German Vasilyevich Kuznetsov (September 1, 1940 – May 1, 2022) spent his entire working career at our institute. A Doctor of Biological Sciences, he served for many years as the Scientific Secretary of the Theriological Society. He was one of the leading experts on Vietnam's biodiversity and the author of the monumental monograph "Mammals of Vietnam" (2006). Thanks to the diligence of his children, a book of memoirs about him was compiled and prepared for publication. The book consists of three chapters. Chapter 1, "The law of my life is striving for the best and the beautiful. German Vasilyevich Kuznetsov (from the diary)," is devoted to descriptions of his childhood and adolescence, as well as his first years working in Vietnam. Chapter 2, "From the Vietnamese Diaries of German Vasilyevich Kuznetsov and Tatyana Nikolaevna Filatova," contains two articles describing their life and work in Vietnam ("One Day of Expedition Life in the Tropics of Vietnam" and "Afzeliya"). Here, he and his wife, Tatyana Nikolaevna, demonstrate their mastery of popular science, presenting vivid descriptions of tropical nature in a manner accessible to a wide audience. Finally, in the third and longest chapter, "About German Vasilyevich Kuznetsov from friends, family and relatives," people who knew him well, both at home and through their work together, share their memories. Several institute employees (M.I. Baskevich, V.V. Bobrov, and N.Sh. Bulatova) also contributed their recollections. ---- About German Vasilyevich Kuznetsov. The law of my life is striving for the best and the beautiful. – Moscow: OOO Buki Vedi. – 2025. – 144 pages. The full text of the book can be downloaded at this link.

IEE RAS staff took part in the V International Parasitological Symposium, which was held in St. Petersburg on December 3–5, 2025, at the St. Petersburg State University of Veterinary Medicine. The symposium was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 155th anniversary of the birth of V.L. Yakimov (the first rector of the University, head of the Department of Parasitology). The event brought together specialists from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Bulgaria. The symposium included a plenary session, sections (heroism and contribution of parasitologists during the Great Patriotic War, modern problems of teaching parasitology in medical and veterinary universities, protozoan diseases, parasitoses of animals and birds, ectoparasites and vectors (ticks), ectoparasites and vectors (insects), parasitic diseases of fish, parasites of wild animals), a round table on diseases of zoo animals, excursions to the university museums and a concert. Sergei Eduardovich Spiridonov, Doctor of Biological Sciences and Head of the Laboratory of Parasite Taxonomy and Evolution at the Center for Parasitology, presented a report titled "Exotic Species of Helminths in Animals of the Moscow Zoo: A Retrospective Analysis." Olga Aleksandrovna Loginova, a research fellow at the same laboratory and a PhD in veterinary science, presented a report at the plenary session on the topic of "Helminthologists and World War II," and at the roundtable, she discussed helminths in reindeer in Russian zoos. A collection of materials was published based on the results of the work. Current Problems of General and Specific Parasitology: Proceedings of the V International Parasitological Symposium / editorial board: K.V. Plemyashov (editor-in-chief), L.M. Belova (editor), O.N. Pugachev (editor) [et al.]; Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg State University of Medical Sciences, Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. – St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg State University of Medical Sciences. – 2025. – 386 p. DOI 10.52419/3006-2025-2-387 The symposium program can be found at the link.

