Order of carnivorous mammals: classification, distribution, characteristics and significance. Morphological features of fur-bearing animals Brief ecological and faunistic characteristics of the study area
The order Carnivores unites representatives of the class Mammals, who consume mostly animal food. The wolf and the fox, the tiger and the lion, the marten and the badger are known to everyone. This is not surprising, because the Predators have adapted to living on all continents, except for the coldest one - Antarctica. Let us briefly consider what information biology has collected about these animals to date.
Squad Carnivores
First of all, they are united by the nature of the food. She's not just of animal origin. All representatives of the Predatory squad attack their victims themselves, killing them. Some of them feed on carrion, thereby clearing their habitats of rotting organic debris.
The main characteristic of the Predatory squad is connected precisely with the structural features that allow them to hunt. Therefore, they all have a developed brain, a strong trained body, well-developed differentiated teeth. The fangs with which they grab and tear apart prey stand out especially. On each side, one molar tooth is modified into the so-called predatory. With their help, it is even possible to crush large bones and sever powerful tendons - so sharp it is.
Predatory mammals are also distinguished by a highly developed nervous system, especially the brain. This determines the complex forms of behavior of these animals.
Carnivores are quite diverse and include about 240 species. Therefore, a number of families are distinguished in this order.
Wolf family
Characterizing the order Carnivores (mammals), they first of all mention the family that got its name thanks to the tireless orderly of the forest. We are talking about the wolf and its relatives: fox, jackal, arctic fox, raccoon and domestic dogs.
All of them are of medium size and rather long limbs. The structure of the musculoskeletal system and muscular system allows them to pursue their future prey for a long time and tirelessly.
The strongest and most agile among the representatives of this group is the wolf. Animals prefer to live in large flocks, the number of individuals in which reaches forty. Wolves are not only excellent hunters, but also dangerous predators that can attack even humans. They are rightfully considered eating a large number of fell.
But the fox can eat not only animal food. Her favorite delicacy is the sweet and juicy fruits of forest plants. Foxes live in pairs or whole families. Man especially appreciates the beautiful, warm and fluffy fur of these animals.
Feline family
We continue to study the Predatory squad using the example of ... a domestic cat. What kind of predator is this? The most real! Its ancestor is a forest wildcat. And modern pets are the result of their domestication.
Basically, representatives are united large sizes bodies with elongated limbs that end in retractable sharp claws. Everyone saw how the cat hunts for the mouse? She does not catch up, but watches for her prey. The same behavior is typical for larger felines: tiger, lynx, lion.
Most of the representatives of this family live in the tropical and subtropical climatic zone of our planet. And here is the master of the taiga Of the Far East... It is one of the largest predators, second only to the polar bear in mass. Within the boundaries of its range, it always occupies a dominant position. This also applies to the links in the food chain, since tigers also prey on other predators, such as wolves.
Wonders of selection
Since the lion and the tiger are the most prominent representatives of the entire planet, genetic scientists have tried to create hybrids of them. This experiment ended quite successfully, since as a result of crossing, viable individuals were obtained with new properties compared to the original forms. So, the liger is a hybrid of a lion and a tigress, capable of unlimited growth. In nature, this trait is characteristic of plants and fungi. The liger grows throughout its life, sometimes reaching a length of up to 3 meters.
Usually interspecific hybrids are not capable of producing fertile offspring. Tigroll is an exception to this rule. This is practically the only case in breeding. Females obtained by crossing a tiger and a lioness are capable of procreation.
The Cunyi family
We continue to consider the order Carnivorous mammals using the example of a family that unites individuals with valuable fur fur. Otter, marten, ermine, mink, ferret - this is not a complete list of representatives of the Kunya family. Many of them are great tree climbers, and otters are excellent swimmers. Another representative of the weasel is the badger. He especially appreciates meat, which is eaten, and fat, which has healing properties.
Bear family
The Predatory squad mastered everything climatic zones... Its representatives can be found even in the cold expanses of the Arctic. It is there that the most major representative carnivorous mammals - polar bear, the mass of which can reach 750 kg. He swims beautifully, hunting fish and pinnipeds.
