New records of the Alpine shrew Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) and the Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) in the Sudetes, Poland

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1 FRAGMENTA FAUNISTICA 50 (1): 71 75, 2007 PL ISSN MUSEUM AND INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY PAS New records of the Alpine shrew Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) and the Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) in the Sudetes, Poland Jolanta BARTMAŃSKA* and Magdalena MOSKA** *Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, Wrocław, Poland; **Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Biology and Animal Science, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kożuchowska 7, Wrocław, Poland; Abstract: During our study in Sudetes in , 12 new localities of the Alpine shrew Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) were found: in Izerskie Mts (2), Sowie Mts (4 new and one confirmed), Śnieżnik Massif (1), Bialskie Mts (2), Krowiarki Mts (1), and Złote Mts (2). The Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) was found in 7 new localities: in Sowie Mts (3 and one confirmed), Stołowe Mts (1), Śnieżnik Massif (1), and Złote Mts (2). Both species occur in Sudetes in isolated localities. The Alpine shrew formed 4.2% of Insectivora and 2.2% of Micromammalia. The Mediterranean water shrew made up 1.4% and 0.5%, respectively. Key words: Sorex alpinus, Neomys anomalus, distribution, fauna of Sudety Mts INTRODUCTION Both the Alpine shrew Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) and the Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) occur in Poland in insular, isolated populations confined to only some parts of the country. The Alpine shrew inhabits humid and marshy habitats, especially stony places near uprooted trees and banks of montane streams. In Poland it is found only in the Carpathians and the Sudetes. Its isolated locality was found in the early 20th century on Mt. Ślęża (Floericke after Pax 1925), and confirmed in the 1960s by Haitlinger & Humiński (1964). It usually inhabits localities of an altitude exceeding 500 m a.s.l., but is sometimes found also at lower altitudes, ca. 350 m a.s.l. (Haitlinger 1973; Humiński 1976; Pucek & Raczyński 1983; Bartmańska & Moska 2002). In the Sudetes it occurs mainly in the Izerskie Mts, Karkonosze Mts, Wałbrzyskie Mts, Stołowe Mts, Sowie Mts, Bystrzyckie Mts, Śnieżnik Massif and in the Kłodzko District (Haitlinger & Humiński 1964; Hajduk et al. 1969; Chudoba et al. 1973, Haitlinger 1973, Humiński 1976; Pucek & Raczyński 1983; Wiszniowska & Stefaniak 1996; Mikusek 1999; Pikulska & Mikusek 1999a, b; Mikusek & Pikulska 1999). The Mediterranean water shrew prefers eutrophic habitats, peaty and marshy, both in the lowlands and in the mountains. Its distribution in Poland is disjuncted. In the north it is found on the Baltic Coast and Pomeranian Lakeland, in the south in the Sudetes with adjacent areas of Lower Silesia, the Beskidy Mts, Nowotarska Basin, Pieniny Mts and the Bieszczady Mts (Głowaciński 2001). An isolated population on the north-eastern edge of its range in the Białowieża Forest indicates that the distribution area is shrinking (Pucek 1984). In Sudetes few localities of Mediterranean water shrew are known from Wałbrzych Basin, Orlickie Mts, Sowie Mts, Kłodzko Basin, foothills of the Bystrzyckie Mts and Kamienna Mt. In Lower Silesia it