Fig.1. Voles are small rodents with a wide variety of species. Their lifestyles vary greatly: they live underground and above ground, in forests and steppes, and can vary considerably in size. Environmental and social factors can influence the evolution of call structure in mammals. Researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) compared the ultrasonic calls of nine vole species to test hypotheses about the influence of body size, genetic relatedness, whether the vole lives underground or above ground, and lifestyle (group or solitary) on the acoustic structure of calls in young animals. Comparative studies of vocal behavior among several genetically closely related mammalian species help identify evolutionary adaptations of acoustic communication to life under different social and environmental conditions. Unlike humans, whales, bats, and seals, which have vocal learning, rodents' acoustic repertoires are genetically predetermined from birth, and thus the development of sounds during ontogeny represents a self-unfolding program. Scientists have hypothesized that if adaptation to environmental and social conditions leads to evolutionary changes in the acoustic structure of adult calls, these changes may also affect the acoustic structure of calls in juveniles. Voles of the subfamily Arvicolinae have proven to be a convenient model group for comparative studies of vocal behavior, as species within the subfamily vary in body size, subterranean or terrestrial lifestyle, habitat (high or low vegetation), and degree of sociality (living in groups or alone). Fig.2. The spectrograms illustrate the diversity of ultrasounds in the young of nine vole species. The spectrogram shows the ultrasonic calls of 87 young voles of nine species, one call per individual. Latin letters denote the species names: L.b. – Brandt's vole; L.m. – mandarin vole; L.g. – narrow-headed vole; M.i. – Persian vole; M.h. – Harting's vole; M.r. – Caspian grey vole; M.s. – European pine vole; L.l. – steppe lemming; E.l. – yellow steppe lemming. The spectrograms present ultrasounds with different frequency contour shapes, with different nonlinear phenomena and different numbers of notes in the calls. Like many other rodents, young voles of the Arvicolinae subfamily cry out when they fall from their nests, thus summoning their parents or other family members for help. These calls, known as isolation calls, are found in young rodents of all species. Young rodents are born blind and hairless for the first week. They are unable to thermoregulate independently and are unable to move independently, so they are completely dependent on adult assistance. Ultrasound recordings of young voles of nine species, aged 2 to 5 days, were conducted during a 2-minute isolation period from their nests in laboratories at the Biological Institute of St. Petersburg University, the Chernogolovka Research and Experimental Base of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, and the Moscow Zoo. For five of the nine species, these calls were described for the first time. A total of 905 ultrasounds from 87 young were included in the analysis. Fig.3. Percentages of ultrasounds with different acoustic signatures in the young of nine vole species: (A) occurrence of different frequency contour shapes; (B) occurrence of different nonlinear vocal phenomena; the sum may exceed 100% since some calls may contain two or three nonlinear phenomena; (C) occurrence of ultrasounds with different numbers of notes. Spectrograms illustrate the acoustic signatures of vole ultrasounds. The acoustic parameters of the ultrasonic calls were compared for the pups, and then each was weighed, and their body, tail, and metatarsal lengths were measured. Pups of different species differed in body size and ultrasonic acoustic characteristics (duration, fundamental, and peak frequencies), allowing species to be distinguished by their calls with a 67.8% probability. The average duration of ultrasonic calls varied between species from 35 to 166 milliseconds, while the average maximum fundamental frequency ranged from 39.9 to 61.6 kHz and the minimum fundamental frequency from 23.1 to 43.1 kHz. The ultrasonic calls of different vole species varied significantly in the shape of the frequency modulation contour, the occurrence of nonlinear vocal phenomena, and the number of notes in the calls. Fig.4. Acoustic parameters of ultrasounds from the pups of nine vole species: (A) duration, (B) peak frequency, (C) maximum fundamental frequency, (D) minimum fundamental frequency. The mean is shown as the center point of the deviation. Relative body size of the pups is shown with animal symbols. "The collected data allowed us to test hypotheses regarding the influence of body weight, phylogenetic relatedness between species, the influence of biotopes (acoustic adaptation hypothesis), and the influence of adaptation to a subterranean lifestyle and social environment (social complexity hypothesis) on the acoustic parameters of ultrasound. The only factor statistically influencing the acoustic parameters of pup ultrasounds was body size. This factor showed a positive effect on the duration and a negative effect on the frequency parameters of calls. However, neither phylogenetic relatedness, nor subterranean or terrestrial lifestyle, nor living conditions in tall-grass or short-grass habitats, nor the complexity of family groups of different species significantly influenced the differences in the acoustic properties of ultrasounds of pups of nine vole species," explained Elena Volodina, PhD, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The results of the study were published in the Q1 journal Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology: Volodin I.A., Dymskaya M.M., Rutovskaya M.V., Golenishchev F.N., Vasilieva N.A., Volodina E.V. Comparative analysis of acoustic traits of pup ultrasonic calls across nine vole species. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2025, v. 79, N 11, 108.

