Nature, plants and animals of the Penza region. Rare animals of the Penza region Animals of the Penza region

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stag beetle

The stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) is the largest stag beetle in our fauna and one of our largest beetles. It is black, the upper jaws and elytra are chestnut-brown in the male, black in the female. The length of the female is 28-45 mm, the length of the male without the upper jaws is 30-55 mm, and with them up to 75 mm. He lives in the south of the forest zone and in the forest-steppe, mostly in oak forests. In July and August, these beetles fly with a loud buzz around the tops of oaks, and during the day they can be found on the juice flowing from wounds on oak trunks. Near such wounds, sometimes several dozen beetles accumulate, which push, and often fight among themselves. At the same time, males fight not only because of a place on a site covered with juice, but also because of females. They rise high on their front and middle legs, almost rearing up, open their jaws wide and rush at each other with such ferocity that they often maim each other. The female lays large (up to 2.2 mm) oval eggs in hollows, in rotten stumps or in the soil at the foot of trees, the rotten wood of which the larvae feed on. The development of the larva lasts about 5 years; the adult larva reaches a length of 13.5 cm and a thickness of the thumb.

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steppe viper

STEPPE VIPER (Virepaursini) is smaller than usual, and the length of its body with a head does not exceed 57 cm, usually no more than 45-48 cm. Females are somewhat larger than males. Unlike common viper in the steppe, the lateral edges of the muzzle are pointed and somewhat raised above its upper part, and the nostrils cut through the lower parts of the nasal shields. Above, it is brownish-gray in color with a dark zigzag stripe along the ridge, sometimes broken into separate parts or spots. Sides of the body with dark blurred spots. Very rare black steppe vipers. Widespread from the steppes Western Europe(France, Italy, Austria, Yugoslavia, Albania, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria), through the steppe and southern part forest-steppe zone of our country up to East Kazakhstan and Northwest China. Lives in the Crimea, in the steppe regions of the Caucasus, Central Asia, Turkey, Iran. It rises to the mountains up to 2500-2700 m above sea level. Inhabits various types of steppes, sea coasts, shrubs, rocky mountain slopes, meadow floodplains, riverine forests, ravines, grass-salt semi-deserts and loosely fixed sands.

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spadeweed

GARLIC (Pelobatesfuscus) is best known. Its back is colored yellow-brown or light gray with large and small brown and black spots with red dots. The skin is smooth, sometimes emits strong smell reminiscent of the smell of garlic. The forehead between the eyes is convex. Very characteristic of spadefoot is a large spade-shaped internal calcaneal tubercle, which develops in connection with their burrowing activity. Males have an oval gland on their shoulders. Body length up to 80 mm. Distributed from Central Europe to the Aral Sea and the south of Western Siberia; in the south to the Crimea, North Caucasus, and in the north - to the line Leningrad - Kazan. Spadeworts come to water bodies only during the breeding season, spending the rest of the time on land. They dig well and spend the day buried in the ground, leaving the shelter in the evening.

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Triton

NEWT (Triturus vulgaris) is one of the smallest and most common newts, its total length reaches 11 cm, usually about 8 cm, of which about half falls on the tail. The skin is smooth or fine-grained. The coloration of the upper side of the body is olive-brown, the lower side is yellowish with small dark spots. On the head there are longitudinal dark stripes, of which a stripe passing through the eye is always noticeable. Coloration of males mating season becomes brighter and a scalloped crest grows from the back of the head to the end of the tail, usually with an orange border and a blue stripe with a pearly sheen. This fin fold is not interrupted at the base of the tail. Lobe rims form on the hind toes. The female has no mating coloration and no dorsal crest, but the coloration becomes brighter. The crest of the male newt is an additional respiratory organ and is especially rich in capillary vessels. Distributed from France, England and Southern Sweden to Western Siberia inclusive.

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Ermine

Ermine (Mustelaerminea) in general similar to the weasel, but larger than it and well distinguished by the black tip of the tail. Body length varies, from 16 to 38 cm, tail from 6 to 12 cm, weight up to 260 g, but usually less. Like the weasel, the ermine turns white in the winter and only the tip of the tail remains black. The animal is distributed from the Pyrenees, the Alps, Ireland and further throughout Europe, with the exception of most of Yugoslavia, as well as Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey. On the territory of Russia it is found almost everywhere. In Asia, it lives in Afghanistan, Mongolia, northeast China, northern Japan, and probably in the north. Korean peninsula. Finally, the ermine is found in Greenland and is distributed almost to the very south. North America. Ermine belongs to the most common predators. It reaches its greatest abundance in the forest-steppe regions of Western Siberia and Northern Kazakhstan.

