This summer, with the support of the Lake Baikal Foundation, scientists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences conducted research on the Baikal seal on the Ushkany Islands. The scientists in this expedition were faced with the tasks of counting the numbers, collecting biological material for research and assessing the impact of tourists on the animals. Some data on changes in the seals' behavior in the presence of humans had been collected earlier, but the information was fragmentary, so this year the research was expanded. Walking surveys were conducted twice a day at 11 observation points. The network of observation points along the route along Tonkiy Island was established during the expedition 4 years ago. All points were defined in such a way that with maximum coverage of the northern coast, the observation areas did not overlap each other. In order not to frighten the seals, the counters moved at a distance of 5 to 50 m from the water's edge. Binoculars and cameras with a long-focus lens were used for observation, which made it possible to accurately count the number of individuals in a certain area without disturbing the animals. For the most representative sample, counts were conducted twice a day, each observation period lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour - during this time, scientists noted the number of under-molted, injured or sick individuals, and, if possible, recorded the sex of the animals. A total of 39 counts were conducted and more than 5,000 photographs were taken, the largest number of seals at the same time (384 individuals) was noted on July 21. A quadcopter was used to cover a larger area. The animals are found not only on Tonkiy Island, but also on other parts of the Ushkany Islands archipelago, so the use of a quadcopter significantly expanded the possibilities of the survey. For this reason, aerial surveys were conducted on Tonkiy and Kruglyy Islands. There are always errors in ground-based surveys because it is impossible to accurately count animals that are in the water and not fully visible. Comparison of coastal survey data and filming materials allows us to estimate what percentage of seals were not counted during walking observations. The quadcopter allowed us to obtain a large volume of video material from the rookeries, however, in order to avoid disturbance among the seals, the flight was carried out at an altitude of 60 to 120 meters. In total, 48 videos with a total duration of more than 4.5 hours were obtained from aerial filming over the Tonkiy, Dolgiy and Krugly islands. Tourist groups as one of the factors influencing the behavior of seals To assess the impact of tourist groups on the behavior of seals, an observation point was also organized on the platform used by tourists. Behavioral studies were conducted daily for 6 hours. Every 10 minutes, animals were filmed at the haulout, and the following indicators were noted: the presence of tourists at the site and their number;people's behavior: how they talk, gesticulate, and where they are;noise level;weather conditions. Natural phenomena sometimes had a stronger effect on the behavior of seals than the presence of people - for example, loud peals of thunder or the sudden appearance of large birds could also scare the seals from their haulout. In the event of a mass of animals temporarily leaving the haulout, the time and the supposed reason were noted, and their behavior was recorded at 5-minute intervals over the next 20 minutes. The obtained materials will allow us to establish the rate of restoration of the haulout and changes in the behavior of the seals after being frightened for various reasons. Samples of various tissues and materials were collected for further research. An important part of the expedition is collecting samples for laboratory research. During the survey, the coastline of Tonkiy Island was examined to find dead animals, and scientists had to overcome steep banks and slopes to get to them. A total of 4 dead seals were found during the expedition. When found, the location, sex, age were noted in the protocol and the main indicators were measured: total body length, tail length and chest circumference. To determine the age of seals, a method is used to count the number of full segments on the animal's claws - the growth phase of such segments coincides with the phase of hair change, which occurs once a year. The following materials were selected by scientists: Muscle tissue samples – for genetic studies;Hair and vibrissae – for hormonal and toxicological studies;Claws – for hormonal studies;Teeth/skull – for morphological studies;Fat samples – for fatty acid composition studies. Hair and vibrissae will also be tested for mercury. The data obtained will help determine the factors influencing the number of animals and the current state of the population. Currently, all the materials received from the expedition are being processed. A lot of time is spent counting animals from video recordings obtained using quadcopters. The data obtained during foot counts and aerial photography will allow us to estimate the number of seals on the islands of Tonkiy, Dolgiy and Krugly in 2024, compare this year's results with previous years of research, assess the interannual dynamics of numbers and better understand the environmental factors affecting the number of animals on the archipelago. Behavioral work carried out on Tonkiy Island will determine the degree of impact of tourists on the behavior of Baikal seals on the haulout, and the analysis of samples collected from dead animals will help determine the physiological state of dead individuals. Also during the autumn, an analysis of the behavior captured during filming at the largest haulout will be conducted. All collected photo and video material is analyzed and the behavior of each seal at the haulout is assessed using a specially developed scale. This is painstaking work that requires a lot of time and attention to detail. Реализация проекта стала возможной благодаря поддержкThe project implementation became possible thanks to the support of the corporate trustee of the World Around You Foundation, Siberian Wellness. Photos by IEE RAS. Related materials: First Baikal: "Scientists conducted large-scale monitoring of seals on the Ushkany Islands" EcoTourismExpert: "Scientists summed up the interim results of the study of the Baikal seal" New Siberian Television: "Scientists counted 384 seals in one day on the Ushkany Islands of Baikal" Nature.Kremlin: "Interim results of the expedition to study the Baikal seal received" UnaPersona: "Baikal seal: the first results of this year's large-scale study"

