hunting played a negligible role in their diet, as is evidenced by the presence of a very low proportion of bones from wild animals, such as roe deer, red deer and fox.
In this study, changes in the body size of domestic cattle in Northeastern Poland, from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern period, are investigated based on over 800 measurements of metapodial bones from sites in Mazovia, Podlachia and Western Polesie. The focus is on estimating the withers height and examining sex-based differences, in order to better understand the breeding strategies and herd compo- sition over time. While earlier research has addressed cattle morphology in Poland, data from post-Early Medieval eastern regions remains limited. This analysis reveals regional and chronological patterns, in- cluding greater diversity in the cattle withers height during the Early Modern period. In Mazovia, bulls decreased in size while cows became more variable, likely due to crossbreeding with imported livestock. In Podlachia, cows grew larger and more diverse; while in Polesie, the steer height declined, which was possibly linked to changes in castration practices. The findings confirm that small and medium-sized cattle predominated, with larger individuals appearing sporadically. The data suggests long-term herd manage- ment prioritising milk production and cow-dominant herds. These results underscore the need for further research in underrepresented areas, to better understand the transition from the Late Medieval to the Early Modern period.
Detailed egg number variations for the polymorphic meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) that were obtained from continuous mass breeding experiments in fully laboratory conditions are reported for the first time. Genetic crossing experiments with certain colour/pattern phenotypes were set up using unmated virgin insects. Three generations were reared during the three-year period of the experiments. A total of 21,213 eggs were produced through 247 pairings. The general median number of eggs per pairing was 76. Egg numbers for the insects from New Zealand, Türkiye and Wales (UK) were comparable. Although the maximum number of 378 eggs was produced by a Typicus phenotype from Türkiye, the medians showed no sign of statistical differences among the three populations. However, the median number of eggs among the F1, F2 and F3 generations were different. The median test applies to the Wales data regarding the combined egg numbers of Melanic, Typicus and Trilineatus groups of phenotypes. The Melanic group of females produced more eggs (81) than Typicus (42) and Trilineatus (72), although with no statistically significant differences. The methods used allow for the maintenance of P . spumarius as a stock for consecutive overlapping generations, which may facilitate the management of future ecological and evolutionary investigations in this spittlebug as a dependable laboratory model organism. The results also will contribute to the debates and implications for breeding studies of P . spumarius in the field of population ecology.
Data on the morphology, biology and distribution of three species of the genus Rhingia Scopoli occurring in Poland are presented. Specimens from this genus deposited in Polish museums and private collections are evaluated. A key to the species Rhingia borealis , R . campestris and R . rostrata is given, along with unpublished photographs of males and females and their terminalia.
The ivy bee Colletes hederae was recorded in the west and south of Poland in September 2023. While C. hederae is expanding its range in Europe, these are most probably the first records of the species in this country. The two localities, Górzyca (at the Polish-German border) and Kraków (S Poland), are situated about 450 km apart from each other. This suggests that the species is colonising the territory of Poland simultaneously from Germany, as well as from the Czech Republic and/or Slovakia.
Bombus haematurus Kriechbaumer, 1870 is one of a few European bumblebee species that are predicted to benefit from climate change. Its expansion in a north-western direction has been observed since the end of the 20th century. In 2023, this species was recorded for the first time in Poland. Two observations of a female, separated by about two weeks, were made in the same locality in Ustrzyki Górne, Bieszczady Mountains.
Scythris salsolavermiculatus sp. nov. is described as new for science from material taken ex cocoon in its food-plant: Salsola vermiculata L. (Chenopodiaceae) in 2001, in the vicinity of Meco (prov. Madrid, 607 m a. s. l.). Its biology is documented, which includes its host plant and its parasitoid, as well as the basic morphology related to its exuvium and cocoon. The male genitalia is very characteristic, with the uncus divided in two and unusually lengthened, while the gnathos is scleroticised and in the shape of a finch's head. The new taxon is included in the cistorum species-group. Its wing morphology is also quite distinct in terms of the three other species included.
The planting of alien plant species is an issue that is contributing to the disappearance of biodi-versity in natural habitats, to the spread of invasive species and to increased pests. In this study, the species composition and abundance of springtails (Collembola) in the natural oak forest of the Vila Nisporeni Protected Area in the Republic of Moldova is compared to that in the Robinia pseudoacacia plantation nearby. A total of 68 species were recorded. The number of Collembola species with a preference to reside in the natural forest was 19 compared to the Robinia pseudoacacia plantation with 9 species.