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Boar

BOAR (Susscorfa) or wild pig is the most widespread species. Inhabits all of Europe north to the Scandinavian Peninsula. In Asia, it lives everywhere up to Southern Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East to the north. It also inhabits the tropical regions of the mainland, as well as the islands of Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra, New Guinea, and others. North Africa(Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and other countries), but in most areas it has been exterminated. Acclimatized in a number of places in North and Central America, as well as in Argentina. Unusually variable in size, body proportions and coloration.

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big jerboa

Jerboa LARGE (Allactagamajor) or earthen hare is the largest of all species of the family. The length of its body is 19-26 cm, the tail is up to 30 cm; at the end of the tail there is a bright and wide “banner” combed on two sides with a black base and a white top. From above, a large jerboa is painted in brownish-gray or pale sandy-gray color, from below the color is white. big jerboa not only the largest, but also the northernmost of all jerboas. It is common in semi-deserts, steppes and even forest-steppes of South-Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan and southern Siberia.

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mole rat

The mole rat (Spalaxmicrophtalmus) has been studied somewhat more fully than others. Its dimensions are slightly larger. The color of the fur does not differ from the small mole rat. Distributed in forest field and steppe landscapes from the western regions. The highest density of its settlements are in virgin areas and adjoining crops of perennial grasses (up to 20 animals per 1 ha); on grain crops, no more than 1-3 mole rats per 1 ha are found, and then only in the vicinity of beams, forest belts and forest edges. Mole rat burrows are located in 2 tiers: a complex system of horizontal passages is laid at a depth of 10-25 cm. These are feeding passages.

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Bustard

Bustard (Otistarda) is one of the largest birds of the bustard order: depending on the sex and season, its weight ranges from 4 to 11 and even 16 kg. It is not difficult to distinguish the bustard from other birds by its large size, powerful unfeathered legs, variegated plumage, which combines red and white colors, and also by the mustache extending from the chin - bunches of elongated thread-like feathers. Bustard is a silent and cautious bird, especially in flocks. Thanks to well-developed eyesight, birds grazing in the steppe notice the approach of danger from afar and fly away. The bustard takes off with a running start, heavily raising and lowering its huge wings, but, having risen, it flies relatively easily and quickly, making uniform and deep strokes. Solitary birds, especially in the hot season, sometimes skillfully hide, which is facilitated by a well-pronounced protective coloration.

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Capercaillie

Capercaillie (Tetraourogallus) is one of the largest representatives of chicken, growing almost from a turkey. The weight of males ranges from 3.5 to 6.5 kg, females - from 1.7 to 2.3 kg. This is a large clumsy and shy bird. His gait is fast, while searching for food, he often runs on the ground. Capercaillie rises heavily from the ground, flapping its wings loudly and making a lot of noise. The flight is heavy, noisy, almost direct and short unless absolutely necessary. Capercaillie usually flies above the forest itself or at the height of half a tree; only in autumn, making more significant movements, it keeps high above the forest. The capercaillie has pronounced sexual dimorphism. The male capercaillie is much larger than the female and differs sharply from her in plumage color.

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The Penza region is one of the central regions of the Volga region. The nature of the land of Penza became a source of inspiration for Lermontov M. Yu., Kuprin A. I. and other poets and writers. The region freely stretches on the Volga Upland. The flowering of the steppes in the south of the region smoothly flows into the shade of deciduous and pine forests in the northern part of the region.

Wide plains are crossed by hills, separated by small and large ravines. Many rivers with picturesque banks and floodplains create a wide water web of the region. And all this rich natural space is filled with many species of animals and plants.