Illustrated: Evolution of bloodsucking fliesThe genera are marked with colors depending on the breadth of the host range. The scale bar shows the divergence estimates in millions of years. #E - empodium morphotype, #P - pulvilli hook morphotype, B - double claw, S - simple claw. Bloodflies are a highly specialized group of ectoparasites in the family Hippoboscidae. They have a worldwide distribution and are vectors of many dangerous diseases in both mammals and birds. The family is divided into three subfamilies. Lipopteninae and Hippoboscinae are mainly restricted to mammals, while Ornithomyiinae parasitize birds. Hippoboscidae spend all or most of their lives in the fur or feathers of their hosts and have a large number of unique morphological and physiological adaptations associated with their ectoparasitic lifestyle. Of particular importance are those associated with reliable fixation and efficient movement on the host. “The attachment apparatus is located on the pretarsus (the end of the tarsus) and consists of paired claws, empodium, and paired pulvilli covered with setaceous formations ending in bilobed hooks. Previously, we identified 6 empodium morphotypes and 4 pulvilli morphotypes,” says Alexandra Yatsuk, PhD in Biology, research fellow at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Based on a comprehensive analysis of molecular-genetic, morphological, and ecological characteristics of Palearctic bloodsucker species, the phylogenetic structure and trends in the evolution of morphological traits were studied for the first time. It was found that the bird parasites are characterized by forked claws, long hooks on the pulvilli, and long empodium setae (except for the genus Ornithoica). Mammalian parasites are characterized by simple claws, short lobes of hooks on the pulvilli, and zones on the empodium with short setae. Specialization in empodium morphotypes, hooks on the pulvilli, and wing reduction are more divergent in mammalian parasites than in avian parasites. According to the literature, parasitism in Hypoboscidae began with mammals. However, our data makes it likely that parasites of birds probably appeared in the family earlier than parasites of mammals. Independent adaptation to birds occurred at least 3 times in the evolution of this group. Reduced flight ability and wing reduction independently arose in different subfamilies of Hippoboscidae flies. The article was published in the journal Wiley: Morphology of the wings and attachment apparatus in the evolution of the family Hippoboscidae (Diptera), Aleksandra A. Yatsuk, Tatiana A. Triseleva, Emilia P. Narchuk, Aleksandr V. Matyukhin, Andrey F. Safonkin.

The Assembly of Scholarly Societies was held at Moscow University, dedicated to the upcoming 270th anniversary of Moscow University in 2025, the 220th anniversary of the oldest Moscow Society of Naturalists in Russia, and the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences. A report on the Theriological Society named after Academician V.E. Sokolov at the Russian Academy of Sciences, its history and activities was made by the Secretary of the Society, PhD in Biology, Anastasia Lvovna Antonevich, on behalf of the President of the Theriological Society, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences V.V. Rozhnov.

Fig. The fly Icosta omnisetosa, found in Chukotka. Studying the taxonomic status of different groups of organisms allows us to further study the evolution of different taxa and more accurately predict the features of biology of new species. Hippoboscidae is a highly specialized group of blood-sucking flies. These parasites, living in the fur and feathers of their hosts, have a worldwide distribution and are carriers of many dangerous diseases in both mammals and birds. The genus Icosta is the largest genus of blood-sucking flies. The species Icosta holoptera was described from Brazil by 1 female. Later, a male of this species was described there, in the New World. Until now, this species has been divided into two subspecies, the nominate I. holoptera holoptera, distributed in the United States (Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin), Brazil (Rio de Janeiro State), and Colombia, and I. holoptera omnisetosa, known from New Guinea, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Japan, and the Amur Region of Russia. I. holoptera holoptera has been found on the Red-winged Tinamou, a ground-dwelling bird from central and eastern South America, Aramides saracura, found in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, Thamnophilus unicolor grandior, distributed in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and I. holoptera omnisetosa on members of the Gruiformes and Charadriiformes. The study of the morphology and biology of the bloodsuckers Icosta holoptera holoptera and I. holoptera omnisetosa showed that they are two separate species. As of now, the subspecies I. holoptera omnisetosa becomes the species I. omnisetosa. In Russia, this fly is found in the Amur Region, and, according to new data, in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. The article was published in the journal Far Eastern Entomologist: Nartshuk E.P., Yatshuk A.A., Tomkovich P.S., Matyukhin A.V. Taxonomic status of Icosta omnisetosa Maa, 1969, stat. n. (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) is upgraded to species rank Number: 508, Pages: 27 - 32.