Until now, nothing was known about the sounds lynx cubs make in their dens. But with the advent of automatic recorders operating independently of human interaction, it has become possible to record and study them. Researchers from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS) and Lomonosov Moscow State University studied the vocal behavior of Eurasian lynx cubs from birth to three months of age at the IEE RAS Chernogolovka Research and Experimental Base. The cubs from four litters, kept with their mothers in large outdoor enclosures, were recorded both immediately after birth in their maternity houses and outside, after the cubs entered their enclosures. Two automatic recorders were used for each litter: one mounted behind a false panel inside the house and the other suspended from a tree outside the enclosure. Recordings from outside the enclosure were also made during visual observations of the broods using a conventional, non-automated recorder. Fig.1. The vocal repertoire of Eurasian lynx cubs is very complex, and includes low-frequency, high-frequency, and dual-frequency calls. In the vocal repertoire of Eurasian lynx cubs, scientists identified three structural classes, which together comprised 10 call types. These three structural classes were classified based on the presence or absence of one or two fundamental frequencies: two low-frequency call types with only a low fundamental frequency, four high-frequency call types with only a high fundamental frequency, and four biphonic call types containing both low and high fundamental frequencies. The low frequency varied from 0.17 kHz to 1.19 kHz between call types, and the high frequency varied from 0.21 kHz to 7.19 kHz. All 10 call types were present in Eurasian lynx cubs from the first days of life, and none of these call types disappeared by three months of age. The classification of sounds into types using discriminant analysis was 94.5% for low-frequency sounds, 89.3% for high-frequency sounds, and 67.8% for biphonic sounds, confirming the correct classification of sounds into types. Both low- and high-frequency sounds decreased in frequency as the young matured. Fig.2. In biphonic cries (a) the two frequencies f0 and g0 can have the same values, as in lynxes and ungulates, and (b) they can lie in different ranges, as in canids and rodents. Eurasian lynxes are the only felids in which biphonic calls with two independent fundamental frequencies have been described. These two frequencies are likely produced by two different sound sources. It has previously been shown that adult lynxes can also produce biphonic calls as part of the courtship during the mating season (primarily males) and when calling cubs (females). Among carnivorous mammals, biphonic calls are common among wolf-like canids, but are absent from fox-like canids. By structure, biphonic calls can be divided into two types. In the first type, the maximum low fundamental frequency can have the same values ​​as the minimum high fundamental frequency. This type includes the biphonic calls of lynxes and eastern red deer. In the second type, the maximum low fundamental frequency and the minimum high fundamental frequency never overlap, since the two frequencies lie in different ranges. This type of call is known among canids and rodents. The work was published in the journal Behavior: Sedova L.M., Volodin I.A., Naidenko S.V., Erofeeva M.N., Alekseeva G.S., Volobueva K.A., Kim M.D., Volodina E.V. "Early vocal development of Eurasian lynx cubs (Lynx lynx) before and after leaving the natal den." Behavior, 2025, v. 162, no. 3-4, pp. 299-328. Related materials: Science.Mail: "Scientists have deciphered the language of lynx cubs" MosTimes: "Lynx cubs are not so simple: their 'conversations' are more complex than those of other cats"

Photo: Golden eagles use the same nest for decades and pass it on to their descendants. Each year, the pair adds to its construction, and it can reach gigantic proportions: up to 2–3 meters in diameter and 2 meters in height. An old "family castle" can weigh hundreds of kilograms. It is one of the largest bird nests in the world. Alexander Mishchenko, an ornithologist from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEE RAS), President of the Russian Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds, and director of the project "They Must Not Disappear. Conservation of Rare and Vulnerable Birds of the Forest Zone of European Russia," gave an interview to the "My Biosphere" project. Of the 20 pairs of golden eagles in the Tver Region, only one survives. This isn't a story from the past; it's "yesterday." We weren't talking about pretty pictures, but about a special rescue operation. There are several fronts: from the fight against loon fishing nets to the construction of artificial nests for eagles and birdhouses. — Why have 19 pairs of golden eagles disappeared in the Tver Region since the beginning of the 20th century? — The main reason is anthropogenic: disturbance from all-terrain vehicles. Previously, the large marshes