Flora of the Penza region

The meadow-forest landscape of the north and northeast passes in the south into meadow-steppe and steppe. Pine occupies the main place in the forests. It is this species that forms a third of the region's forests. Coniferous periodically pass into mixed and deciduous forests. There, the pines are already being replaced by oaks. There are also beautiful birch groves, aspen, ash, maple, linden, mountain ash and elm grow in mixed forests. Hazel reigns among the shrubs. More than 120 species of mushrooms and more than a hundred varieties of mosses and lichens grow under the canopy of forests.

significant portion natural steppe used in agriculture. Small untouched areas have been preserved (Poperechenskaya, Kuncherovskaya, Ostrovtsovskaya reserved steppes). They have become part of the specially protected natural areas of the Privolzhskaya Forest-Steppe Reserve. Similar unique remains of the natural zonal steppe have not been preserved anywhere else in Europe. The steppe is dominated by perennial herbs and flowers: daisies, buttercups, cornflowers, beautiful and feathery feather grass.

Fauna of the Penza region

The fauna of the region is represented by more than 600 species. The most common forest dwellers- hedgehog, fox, hare, ferret, badger, squirrel, marten. In addition, you can meet a wild boar, a roe deer, an elk and even a wolf and a bear on the forest path. Do not be alarmed if you hear the hooting of the Tawny Owl, owls are very common in the Penza forests. Among birds, woodpeckers, nightingales, wagtails, tits and buntings are considered the most numerous forest inhabitants.

Marmots, steppe ferrets, ground squirrels, field hazel grouses, gray partridges and larks live in the steppe. You need to walk carefully through the forest and steppe: except for harmless snakes, you can meet with a poisonous common viper. Marsh turtles are found in a few swamps. On the territory of the region, it is possible to meet with a rare gray crane or egret.

More than 50 species of fish are found in numerous reservoirs of the region. Bream, pike perch, ide, catfish feel comfortable. Roach, perch, crucian carp, carp and pike are found in rivers and lakes. most valuable fish who lives in natural environment, is a sterlet. This species is listed in the Red Book of the Penza region, as it is very rare.

Seasons in the Penza region

This region is characterized by a temperate continental climate.

Winter is quite mild, the average January temperature fluctuates around -11...-13 degrees. The first snow usually falls between November and December, and the snow cover remains until the end of March. In winter, its thickness is about 50 cm.

The summer is warm, the average July temperature is about 20 degrees. Mainly sunny weather pleases from May to September. In summer, there are often short rains. Autumn finally sets in at the end of September, when the average daily temperature drops below 10 degrees. Approximately 600 mm of precipitation falls in the region annually.

The fauna of the region is quite diverse. Elk, badger, marten, many species of birds, including waterfowl, are found in the Penza forests. Siberian roe deer, wild boar, spotted deer, muskrat, raccoon dog, and beaver are well established in the region. There are many custom hunting grounds in the region.

In connection with the reconstruction of the hunting and commercial fauna of the country's mammals, 7 species of animals were acclimatized in our region, including: American mink, muskrat, raccoon dog, wild boar, Siberian roe deer, red and spotted deer. In parallel, work was underway to reacclimatize the steppe marmot, beaver and muskrat.Now the beaver population has been completely restored. The muskrat and the American mink are widely settled in the reservoirs of the region.In order to protect valuable species of animals, 5 reserves have been created in the region, and several dozens of hunting farms have been created for amateur hunting.

In the reservoirs of the Penza region, there are about 50 species of fish. In the largest - the Penza reservoir - about 30 species. To the main commercial species reservoirs include: bream, pike perch, silver bream, ide, catfish. In the rivers and small reservoirs of the region - roach, perch, crucian carp, carp, pike. The most valuable fish living in natural reservoirs is the sterlet. It occurs singly and is listed in the Red Book of the Penza region.

In total, 10 species of fish are listed in the Red Book of the region.

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Municipal budgetary educational institution Basic comprehensive school with. Malaya Sergievka Tamalinsky district Penza region Animals of the Penza region, listed in the Red Book of Russia Completed by: Rozhkova Lyubov Vasilievna teacher of biology

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Purpose: To deepen knowledge about the animals of the Penza region, listed in the Red Book of Russia; Activate cognitive interest to nature and its study To reveal the diversity of the local fauna; Reveal the aesthetic value of the observed objects; Show them relative nature, especially with active human intervention in the habitat of animals; Cultivate a sense of proportion, responsibility and goodwill towards the environment; Show the need to protect the environment.