But in the forests, the Predatory detachment is represented by another beast - Brown bear... He can eat both plant and animal food, attacking deer or wild boars. In winter this one goes into hibernation, and in summer it leads active image life. It is hunted for its valuable meat and hides.
The order Carnivores unites a number of families of the class Mammals, in the diet of which animal food predominates. These animals have well-developed sharp teeth for hunting. Many species are prized by humans for their valuable fur, meat, and fat. Therefore, at present, many species of carnivorous mammals need protection.
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Poleshchuk Elena Mikhailovna. Morphophysiological and biocenotic features of fox (vulpes vulpes L.) and corsac (vulpes corsac L.) and their importance in the circulation of natural focal infections and invasions in the south Western Siberia: 03.00.08, 03.00.16 Poleshchuk, Elena Mikhailovna Morphophysiological and biocenotic features of the fox (vulpes vulpes L.) and corsac (vulpes corsac L.) and their importance in the circulation of natural focal infections and invasions in the south of Western Siberia (on the example of the Omsk region) : Dis. ... Cand. biol. Sciences: 03.00.08, 03.00.16 Omsk, 2005 276 p. RSL OD, 61: 06-3 / 114
Introduction
Chapter 1. Features of the biology of corsac and fox on the territory of Western Siberia and the importance of these animals in maintaining natural focal infections and invasions (literature review) 11
Chapter 2. Materials and methods. Brief ecological and faunistic characteristics of the research area 56
2.1. General information about the material 56
2. 2. Research methods 60
2. 3. Brief ecological and faunistic characteristics of the study area 66
2. 4. Short description stationary observation point 76
Chapter 3. Morphophysiological features of corsac and fox of the Omsk region 79
3.1. General features exterior, interior and craniology of predators 19
3. 2. Geographic variability of morphophysiological parameters 86
3. 3. Features of morphophysiological parameters in animals of different sex 91
3. 4. Age-related variability of exterior, interior and craniological parameters in the fox and corsac 94
3. 5. Use of craniological indicators to analyze the subspecies of predators inhabiting the Omsk region 97
Chapter 4. Features of the ecology of corsac and fox in the Omsk region 99
4.1. Comparative analysis the number and density of the population of fox and corsac 99
4. 2. Dynamics of the number of predators 109
4.3. Sexual and age structure populations 118
4. 4. Spatial and ethological structure of predator populations 121
4. 4. 1. Features of the use of topical resources by the fox, corsac and badger 121
4.4. 2. The density of brood shelters of predators 130
4. 4. 3. Types of spatial distribution of predators on the territory of the Steppe reserve 134
4. 5. Peculiarities of animal nutrition 141
4. 6. Biotic connections in (topical). 151
Chapter 5. The role of corsac and fox in maintaining the epizootic process of a number of natural focal infections and invasions on the territory of the Omsk region 161
5.1. Korsak and the fox as hosts and distributors of the rabies virus in 2000-2004 161
5. 2. The role of predators in the circulation of other infections and some invasions 176
5.1. Infections of the fox and corsac of the Omsk region 176
5. 2. 2. Invasions of fox and corsac in the Omsk region 183
Conclusions 190
Bibliography 192
Applications 224
Introduction to work
The fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) is the most numerous and widespread species of carnivores of the Canidae family, ubiquitous in the Omsk region. Korsak (Vulpes corsac L.) is an endemic of dry steppes, semi-deserts, deserts and dry foothills of Central Eurasia. In the Omsk region, it lives in the steppe zone and the subzone of the southern forest-steppe.
Basic in the study of the biology of these predators are the works of the authors: A. A. Sludsky, A. A. Lazarev (1966), A. A. Lazarev (1967; 1968), V. G. Geptner et al. (1967), A. A. Sludsky (1981), M. A. Vaysfeld (1985), G. N. Sidorova (1985), etc. economic value foxes and korsak were engaged in SA Abashkin, 1969; L. A. Barbash, V. V. Shibanov (1979; 1980), V. V. Shibanov (1980; 1986a; 19866; 1989a; 19896).