where golden eagles nest were very difficult to access. People go there now to hunt, especially in the spring—to hunt wood grouse mating grounds. For the eagle, this is catastrophic. A natural cause is windfall. Golden eagles nest on forest "islands" among swamps. The trees there grow sparsely, and the wind hits them harder. And golden eagle nests are structures weighing several hundred kilograms, which pull the tree down to the ground. A couple of strong hurricanes—and the nesting tree collapses along with its young. — Your project "They Must Not Disappear" received a grant from the Presidential Fund for Nature to support a "shadow squad" of ten bird species. They aren't yet listed in the federal Red Book, but they're already on their way there. How does preventative reconnaissance work? — We don't wait until a species is on the brink. We monitor and identify trends in population decline based on census data and regional Red Books. As soon as we see negative trends, we get involved. We identify the causes and try to address them to prevent the population from reaching critical condition. — Who couldn't be included in the project due to a lack of resources? — For example, the short-toed eagle—this predator feeds its chicks nothing but snakes. Or the small wader, the Baltic dunlin: its problem is the overgrowth of coastal meadows after livestock grazing ceased. They need other, more ambitious measures. We have selected those whom we can help here and now with specific biotechnical methods: platforms, artificial nests. — How do you determine which kind assistance is best for a particular species? Why, for example, do you build a platform for golden eagles instead of protecting their tree? — The choice of assistance always depends on the specific threat to each species. For the golden eagle, the main problem is the loss of the nest, which it has used for decades. Therefore, we work in two directions: we protect the natural tree with the nest as much as possible, but at the same time, we install an artificial platform nearby as an "insurance policy." If the old tree falls, the birds will have a ready-made foundation for a new home, and they will not abandon their territory. Other species face different threats. For example, the black-throated loon dies in fishing nets. Protecting the shoreline is useless here—we need to work with fishermen and inspectors. So, we don't use a one-size-fits-all approach; rather, like doctors, we make a precise "diagnosis" of the main threat and tailor the "treatment" to it. Photo: One of the main threats to loons in Russia's forested areas is death in nylon nets. The birds dive for fish and fail to see the nets, becoming entangled and dying. A single abandoned or illegally installed net can kill dozens of birds. — What does the bulk of the grant money go toward? — Two-thirds goes toward fieldwork: counts, nest searches, construction and installation of artificial nest boxes, and monitoring. The rest goes toward organization: data processing, logistics, and festivals. — "Crane Homeland," "Owl Festivals"—it's brilliant. Not a lecture, but an immersion in magic. Does it work? — It does. Some people after such immersion become our volunteers, helping with counts and installing nest boxes. But even those who didn't become activists no longer light a fire near nests or shoot at a crane, being hunters. They saw a living bird, not an abstract entity. This is the main result of education—a change in perspective. — How much time goes toward education and how much toward "construction work"? — About one to two. Two-thirds of my time is spent working with birds in the field, negotiating with foresters and fishermen. One-third is education. It's essential, but can't save the birds by itself. — Previously, scientists collected data, now it's photographers, birdwatchers, and volunteers. Can we trust the information collected by amateurs? — Yes, because many amateurs are true experts. We also provide training on census methods. And photographers sometimes provide unique data. There was a case where an amateur photographer taking pictures of young lesser spotted eagles with tags in the Moscow region. It turned out they had been ringed a thousand kilometers away—in Germany and Estonia—and the migration was only discovered thanks to this photograph. So the help of amateurs can prove huge. Photo: Birdwatching has become a driver of ornithological tourism in Russia. Enthusiasts travel to the Volga Delta to observe white-tailed eagles, to Lake Baikal to observe eagles, and to Kandalaksha Bay to observe loons. Such expeditions benefit science and generate income for local residents. — What's the ideal outcome of the project in five years? — Ideal? 100% occupancy of our artificial nests and the complete eradication of poaching in waters inhabited by loons. But we're realistic: if 20% of nesting sites are occupied and net mortality is reduced by at least half, that would be a major victory. We should dream of the stars, but work here on earth, where every saved nest is a miracle.