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The main part of the animals of the Penza region, listed in the Red Book of Russia, is located on the territory of the reserve "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe". The State Nature Reserve "Privolzhskaya Forest-Steppe" was established in 1989, primarily to preserve the unique steppes of the northern type, located in the Penza region, in the forest-steppe zone of the Middle Volga region of Russia. Among the animals listed in the Red Book of Russia on the territory of the reserve were noted: 8 species of insects, 3 species of fish and cyclostomes, and 8 species of birds. Butterflies: common Apollo and Mnemosyne; beetles: odorous beetle and stag beetle; grasshopper - steppe hymenoptera: carpenter bee, large parnodog, Armenian bumblebee; fish - Russian quicksand and common sculpin; Ukrainian lamprey; birds: steppe harrier, golden eagle, saker falcon, bustard, middle woodpecker, gray shrike, dubrovnik, red-footed falcon.

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Habitat. Desman's favorite habitats are oxbow lakes, floodplain lakes with a depth of up to 5 m, small rivers with a quiet course and backwaters. Desman On the territory of the region, the muskrat is still preserved in the river systems of Khopra, Vorona and Vysha. The species is listed in the Red Book of the Penza Region (2005) with the status of endangered.

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Evening giant Rare species, listed in the Red Book of the Penza region (2005). Over the past 30 years, three cases of visual registration of the species are known: in 1984 in the Bessonovsky district near the village. Leonidovka, 1985 in the vicinity of the village. Akhuny (near the city of Penza) and 2000 near the village. Mikhailovka Zemetchinsky district. Flight view. In spring, it appears in the area in early May. The timing of the autumn departure is not known. Habitats are mixed (2 meetings) and deciduous (1 meeting) forests.

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Steppe marmot A rare species distributed in a limited area (Bessonovsky, Neverkinsky and Kameshkirsky districts), listed in the Red Book of the Penza Region (2005). Total population, according to an indirect estimate, does not exceed 250-300 individuals. Inhabits ravine-beam systems in hilly areas with grass-forb steppe vegetation, avoids damp places and areas with high groundwater levels.

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Middle Woodpecker Similar to the more common and well-known Great Spotted Woodpecker, but on closer inspection the two species are distinctly different from each other. Despite the rather bright coloring, the middle woodpecker does not stand out as much as its larger relative. It knocks little, in summer it spends most of its time in the canopy of trees and generally rarely descends to the surface of the earth. Most often, this woodpecker can be seen alone, but in winter it can accompany flocks of tits or other species of woodpeckers that have flown into its territory. In 2002, nesting of the middle woodpecker was recorded on the territory of the reserve for the first time. This species was recorded for the first time in the Penza region in 1999 in the Serdobsky district and in 2000 in the vicinity of the city of Penza (Frolov et al., 2002).

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The Gray Shrike The Gray Shrike is a rare bird in the Penza Region. Sosnovka. A bird frightened in the field flew into southbound to the forest tract "Moose Dol".

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Dubrovnik Dubrovnik can be attributed to relatively rare nesting species. Short description. The size of a sparrow. The female has a rather uniform pale yellow coloration of the lower side, a brownish, barely noticeable band passes across the goiter, and there are numerous streaks on the sides; in general, the bird is inconspicuous, keeps secretly, is silent, it is very difficult to recognize it in nature. The male, on the contrary, is very elegantly colored: the entire top is chocolate brown, turning into black on the head, which covers the entire “face”, the entire bottom is bright yellow, tied with a wide brown “belt” across the goiter, on the wing there are two wide oblique white stripes . He behaves defiantly - he sits on top of a perch that dominates the biotope, usually a bush of horse sorrel; sings a marriage song - overflowing with melodically ringing knees, pronounced at different pitches, according to an approximate pattern: "dzu" li-dzu "li-vu" li-vu "li-vli"-vli "".

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Kobchik Habitats. Breeds in forest plantations: floodplain forests, old windbreaks, parks and gardens settlements. Often settles near water bodies, occupying old nests of rooks or gray crows.

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White-tailed eagle Sedentary, very rare species. Listed in the Red Books of Russia, Penza region. The largest of the predators nesting in our region. In the Penza region at the beginning of the twentieth century, a rare sedentary species. After the creation of the Sursky reservoir in 1978, birds began to be observed annually during the period seasonal migrations. During the nesting season, solitary birds are found in the floodplain of the Sura, Khopra, Crows in the Luninsky, Serdobsky, Bekovsky, Belinsky districts. The number does not exceed 4-5 nesting pairs.