On September 24-26, the International Scientific and Practical Conference “Theriofauna of Belarus and Adjacent Regions” was held in Minsk. The conference was attended by employees of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Doctor of Biological Sciences, Deputy Director for Research, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Vasilyevich Surov, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Scientific Secretary Natalya Yuryevna Feoktistova, Leading Engineer Nadezhda Vladimirovna Chistyakova and Postgraduate Student, Junior Researcher Marina Yuryevna Smagina, Senior Researcher, PhD, Associate Professor Nina Yuryevna Vasilyeva, PhD, Senior Researcher Anastasia Mikhailovna Khrushchova, Leading Researcher, Doctor of Biological Sciences Konstantin Aleksandrovich Rogovin, Engineer Polina Dmitrievna Semenova, Engineer Anton Pavlovich Zakharov, Junior Researcher Tatyana Konstantinovna Laktionova. Fig1. Nadezhda Chistyakova The event brought together more than 40 scientists from Belarus and Russia. The conference was held at the Bioresources Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, in one of the buildings of the Central Botanical Garden. The IEE RAS staff presented the following reports: T.K. Laktionova "A New Approach to Monitoring Chronic Stress in House Mice of Natural Origin"P.D. Semenova "Hybrids between Campbell's hamster (Phodopus campbelli) and Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus) as a Model for Studying Key Issues of Chemical Communication"N.V. Chistyakova "Morphological Features of the Paranasal and Mental Complexes of Skin Glands in Vespertilionidae Gray, 1821"A.M. Khrushcheva "Lipocalins in Mammalian Communication"A.V. Surov "Approaches to Monitoring the Population and Conservation of the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus) in Nature and in Urban Ecosystems"N.Yu. Feoktistova "Genetic adaptations of rodents to urban living"N.Yu. Vasilyeva "Chemological signals in the system of "defense" and "attack": the secret of the invincibility of the house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus)" Fig.2 Vasily Vitalievich Grichik During her speech, M.Yu. Smagina told about an interesting experiment, during which the cognitive abilities of two types of hamsters were compared. “One task for the rodents was to find a way out of a labyrinth, and the other was to perform some action to get food. As a result, the predatory hamster learned to cope with the tasks twice as fast as its granivorous relative,” Marina Yuryevna told journalists from Smartpress. Fig.3 Postgraduate student, junior researcher at the Laboratory of Comparative Ethology and Biocommunication at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences Marina Smagina Participants and guests of the scientific and practical conference on theriology spent three busy days of reports, lectures and experience exchange. They also went to the Nalibokskaya Pushcha and observed tarpan horses – descendants of the Belarusian wild tarpans, which disappeared in the Middle Ages. Related materials: SmartPress: "Why is it too early to exclude the bear from the Red Book of Belarus? We attended a conference on theriofauna in Minsk" Zoological Museum of Moscow State University: "Conference on theriofauna of Belarus"

Doctor of Biological Sciences, Head of the Laboratory of Systematics and Evolution of Parasites of the IEE RAS Sergei Eduardovich Spiridonov gave a lecture on “Parasites and Pathogens, Their World, Evolutionary History and Importance for Humans.” Pupils of schools #548, #67, #1158, #2007 discussed the concept of "parasite" with Sergei Eduardovich. Who are nematodes: structure and physiology, body cavity, excretory system, development, habitat and significance in nature.The cockroach nematodes were used as an example. In the second part of the meeting, Margarita Sergeevna Aparina, a researcher at the IEE RAS, spoke about the methods of work in the laboratory. During the lecture, participants discussed what types of RNA there are, their types and functions, the structure of the genetic regulatory network, and why RNA research is needed. BENRAN: "Scientists gave a lecture to schoolchildren on the topic "Parasites are everywhere and all around - let's not be afraid of them, but let's study them""