The Saratov Branch of the A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SB IEE RAS) celebrated its 30th anniversary. The research division was established in 1995 to comprehensively study the ecology of vertebrates in the steppe zone and develop strategies for the conservation of rare species. Over three decades of operation, the branch has established itself as a recognized center for research on the population dynamics of terrestrial vertebrates and their habitats under changing natural and anthropogenic factors. Scientists at the branch make significant contributions to understanding the formation of the modern faunal structure in the steppe of the Lower Volga region. As part of the anniversary events, a meeting was held bringing together branch staff and representatives of leading academic and educational organizations in the Saratov region. Among the distinguished guests were scientists whose work is closely related to the study and conservation of the region's natural environment: Elena Ivanovna Tikhomirova from the Yu. A. Gagarin Saratov State Technical University, Vasily Viktorovich Anikin, and Ekaterina Yuryevna Mosolova from N. G. Chernyshevsky Saratov State University. Their research is closely linked to the study and conservation of nature. The participation of these leading scientists highlighted the importance of collaboration between academic institutions and a classical university in addressing pressing environmental issues. During the anniversary celebrations, participants had the opportunity not only to congratulate the branch staff on this important milestone but also to engage in productive discussions. Particular attention was paid to assessing the scientific work of the Saratov Branch of the IEE RAS over the past years. Researchers from the Saratov Branch — Mikhail Lvovich Oparin, Olga Sergeevna Oparina, Askhat Borisovich Mamaev, and Director Alexey Yuvinalievich — presented their papers at the conference roundtable. Key achievements, contributions to the development of Russian science, and the practical significance of ongoing research were highlighted. The conference also addressed pressing environmental issues facing the Saratov region and the country as a whole. Scientists exchanged views on the current state of the environment, identified the most pressing challenges, and jointly sought solutions. Specific objectives were set for further improving environmental policy, developing innovative technologies, and raising environmental awareness among the population. This material is based on an article by Askhat Mamaev.

On December 18 at 6:30 PM, the Darwin Museum's cinema will host the premiere of Dmitry Olshansky's documentary film "Aniva Marine Biological Station. Sakhalin." Admission is with museum tickets. On December 25 at 5:00 PM, the film will be shown in the conference hall at the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Filmmaker Dmitry Olshansky and Alexander Semenov, director of the Aniva Biological Station, will be present. The screening will be open to IEE RAS staff. Two years ago, in southern Sakhalin, a group of scientists discovered a largely unexplored site with a fantastic diversity of animals and plants. The Aniva Marine Biological Station is currently under construction there, the first and, so far, only one on Sakhalin Island. It is a secluded research center, accessible only by sea, and then only with the tide and in good weather. In 2025, the first full field season took place on the Aniva. Dmitry Olshansky, head of the Darwin Museum's multimedia department, lived alongside biologists and botanists in a tent camp, hiked and sailed, visited laboratories, and filmed unstoppably. This film is the result of his "participant observation" of life at the biological station. Its protagonists are the people responsible for the complex logistics, infrastructure construction, and selection of scientific personnel; scientists studying the flora and fauna; and, of course, the nature of the southern coast of Sakhalin Island.