2 72 J. Bartmańska and M. Moska was recorded also from the region of Mąkolno and Paczków (Pucek & Raczyński 1983) and from the Dolina Baryczy Landscape Park (Haitlinger 1973, 1988; Pikulska & Mikusek 1999a). Both species are strictly protected by law in Poland. Besides, they are within the Bern Convention (Appendix III), which obliges its members to strict control of catches of the included species. The Mediterranean Water shrew is also listed in the Polish Red Data Book of Animals as a species of least concern (LC) (Głowaciński 2001). The inventory studies of diversity and distribution of Micromammalia were carried out in different ranges of the Sudetes and they gave the opportunity, to find the new sites of both species and to actualize their distribution in Sudety Mts, which is the aim of the paper. MATERIAL AND METHODS During , inventory studies of diversity and distribution of Micromammalia were carried out in different ranges of the Sudety Mts, i. e. Izerskie Mts, Sowie Mts, Stołowe Mts, Śnieżnik Massif, Bialskie Mts, Krowiarki Mts, Złote Mts. Small mammals were trapped using live traps (pitfalls) (permit of the Ministry of Nature Conservation no. DOPOg /04). In each trapping area thirty pitfalls were used for five days. The traps were checked three times a day. Following species identification the animals were released in the place of catch. From total number of 220 catching areas 160, situated in wet biotopes, in the altitude from 400 to 945 m a.s.l. were considered as potentially suitable biotopes for Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) and the Mediterranean water shrew Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) (Pucek 1984, Rychlik 2000). Fig.1. The UTM squares where the new records of the Alpine shrew and the Mediterranean water shrew were indicated by: Alpine shrew and by Mediterranean water shrew

3 Shrews in Polish Sudetes 73 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The Alpine shrew was caught in 13 out of the 160 sampling plots, which indicates that it occupies only a small fraction of typical habitats (8%). The Alpine shrew was caught only on banks of montane streams, both in forests and in open places abounding in natural shelters among rock crevices, moss-covered boulders, among roots of old trees etc. Its localities were found in the Izerskie Mts, Sowie Mts, Śnieżnik Massif, Bialskie Mts, Złote Mts and in the range of Krowiarki Mts. Among 13 sites 12 are the new records and one locality in Rzeczka (Haitlinger 1973) was confirmed. All sites were placed not lower than 480 m a.s.l. (Tab. 1; Fig. 1). Table 1. Location, altitude and habitat of capture sites of the Alpine shrew in Sudetes. Mountain range Izerskie Mts Sowie Mts Śnieżnik Massif Bialskie Mts Złote Mts Krowiarki Mts Location vicinity of Świeradów Zdrój Mount Gomólnik UTM Altitude [m a.s.l.] Sorex alpinus WS 23 1/ 600; 2/ 540 Habitat spruce forest, stony banks of the Kwisa River, moss, bracken, sparse herbs WS swamp at the foot of the mountain Łomnica WS shores of the mountain stream Złota Woda, edge of mixed, mostly deciduous forest stream at Bacówka XS stony stream shores, in places bracken, grasses and sedges, in hollows muddy and marshy slopes of Mount Korczak XS shores of stream flowing from the southern slope of Korczak Mt. Rzeczka XS shores of stream flowing through even-aged spruce stand, abundant tall grasses and sedges Jodłów XR stream shore on a mountain meadow Długi Spław XR shores of mountain stream in a mixed forest near Nowa XR forest glade, stony shores of stream flowing between Morawa rotting logs Mount Siniak XR shore of the montane stream Wojtówka XR shores of stream in an open area Rogóżka XR shores of stream on a marshy meadow Neomys anomalus Stołowe Mts Borownik XR forest glade on shore of the Cicha stream Sowie Mts Osówka XS shore of stream