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Bustard In the first half of the 20th century, the bustard in the Penza region was among the common (previously - hunting and commercial birds) birds, both on nesting and on migration, and it inhabited most of the territory of the region. Even in the second half of the 20th century, when the widespread reduction in the range and number of bustards in Russia began, the birds nested and bred. A further general decline in numbers led to almost complete disappearance her in the area. AT last years feeding and fluttering bustards were noted in Kameshkirsky, Kolyshleysky, Mokshansky and Neverkinsky districts.

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Falcon- Saker Falcon Habitat. Deciduous and mixed forests surrounded by open spaces – steppes, etc. Saker Falcons need trees for nesting, open spaces for hunting. Under these conditions, Saker Falcons are found both in the depths of the forest, and on the edges and outskirts. Saker falcons keep in old tall forests, as they nest in tall trees. According to the results of research conducted in 1971–2001, the Saker Falcon is classified as a group of rare migrant birds of the Penza region. The last reliable fact of its nesting here dates back to 1962.

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Osprey Migratory-breeding species, solitary. Listed in the Red Books of Russia and the Penza region. In the Penza region, single meetings were noted in the Sura valley. Only with the creation of the Sur reservoir in 1978 did the species begin to occur systematically. During the nesting season, solitary birds were noted in the Vadinsky, Luninsky, Penza and Gorodishchensky districts. In total, there are 3-4 nesting pairs and 5-6 single birds migrating in summer in the region.

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Burial ground Available data on the state of the burial ground at the end of the 20th century. let's talk about him as a bird nesting in the Penza region. in the amount of 3-4 pairs.

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Steppe harrier Since 1977, the steppe harrier has been observed nesting in the Penza region. (Zemetchinsky, Tamalinsky, Kuznetsky and Shemysheysky districts). Currently is a rare species.

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Golden eagle Golden eagle belongs to the group of very rare migrant birds of the Penza region Recorded in early March 2005. The bird soared over a meadow stretching along the Kasley-Kadada, 1.5 km northeast of the village of Dvoriki. The golden eagle made several circles and flew to the east.

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Sterlet The rarest species in the Penza region The most valuable fish living in natural waters is the sterlet. It occurs singly and is listed in the Red Book of the Penza region.

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Ukrainian lamprey Currently, only Ukrainian lamprey lives in the Penza region, until recently it occupied the Don basin, but over the past decades, the species has become widespread in the Volga system, including in the Sura river system: the Elan-Kadada, Uza rivers ( with tributaries Chardym, Verkhozimka and Tersa), Ardym (a tributary of the Penza River), as well as in the Sura itself (Levin, Holčík, 2006).

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Russian Bystryanka Bystryanka is similar to common bleak, but at first glance it differs from it in two dark stripes running along the middle of the body, on the sides of the lateral line, and in that it is noticeably wider and more humpbacked. The openings of the lateral line are bordered with black dots above and below, so a dotted double stripe stretches along the lateral line. In the Penza region in 2000, Bystrianka was found in the Uza River, and in 2003-2004 - in other Sura tributaries - Kadade, Aiva and Inza.

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Steppe dybka Steppe dybka, one of our largest grasshoppers, 6–8 cm long. It reproduces parthenogenetically, resembles a praying mantis in habits, because it lies in wait for its prey, large insects, which it catches with its forelimbs. Preserved in the steppe part of the state. Reserve "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe". Extremely rare.

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Carpenter bee The carpenter bee owes its name to the fact that it lives in wood. Gnawing passages in the tree and equipping rooms for life, the bee became a carpenter among the people. Lives on the territory of the Reserve Privolzhskaya Forest-Steppe. Occurs on the territory of the Tamalinsky district

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A large parnodog is a rare species of wasps-sprites from the subfamily Chrysidinae. The only species of the genus listed in the Red Book of Russia. Sometimes called meat-red glitter. Parnopes - large

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Steppe Bumblebee Light yellow hairs predominate (occiput, anterior part of dorsum, scutellum, and abdominal tergites). Most of head, transverse band on the back between the bases of the wings, legs and underside of the body with black hairs.