An unusual behaviour by two woodpeckers was observed in Niepołomice Forest (SE Poland). A female middle spotted woodpecker and male great spotted woodpecker were feeding a brood in one nest hole. This was likely not a case of a hybridising pair, but rather an example of interspecific feeding.
Skibińska K., Santos D . 2023. New subgenus and two new species of the genus Palaeoglaesum and its position within Bruchomyiinae (Psychodidae). Acta zoologica cracoviensia 66: 01-18. Abstract. Phylogenetic analyses between fossil species of the subfamily Bruchomyiinae were conducted. Based on them, a new subgenus, Palaeoglaesum ( Amplissimum ) subgen. nov., within the genus Palaeoglaesum is proposed. Two new species, Palaeoglaesum angustum sp. nov. and Palaeoglaesum cracoviae sp. nov., from Cretaceous Myanmar amber are described and illustrated herein.
Despite the development of technically advanced methods of studying bird migration, classical visual observations remain a source of valuable data allowing a broad analysis of the picture of diurnal migration at a given site. We employed visual observations to investigate the spatial and temporal pattern of diurnal migration of birds in the Polish part of the Carpathians. During autumns 2011-2013, 28 localities distributed over the area were surveyed by experienced observers, while 12 localities were researched in spring 2015. The data collected allowed the determination of passage intensity indices and the timing of migration for more than 100 species in autumn and about 70 species in spring. Mean passage intensity was more than 3 times higher in autumn than in spring, with the highest recorded in the first half of October and mid-March, respectively. Compared to autumn, the peak of diurnal migration was shifted to later hours in spring. The passage occurred primarily along the N-S axis, followed by the NE-SW axis. No consistent evidence of a barrier effect of the Carpathians – expressing as a reduction in passage intensity in intra-mountain locations or in higher elevated areas – has been detected in this study. The cluster analysis showed that the assemblage structure of migrants in the mountain regions located in the south of Poland (Carpathian Mts., Karkonosze Mts., Świętokrzyskie Mts.) were more similar to each other than to a region situated far to the north on the Baltic coast.
BOEV Z. 2022. Pleistocene distribution of the Asiatic wild dog ( Cuon Hodgson, 1838) (Carnivora, Bowdich, 1821 – Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758) in Bulgaria – a review. Acta zool. cracov., 65 (1): 15-20. Abstract. In this article the first summary of data on the past distribution of the dhole in Bulgaria is presented. A total of five Pleistocene localities, with Cuon represented by three taxa ( uon alpinus europaeus, Cuon cf. stehlini and Cuon sp.), are known in the country. These localities all represent former human dwellings from 1.8 Mya to 20,000 BP. The altitudinal distribution of the species in Bulgaria ranged from 260 to 430 m a. s.l
In Mazagran, Mostaganem Province, Algeria, the seasonal variation in abundance of the scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) Coccus hesperidum LINNAEUS, 1758 (Coccidae) and Icerya purchasi MASKELL, 1879 (Monophlebidae) was studied in an orchard on two host plant species, orange ( Citrus sinensis ) and lemon ( C. limon ) between December 2018 and November 2019. Every ten days, samples of leaves were collected for monitoring insect numbers. In C. hesperidum on orange and lemon trees respectively, there were three or four population peaks annually (P<0.0001). In I. purchasi , there were three generations annually (P<0.0001). In both scale insect species their abundance was correlated with temperature (P<0.0001 for C. hesperidum , and P=0.010 for I. purchasi ) but not with relative humidity levels. Lemon trees had the higher scale insect abundance on 50% of days sampled, for both C. hesperidum and I. purchasi (P<0.005), whereas orange had lower numbers of both scale species. C. hesperidum and I. purchasi occurred on all three sample plots; numbers of both species (particularly C. hesperidum ) showed a positive relationship with wind speed (P<0.0001 and P=0.002, respectively), as strong winds probably picked up and carried crawlers into the sample plots situated downwind.