flowing through adjoining beech and spruce stands, screened by reeds and abundant herbs Mount Korczak XS local swamp in a hollow Rzeczka XS margins of peat pond Glinno WS shore of the Młynówka stream, grasses and herbs, moss-covered logs and roots, mixed forest Glinno WS humid, unused meadow with local flushes Śnieżnik Kletno XR forest glade on shore of the Kleśnica stream Massif Złote Mts Mount Siniak XR mixed forest, shores of stream flowing from the slopes of the mountain The Alpine shrew made up from 3.0 to 12.5% (the average 4.2%) among Insectivora, and from 0.6 to 8.3% (the average 2.2%) among all micromammals (Tab. 2). In Sowie Mts it constitutes 3.0% of Insectivora and 0.6% of all micromammals, which is very similar to the

4 74 J. Bartmańska and M. Moska results of Haitlinger (1973) - 3.4% and 0.8%, respectively. However, in the catches of Chudoba et al. (1973) from the same area, the Alpine shrew formed 11% of Insectivora and 2% of all micromammals. In the catches conducted by Chudoba et al. (1973) in the Izerskie Mts, the Alpine shrew constituted 18% of insectivore mammals and 6.3%, of all small mammals, but in our study in Izerskie Mts the proportions were only 3.2% and 1.0%, respectively. The Mediterranean water shrew was found in seven new localities (Tab. 1; Fig. 1) in the Sowie Mts, Stołowe Mts, Śnieżnik Massif and Złote Mts, and confirmed in one locality in Rzeczka (Sowie Mts) (Haitlinger 1973). It occurred in humid and wet habitats, mainly on margins of watercourses. Its localities were situated at altitudes above 450 m a.s.l. (Tab. 1). The Mediterranean water shrew made up from 1,4 to 3.0% (the average 1.4%) among Insectivora, and from 0.4 o 1.1% (the average 0.5%) among all micromammals (Tab. 2). In Sowie Mts it constitutes 3.0% of Insectivora and 0.6% of all micromammals, which is much more when compared to the results of Haitlinger (1973) from the same area - 0.6% and 0.1%, respectively. In the Karkonosze Mts and the Izerskie Mts, among 362 specimens of Insectivora and 1346 specimens of micromammals, Chudoba et al. (1973) did not catch a single individual of N. anomalus. Table 2. Number of individuals of Sorex alpinus and Neomys anomalus captured in different parts of Sudety Mts, and their proportions within local Insectivora and Micromammalia faunas. Mountain range Number of Number of localities individuals % of Insectivora % of Micromammalia Sorex alpinus Izerskie Mts Sowie Mts Stołowe Mts Śnieżnik Massif Bialskie Mts Krowiarki Mts Złote Mts Neomys anomalus Izerskie Mts Sowie Mts Stołowe Mts Śnieżnik Massif Bialskie Mts Złote Mts Till the 1970s, the only known locality of the Mediterranean water shrew in the Polish part of the Sudetes was the site in the vicinity of Karpacz (Wilcza Poręba Schaefer 1935) and another one in Rzeczka, Sowie Mts, which was found by Haitlinger (1973). For this reason N. anomalus was regarded as a receding species in the Sudetes, with only single sites preserved. At the end of the 1990s, Pikulska & Mikusek (1998, 1999a 1999b), based on the analysis of owl pellets, listed six new records of the Mediterranean water shrew in Kłodzko Basin, Wałbrzych Basin and the foothills of the Sowie Mts and Bystrzyckie Mts. Based on the date of literature and our results it can be said that the Mediterranean water shrew in the Sudetes is less frequent than the Alpine shrew. New localities of the two species found in the present study supplement and increase the knowledge of distribution and frequency of occurrence of these rare mammals in the Sudetes. Their further existence depends on maintaining the natural character of watercourses and accompanying marshy habitats.