Interest in the peculiarities of the vital activity of these predators, both in Western Siberia and in other regions of the country, was primarily due to their importance in the circulation of the rabies virus (Malkov, 1970; 1972; 1973; 1978; Malkov, Gribanova, 1974; 1978; 1980; Malkov, Korsh, 1972; Sidorov et al., 1989; 1990; Sidorov, 1995, etc.). The helminth fauna of these predators has been studied to a much lesser extent (Cadenatsii and Sokolov, 1966; 1968).
To date, the morphophysiological features of the fox and corsac in Western Siberia remain unexplored. No morphophysiological indicators are used to assess regional ecological characteristics of predators. There are still controversial issues of the subspecies belonging of the fox and corsac, inhabiting the south of Western Siberia. In the literature, there is practically no data on the current state of the number, its dynamics, and the density of the fox and corsac population in the Omsk region. The age and sex, spatial and ethological structure of populations, nutrition, and biocenotic relationships of these species are still insufficiently studied. The characteristics of infections and invasions of the described predators are most fully elucidated only in relation to rabies and a number of helminthiases.
Fox and corsac deserve attention as ingredients natural community, the role of which is ambiguous in the context of changes in regional natural and climatic features and anthropogenic transformation of landscapes.
The relevance of the study was determined by the insufficient knowledge of the biology and biocenology of the fox and corsac on the territory of Western Siberia and the importance of these predators in the circulation of a number of natural focal infections and invasions. In the Omsk region, before the beginning of our work, the biology of predators was not a subject of purposeful study. This predetermined the topic of the dissertation research.
The work was carried out within the framework of the planned topics of the Omsk Research Institute of Natural Focal Infections (NIIPOI), state registration number 01. 200. 112520, and was also supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation (AOZ-2.12-610).
Objective of the study: To reveal the regional morphophysiological and biocenotic features of the fox and corsac and to establish the significance of these animals in the circulation of natural focal infections and invasions on the territory of the steppe and forest-steppe of the Omsk region.
To study the morphophysiological characteristics of the fox and corsac, to establish the dependence of the exterior, interior and craniological indicators on the characteristics of the ecology of predators. Using craniological indicators, determine the similarity of the predators of the Omsk region with the subspecies described for the territory of Western Siberia.
Explore state of the art number and its "dynamics, population density, sex and age composition and spatial and ethological structure of populations, nutritional characteristics and biocenotic (topical) relationships of the fox and corsac of the steppe and forest-steppe
Omsk region.
3. To study the role of the fox and corsac in the circulation of a number of natural focal infections and invasions in the study area. Scientific novelty of the work.
For the first time for the south of Western Siberia, a complete analysis of the exterior, interior, and craniological parameters of the fox and corsac was carried out. Morphophysiological indicators were used to assess the biological originality of the fox population of the Omsk region. In relation to Korsak, this work has not previously been carried out. The current state of the absolute and relative abundance of foxes and corsac on the territory of the Omsk region has been assessed. The analysis of the age and sex structure of the fox and corsac populations of the Omsk region is made. For the first time in the region, the regularity of the location of various types of shelters relative to each other was established in the populations of fox and corsac. In the south of Western Siberia, such work has not been carried out before. For the first time in the Omsk region, the features of the use of topical resources by predators have been revealed. The type of spatial distribution of fox and corsac populations was studied. The topical relationships of the fox and corsac with each other and with other species of the order of carnivores have been revealed. The regional feeding characteristics of the fox and corsac were established. The modern features of the epizootic process in rabies in these animals have been revealed. For the first time on the territory of the region, on the basis of serological data, contacts of fox and corsac with causative agents of tularemia, pseudotuberculosis, psittacosis, leptospirosis, yersiniosis, listeriosis, tuberculosis were revealed. The fox has specific antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile fever, and the corsac to West Nile fever. For the first time in the south of Western Siberia, the participation of predators in the circulation of hookworm has been determined)