The mountainous part of the Chechen Republic is an amazing land of unique nature of the North Caucasus. Due to its inaccessibility, modern scientists know very little about the peculiarities of the functioning of local ecosystems. First of all, this concerns the state of mammal populations. This is why research using camera traps is especially relevant here. From September 27 to October 7, field work was carried out to install the first matrix of camera traps in Chechnya. They were carried out as part of the Program for the Restoration of the Persian Leopard in the Russian Caucasus, the scientific support of which is provided by the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS). The rare large cat that once lived here was completely exterminated by humans in the middle of the last century, but at present there is hope for the restoration of the leopard within the remaining areas of its historical range. Since 2007, the Federal Project for the Restoration of the Leopard in the Caucasus has been implemented in the Russian Caucasus under the leadership of the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia. The Central Caucasus was involved in the Project at the regional level in 2016. To date, eight leopards (four males and four females) specially trained for life in the wild have been released into the wild in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. One of the females released in 2022 in Ossetia was equipped with a special transmitter, with the help of which specialists established that she had mastered the territory of the Chechen Republic. That is why, since 2023, the Chechen Republic has been chosen by a scientific group working under the guidance of the IEE RAS for a more detailed survey in terms of restoring the population of the Central Asian leopard. As part of such a survey, it is necessary to conduct a thorough assessment of the potential suitability of the territory for the successful existence of the leopard. One of such studies is the study of the feeding capacity of habitats, i.e. the abundance of the main prey species (most often ungulates), as well as competitor species (other large predators). This information will help scientists understand how successfully the leopard can exist here in the future. Camera traps are a great tool for such work. In 2024, the first cluster of the Photo Monitoring Network under the CAMMON-CHECHNYA Program was installed, including 20 camera trap locations. All cameras are installed randomly within a regular grid with a density of 1 location per 2 sq. km. The network itself is located in the forest belt of the mountainous part of the Chechen Republic, and the camera traps are placed overlooking the main animal trails. A well-coordinated team of zoologists and botanists from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow Zoo, Timiryazev Moscow Agricultural Academy, Central Forest Reserve, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and local gamekeepers-guides successfully installed all the cameras and launched the Photo Monitoring Network. It is worth noting that this work would not have been possible without the deep involvement and interest of Chechen specialists, who not only created an indescribable atmosphere and comfort, but also ensured the safety of the field group, because many areas are still dangerous to visit. Without knowledge of the mountains and the features of the location of animal trails, which local gamekeepers generously shared, it would have been extremely difficult to install camera traps here. We are very glad that such a project has begun, and we are looking forward to the first results. The project is being implemented thanks to the support of the Nature and People Foundation. Related materials: ZapCamTrap: "The first camera traps project in Chechnya has started"

The list of the top 2% of the most influential scientists in the world according to the Scopus platform, which is annually conducted by Stanford University, has been published. Every year, Stanford University selects 2% of the most influential scientists in the world in 22 fields and 174 areas. To determine the place of a scientist in the ranking, a formula is used based on the Hirsch index, the number of publications, the number of citations and other scientometric indicators. The summary assessment reflects the influence (taking into account self-citations) in each of the scientific fields. This year, the assessment was carried out using all Scopus author profiles as of August 1, 2024. Affiliation with a country and organization was established by affiliation in the last published article. Based on the analysis of publications for 2023, more than 900 Russian scientists entered the top 2% of the most cited scientists in the world, including five employees of the IEE RAS: Doctor of Biological Sciences, Corresponding Member of the RAS A.V. Tiunov, Doctor of Biological Sciences S.I. Golovach, Candidate of Biological Sciences I.N. Marin (Laboratory of Soil Zoology and General Entomology), Doctor of Biological Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.A. Kotov (Laboratory of Ecology of Aquatic Communities and Invasions) and Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences K.B. Gongalsky (Laboratory for the Study of Ecological Functions of Soils).