5 Shrews in Polish Sudetes 75 REFERENCES BARTMAŃSKA J. & MOSKA M Ssaki. In: Inwentaryzacja przyrodnicza gminy Lądek Zdrój. Dolnośląski Urząd Wojewódzki. Wydział Ochrony Środowiska. Wrocław [typescript]. CHUDOBA S., HAITLINGER R. & HUMIŃSKI S Drobne ssaki Sudetów Zachodnich. Przegląd Zoologiczny 17: GŁOWACIŃSKI Z. (ed) Polska Czerwona Księga Zwierząt. Kręgowce. PWRiL, Warszawa, 492 pp. HAITLINGER R Nowe stanowisko Neomys anomalus Cabrera, 1907 (Insectivora, Soricidae) i Sicista betulina (Pallas, 1778) (Rodentia, Zapodidae) w Polsce. Przegląd Zoologiczny 32: HAITLINGER R Drobne ssaki Gór Sowich. Przegląd Zoologiczny 17: HAITLINGER R. & HUMIŃSKI S Sorex alpinus Schinz, 1837 (Mammalia, Soricidae) w Polsce. Acta Theriologica 9: HAJDUK Z., HUMIŃSKI S. & OGORZAŁEK A Uwagi o występowaniu ryjówki górskiej (Sorex alpinus Schintz, 1837) w Sudetach. Przegląd Zoologiczny 13: HUMIŃSKI S O nisko położonych stanowiskach ryjówki górskiej Sorex alpinus Schintz, 1837 (Insectivora, Soricidae) w Sudetach Środkowych. Przegląd Zoologiczny 20: MIKUSEK R Ryjówka górska Sorex alpinus w zrzutkach ptaków drapieżnych i sów na Ziemi Kłodzkiej (Sudety Środkowe). Chrońmy Przyrodę Ojczystą 5: MIKUSEK R. & PIKULSKA B Ssaki Parku Narodowego Gór Stołowych. Szczeliniec 3: PAX F Wirbeltierfauna von Schlesien. 4. Gebruder Bontraeger, Berlin, 558 pp. PIKULSKA B. & MIKUSEK R Fauna ssaków z terenu Ziemi Kłodzkiej na podstawie analizy zrzutek płomykówki. In: VII Ogólnopolska Konferencja Teriologiczna, Białowieża, p. 74. PIKULSKA B. & MIKUSEK R. 1999a. Rzęsorek mniejszy (Neomys anomalus Cabrera, 1907) w południowo-zachodniej Polsce. In: XVII Ogólnopolskie Sympozjum "Bioróżnorodność i potrzeby ochrony fauny Polski, Słupsk , p PIKULSKA B. & MIKUSEK R. 1999b. Ssaki Pogórza Gór Bardzkich i Bystrzyckich w pokarmie płomykówki. In: XVII Ogólnopolskie Sympozjum "Bioróżnorodność i potrzeby ochrony fauny Polski, Słupsk , p PUCEK Z Klucz do oznaczania ssaków w Polsce. PWN, Warszawa. PUCEK Z. & RACZYŃSKI J Atlas rozmieszczenia ssaków w Polsce. PWN, Warszawa, 384 pp. RYCHLIK L Habitat preferences of four sympatric species of shrew. Acta Theriologica 45: SCHAEFER H Studien an Mitteleuropäischen Kleinsäugern mit besonderer Bericksichtigung der Rassenbildung. Archiv für Naturgeschichte N.F. 4: WISZNIOWSKA T. & STEFANIAK K Ssaki (Mammalia). In: JAHN A., KOZŁOWSKI S. & PULINA M. (eds), Masyw Śnieżnika, zmiany w środowisku przyrodniczym, pp Polska Agencja Ekologiczna, Warszawa. STRESZCZENIE [Nowe stanowiska ryjówki górskiej Sorex alpinus (Schinz, 1837) i rzęsorka mniejszego Neomys anomalus (Cabrera, 1907) w polskich Sudetach] Podczas badań Micromammalia prowadzonych w Sudetach w latach stwierdzono 12 nowych stanowisk Sorex alpinus: w Górach Izerskich (2), Sowich (4 nowe i 1 potwierdzone stanowisko w Rzeczce), w Masywie Śnieżnika (1), w Górach Bialskich (2), w Krowiarkach (1) i Górach Złotych (2). Neomys anomalus został stwierdzony na 7 nowych stanowiskach: w Górach Sowich (3 i potwierdzone stanowisko w Rzeczce), w Górach Stołowych (1), w Masywie Śnieżnika (1) i w Górach Złotych (2). Oba gatunki występowały wyspowo. Procentowy udział ryjówki górskiej wśród Insectivora wynosił 4.2% i 2.2% wśród Micromammalia, a rzęsorka mniejszego odpowiednio 1.4 i 0.5%. Accepted: 27 April 2007