Five species of Mustelidae are known to occur in Paraguay – Tayra Eira barbara , Lesser Grison Galictis cuja , Greater Grison Galictis vittata , Giant Otter Pteronura brasiliensis and Neotropical Otter Lontra longicaudis . However, Paraguayan data regarding the distribution and status of these species in Paraguay is not easily obtainable, and scattered amongst numerous, often obscure publications. Paraguayan literature and specimens were reviewed to compile data on the distribution and status of these species in the country and records are presented in a hierarchical manner reflecting the reliability of each report. Data on these species in Paraguay are sorely lacking and our knowledge of distribution in the country is poor. The specimen record is incomplete and severely biased towards the Chaco region. Most species are apparently widespread and fairly common in the country. Giant Otter has a more restricted distribution, mainly in the Pantanal region. The precise distribution of the Greater Grison is unclear, probably because of widespread confusion of this species with the Lesser Grison.
The key presents all 59 species of the genus Trichocera MEIGEN which occur in Europe. Four subgenera are represented: Trichocera MEIGEN 1803 (five species), Metatrichocera DAHL 1967 (seven species), Saltrichocera KRZEMIÑSKA 2002 (35 species), and Staryia KRZEMIÑSKA & GORZKA 2016 (13 species). The type material of two species, one from North America and one from Asia, are described (Trichocera columbiana ALEXANDER, 1927 and T. arctica LUNDSTRÖM, 1915), whose identities cause some problems and whose presence in the northern regions of Europe is possible. Two new species are described, Trichocera ( Saltrichocera ) longa, n. sp., and T. (Staryia) oulankae, n. sp. Trichocera versicolor is resurrected from synonymy; T. limpidipennis is synonymized with T. regelationis. There are separate keys to males and females; species are illustrated with camera pictures of diagnostic features: genitalia, antennae, and male tarsal claws, and additionally, wings and thoraces when only one sex is known, to enable further search. The state of knowledge of the genus in Europe and in the world is discussed.
Dominican amber is the fossil resin famous for the best quality of inclusions, exploited in Dominican Republic from the deposits formed in the late Early Miocene, ca. 16 Ma. A new species, Polymera (Polymera) alexanderi sp. n. of the dipteran family Limoniidae is described from this amber. This new limonid belongs to the genus Polymera Wiedemann, 1820 with 63 extant species described mostly from South America. Only three fossil species are known so far from Dominican and Baltic amber.
In this study, the species composition and diversity of dragonfly and damselfly assemblages of six post-mining ponds differing in habitat conditions, located within a single sand pit in the central part of the Sandomierz Forest (SE Poland) were assessed. In total, 42 species were recorded in 2019, including 35 species considered resident to the site. In the six studied ponds, a range of 8 to 30 species were recorded, including 5 to 26 resident species. In each pond, at least one unique species was found, and one-third of all species were confined to single ponds only. As a result, the qualitative (Jaccard) and quantitative (Bray-Curtis) similarity indices between the pairs of ponds were low, reaching 12-61% and 19-53%, respectively. Thus, despite a lack of distinct barriers and negligible distances between the ponds (max. 350 m), the structure of assemblages in adjacent water bodies differed considerably. This is probably largely due to the habitat selectivity of species. A redundancy analysis (RDA) showed, that factors such as area and plant diversity of the pond were shaping odonate assemblages, explaining 49.1% of the total variance in the dataset. Due to the high species richness and the identification of several species of special concern, the studied sand pit should be considered a valuable secondary habitat for odonates, which – after termination of exploitation – should be regarded as a good candidate for a site designated for the conservation of biodiversity.
One female specimen of Pseudoleria pectinata (LOEW, 1872) was identified from photos taken at the Spanish Atlantic coast by Antonio J. PIZARRO MÉNDEZ, an amateur biologist. The species was observed in nature, in Rota, Spain, on 6th December 2019, and after detailed identification process, it was recorded for the first time in Europe. The pictures concerning the Pseudoleria pectinata specimen and the diagnostic features are presented. A discussion concerning the utilization of citizen science to help monitor invasive or introduced animals is included.
Cooperative hunting is a rare strategy in raptors, although it has been widely described in Falconidae and in some species of Accipitridae. Records about synchronous hunting in the member of the genus Accipiter are occasional. Here we describe a case of the cooperative hunting of two northern goshawks, A. gentilis, of a pigeon, Columba sp., observed in southern Poland in 2020. This exemplary behavior could be either exceptional, or cooperative hunting is an overlooked phenomenon in goshawk biology.
Isomyiomma hirta gen. et sp. n. is described from late Eocene, Baltic amber. This peculiar genus is mainly characterized by an unusually developed scutellum and a very short claval commissure like Metoisops akingbohungbei HERCZEK & POPOV, 2014, but with a different head structure. So far, six of the extinct genera Isometopinae have been described from Baltic amber; the key to these genera is provided.