In June, the remains of a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) were found on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island. It was transferred to the collection of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. In June 2024, Nadezhda Cherenkova, previously an employee of the Solovetsky branch of the White Sea Biological Station of Moscow State University, discovered a leatherback turtle on the shore of the White Sea. The presence in the northern sea is not typical for this species of turtles, moreover, the discovery of this species on Solovki is a real sensation. The range of the leatherback turtle in the Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Individual specimens occasionally swim into European waters, carried by the Gulf Stream, so the turtle most likely swam along the northern coast of Europe past Norway and died in the waters of the Arctic Ocean, after which it was sucked into the White Sea Throat and brought by the current to the Solovetsky Islands. The Northern Interregional Department of the Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources has decided to transfer the remains of the leatherback turtle to the collection of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. Researchers from the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and school volunteers took part in transporting the find from the Solovetsky Islands to Moscow. The remains of the turtle were delivered from the Solovetsky Islands to the port of Kem. The transportation was carried out by volunteers Ilya Kolesnikov, a student of Moscow School No. 1505, and his supervisor Anatoly Peshkov, who came to the Solovetsky Islands as part of the school's summer internship. They did an important job: they packed the biomaterial, transported it to Kem, and handed it over to researchers from the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, herpetologists Roman Nazarov, researcher Eduard Galoyan, and to a graduate student from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the RAS Mark Pankin. The length of the upper shell of this turtle is 140 cm. By the time the turtle fell into the hands of the museum staff, it had already been lying on land for several months and, apparently, spent a lot of time in the seas until it washed ashore. “This is far from the largest and not the oldest specimen of this species, but not the smallest either. Our turtle is over 10 years old, and its weight could reach 200-300 kg,” says Eduard Galoyan. The leatherback sea turtle discovered on Solovki is now in the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. It will be added to the museum’s scientific collection and will be registered according to all the rules: entered into the inventory book, provided with a label, registered in the electronic database of the herpetological collection. "The arrival of such a rare animal in the museum's collection is a unique event. In the modern world, natural science museums rarely add large specimens of vertebrates to their collections. Despite the fact that turtles have been well studied, new molecular research methods will allow us to clarify some data," explains Mikhail Kalyakin, director of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University. The presence of a leatherback turtle in the collection of the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University allows scientists to study the necessary tissue samples, conduct genetic and isotopic analysis. The analysis data will help determine the age of the turtle and, possibly, clarify its habitat. Related materials: Moscow Government Info Center: "MSU scientists found remains of tropical turtle in White Sea" Moscow News Feed: "MSU scientists found remains of tropical turtle in White Sea" MirTesen: "MSU scientists found remains of tropical turtle in White Sea" Scientific Russia OK: "Remains of tropical turtle found in White Sea" Scientific Russia: "Remains of tropical turtle found in White Sea" Russian Academy of Sciences News: "Remains of tropical turtle found in White Sea"

A pheromone is a species-specific substance that is secreted into the environment by one animal, enters the body of another animal of the same species through the nose, and causes changes in its behavior or physiology. The term "pheromone" was first proposed in 1959 to refer to a number of biologically active compounds in insects, and later in other animals, similar to hormones, but having their own distinctive properties. Depending on the effect they produce, pheromones are divided into four categories - primer, releasing, signaling, and modulating. It can be assumed that the effect of pheromones in humans and other mammals will be similar, but there is still debate about whether our species secretes pheromones at all. This is largely due to the fact that for a long time the power of the human sense of smell and its impact on our lives was underestimated, while research in recent years, as well as the consequences of the loss of smell from COVID-19, allow us to rethink the role of smell in human life. However, to date, no substance has been identified that has pheromonal activity in humans. Fig.1. The influence of male body odor on the amplitude of luteinizing hormone peaks in women's saliva in different phases of the menstrual cycle. It has been previously shown that the smell of male sweat can affect the rate of ovulation in women in the first half of the cycle due to changes in the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH). Scientists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences not only reproduced this effect using a different method of measuring LH, but also showed that this effect is much broader. According to one of the authors of the study, Tatyana Laktionova, a woman's physiology is subject to the cyclical nature of the menstrual cycle, so we assumed that a woman's body reactions to male body odor may also depend on the phase of the menstrual cycle (follicular or luteal). To test this hypothesis, the authors of the study collected and masked the body odor (sweat) of several men, after which 29 female volunteers were asked to sniff it several times in the first or second half of their menstrual cycle. During the sniffing process, painstaking work was carried out to select 48 saliva samples from each participant to measure hormones. In addition, the participants filled out special questionnaires to determine their emotional state throughout the testing. The results of the study showed that male body odor can participate in regulating the length of the women's menstrual cycle by changing the frequency and amplitude of LH peaks, and these changes depended on the phase of the participants' menstrual cycle (Fig. 1). In addition, the body odor of men affected the secretion of the stress hormone cortisol in women. It was curious that the body odor of men increased the secretion of cortisol in young women, unlike in older women. Project manager Vera Voznesenskaya explains: “The number of substances contained in human sweat is truly enormous, so identifying specific human pheromone substances has long been difficult. In our work, we actually created a convenient method for testing individual components of sweat, which in the future may help in identifying a specific substance or substances responsible for regulating the menstrual cycle of women.” The results of the study were published in the journal Brain Sciences.