Specialists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE RAS), who are providing scientific support for the Persian Leopard Recovery Program in the Caucasus together with zoologists from other organizations, have obtained new important data. A five-year-old female leopard named Khosta, released in 2022 in North Ossetia (in the Turmon Nature Reserve), has been registered once again in Kabardino-Balkaria. Key evidence of the predator's successful adaptation came from images from a camera trap installed by IEE RAS researcher Alim Pkhitikov. These images show Khosta without the GPS collar she had been wearing since her release, indicating the device's normal operation, having fulfilled its primary purpose. Unique domestic "Moosefarmer" GPS collars, developed at the IEE RAS, were used to monitor the released leopards. They demonstrated exceptional reliability and quality, in no way inferior to foreign analogues. The data from the collar allowed us to track Khosta's journey in detail. After her release in the Turmon Nature Reserve, she thoroughly explored its surroundings in North Ossetia, then just as carefully explored the biotopes of the Chechen Republic, and after a long journey, settled in Kabardino-Balkaria. These routes became valuable reference points for our team's field research. "We are often asked whether it is possible to monitor leopards continuously, and not just in the first year after release, while they are receiving signals from the GPS collar. Unfortunately, no other technology allows us to monitor released animals for longer periods with the same level of quality and reliability," notes Academician Vyacheslav Rozhnov (IEE RAS). "But we are maximizing our capabilities, including other technical means, such as camera traps." Developing a photo monitoring network is the next critical stage of the program. Currently, there is a severe shortage of such devices in the Caucasus. By comparison, Land of the Leopard National Park in the Russian Far East has an extensive network of camera traps, allowing for precise genealogy of local leopards. Experts are working to create a similar system in the Caucasus. Madina Slanova, coordinator of the work in North Ossetia, explains that concrete steps are being taken in the same direction there as well: as part of the "Guardian of the Mountains and Masters of the Forests – the Caucasian Leopard and Bison" project (Berkut State Budgetary Institution), which won the first grant competition of the Presidential Foundation for Ecological and Nature Conservation Projects, a network of camera traps to collect data on these animals is planned to be established by 2027. Specialists from IEE RAS are also providing scientific support for this project. The Presidential Foundation for Ecological and Nature Conservation Projects is also providing significant support for the development of photo monitoring in the Caucasus in the Chechen Republic (as part of the development of a national photo monitoring network in Russia's protected areas). Previous data obtained by the IEE RAS with support from the Nature and People Foundation have already confirmed the uniqueness of Chechnya, where a rich fauna of terrestrial mammals with a high population density of many species has been discovered. However, a complex set of environmental issues has been identified in parallel (hybridization of wild Caucasian cats with domestic cats, the impact of waste on animal welfare, and the consequences of landmines in former combat zones) that require special attention and study of the risks to leopard recovery. Despite extensive support, resources for a comprehensive and in-depth study of the unique potential of the Chechen Republic and other key sites for the recovery of the Persian leopard in the North Caucasus remain insufficient. The IEE RAS and the entire scientific team continue to seek support from various foundations with the shared strategic goal of creating a modern and effective photomonitoring system in the Caucasus that will serve as the foundation for the long-term conservation and recovery of the Persian leopard population and all related species in the ecoregion. Related materials: Science.Mail: "A female leopard, released into the wild three years ago, was spotted in the Caucasus" Kommersant: "A female leopard from Sochi has remained in Kabardino-Balkaria for the winter" Kuban.KP: "Khosta from Sochi has conquered the Caucasus. Scientists have obtained new data on the life of the world's rarest cat in the wild" EtoKavkaz: "The female Persian leopard, Hosta, has settled in for the winter in the forests of Kabardino-Balkaria" Kavkaz.MK: "The female leopard, Khosta, has adapted to the wild and chosen Kabardino-Balkaria as her home" Kuban News: "The female leopard, Hosta, from Sochi has remained in Kabardino-Balkaria for the winter: scientists have tracked her path" Portal of the Northern Caucasus: "The female leopard Khosta has chosen the mountains of the Kabardino-Balkaria for wintering" Pobeda26: "The female Persian leopard Khosta has decided to winter in Kabardino-Balkaria" Sochi24: "The female leopard from Sochi will spend the winter in Kabardino-Balkaria" Bloknot.Sochi: "A leopard raised in Sochi is settling in Kabardino-Balkaria" Stavropol News Feed: "Look what a beauty settled in the Kabardino-Balkaria" BezFormata: "The female leopard Khosta from Sochi has wintered in the forests of Kabardino-Balkaria: scientists have tracked her path"

The Atlas of Nematode Species of the Respiratory and Digestive Systems of Terrestrial Mammals in Armenia, Bulgaria, and Russia (in Russian and English) is available for download and reading on the website of the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE RAS). The atlas is based on the authors' long-term research and literature data on pulmonary nematode species and some intestinal nematodes of terrestrial mammals currently recorded in several regions of Armenia, Bulgaria, and the Russian Federation. It is designed to facilitate the identification of nematodes found in practical work. It provides diagnoses and characteristics, as well as host species, for 57 nematode species (including 25 pulmonary nematode species and 32 digestive nematode species) from 14 families found in the region (including 8 species in Armenia, 16 species in Bulgaria, and 26 species in the surveyed regions of the Russian Federation). For helminthologists, parasitologists, zoologists, general biologists, veterinarians, and medical professionals. The atlas is available at this link.

Fig. 1. White-toothed pygmy shrew Suncus etruscus Savi, 1822. Photo by S.V. Pavlova A team of authors from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (IEE RAS) and the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB SB RAS) have for the first time used a set of modern molecular cytogenetic methods to perform a detailed karyotype characterization of two chromosomally poorly studied species of the subfamily Crocidurinae (family Soricidae) – the world's smallest mammal, the pygmy white-toothed shrew (Suncus etruscus Savi, 1822), and the Sicilian shrew (Crocidura sicula Miller, 1900), endemic to the island of Sicily. The Etruscan shrew is one of 18 species of the genus Suncus (Fig. 1), with a vast range from the west coast of Southern Europe and North Africa to the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. This animal's body length is only 3-4.5 cm, and its weight does not exceed 2 grams. According to the "Mammals of Russia" portal www.rusmam.ru, it is known from only a few localities in the Republics of North Ossetia-Alania and Ingushetia (1987 and 2015) and is classified as a locally rare species. Fig. 2. Sicilian shrew Crocidura sicula Miller, 1900. Photo by S.V. Pavlova To date, only two species in the genus Suncus have been characterized cytogenetically. Unlike the Asian house shrew S. murinus Linnaeus, 1766, which has been extensively studied due to its extensive chromosomal polymorphism (2n=30–40), the chromosomal data for the pygmy white-toothed shrew S. etruscus (2n=42) were limited to two routine karyotypes from the eastern Pyrenees and India, differing in the number of chromosome arms (FN=72–78). The genome of S. etruscus was recently assembled, although high-resolution, differentially stained karyograms have not yet been presented. The Sicilian shrew is a member of the most numerous shrew genus, Crocidura, which includes 220 species (Fig. 2). The range of C. sicula is limited to Sicily and some islands of the Maltese archipelago, but it is currently considered extinct in Malta. "Many species of white-toothed shrews are rare and phenotypically similar, so to clarify the taxonomic status of a specific species or complex of species, morphometric, molecular genetic, and cytogenetic analyses are often required," said Svetlana Pavlova, PhD in Biology and a senior researcher at the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Fig. 3. Examples of FISH with telomeric (red) and 5.8S/18S/28S rDNA (green) probes. Panels A, B: female S. etruscus, 2n = 42; panels C, D: male C. sicula, 2n = 36. XX and XY are the female and male sex chromosomes, respectively. GTG- and DAPI-stained metaphase chromosomes are shown in the left and right panels, respectively. However, the karyotypes of many shrew species remain unknown or are limited to routine 2n descriptions. The Atlas of Mammalian Chromosomes contains data on differentially stained karyotypes for only 15 of the 220 species in the genus Crocidura. A detailed cytogenetic description of the karyotypes of both species studied in this work (Fig. 3) can be used in further studies of the genetic and chromosomal diversity, genomics, systematics, and evolution of shrews from the large and interesting subfamily Crocidurinae. The work was published in the journal: (Q1) Pavlova S.V., Biltueva L.S., Lemskaya N.A., Serduykova N.A. 2025. Detailed characterization of karyotypes of white-toothed shrews Suncus etruscus and Crocidura sicula (Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) // Mammalian Biology 105: 589–598. Related materials: RAS: "A detailed analysis of white-toothed shrew karyotypes has been conducted." Science.Mail: "Scientists have described a new species of pygmy shrew."