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Armenian Bumblebee Body length 21-32 mm. The cheeks are strongly elongated. Head, dorsal band between wing bases, posterior segment of abdomen (pygidium) and legs with black hairs, other parts of body with light yellow hairs. Wings are brown. Occurs on the territory of the reserve Privolzhskaya forest-steppe

The fauna of the region is quite diverse. Elk, badger, marten, many species of birds, including waterfowl, are found in the Penza forests. Siberian roe deer, wild boar, spotted deer, muskrat, raccoon dog, and beaver are well established in the region. There are many custom hunting grounds in the region.

Currently, 28 species of rodents belonging to eight families and 7 species of insectivores from three families are known to inhabit the territory of the region, a total of 35 species, 26 of which are considered in this work (Table 1).
Table 1. Species composition of small mammals in the Penza region.

The range of the species is located in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe, in the south of Western Siberia, the Caucasus, in Asia Minor.
The subspecies taxonomy of hedgehogs has not yet been developed. Previously, it was believed that the hedgehogs of the Penza region, as well as Russia as a whole, belong to the species Erinaceus europaeus - an ordinary hedgehog (Guryleva, 1968).
However, recent studies (Zaitsev, 1982; 1984) show that two of its subspecific forms are independent species, E. europaeus and E. concolor. The white-breasted hedgehog is common in more southern regions; in the European part of Russia - presumably to the Volga, ordinary - further north. Therefore, hedgehogs inhabiting the territory of the Penza region belong to the species E. concolor, which was confirmed by karyological studies carried out in the vicinity of Penza and in the Zemetchinsky district (Bystrakova, 2000). Karyotyped animals had a characteristic white spot on the chest. However, A.A. Medvedev (1932) reported on the discovery in the Tambov region, along with the white-chested hedgehog, also an ordinary hedgehog. Therefore, the possibility of cohabitation in the area of ​​2 species cannot be ruled out.
The hedgehog is a species common to the region, inhabiting a variety of landscapes. Animals give preference to the edges of forests, clearings and thickets of shrubs. In open spaces, hedgehogs settle among small shrubs, tall grasses and other secluded places; often they are found near human habitation, in gardens and forest belts.

common mole

The species inhabits lowland forests (except for the northern taiga) and the forest-steppe of Europe and Western Siberia.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies T. e. europaea L. (1758).
A common species in the region, however, its habitat is noted in only 6 districts. This can be explained by the specifics of catching moles, which, even in places with a high abundance, very rarely fall into the grooves; for the extraction of a mole, it is necessary to use special mole traps, which is not always possible during expedition trips.
The habitat of moles was recorded mainly in the north- and south-west of the region, where it inhabits floodplain broad-leaved and mixed forests with rich humus and enough wet soil in which they live earthworms. In the steppe areas, moles are practically not found, due to the structural features of the soil and the dryness of the climate. Thus, the southern border of the distribution of the species can be drawn approximately along the border of the Penza and Saratov regions.
In the Zemetchinsky district and the environs of Penza, moles have been observed annually since 1992; in other places, trappings were carried out only once.

Lesser shrew

The range of the species covers the forest-steppes, steppes, semi-deserts (including mountainous) of Eurasia from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
On the territory of the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies C. s. suaveolens Pallas (1811).
In the Penza region, it is located at the northern border of its range. Single sightings of the species in 1929 (Medvedev, 1932), 1958 (Guryleva, 1968) and 1983 (Frolova, 1986) gave reason to consider it extremely rare and occurring sporadically in the region. However, in recent years in the city of Penza and beyond its borders, white-toothed shrews have been repeatedly hunted in human buildings and next to them. Currently, the species has been recorded in 8 districts, mainly in the north of the region, in mixed and broad-leaved forests along the floodplains of the Moksha, Atmis, and Uza rivers. Researchers suggest that this synanthropic species, like the house mouse, is rarely recorded in captures due to the fact that work on the study of small mammals is carried out mainly far from settlements (Bystrakova, 1998).

Lesser shrew

The range of the species covers continental Europe and Siberia to the east to the Baikal region.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies S. m. minutus L. (1766).
A species previously considered extremely rare in the region (Guryleva, 1968). However, in recent decades lesser shrew found in 12 districts, mainly in the southern part of the region. The habitats inhabited by the lesser shrew are very diverse, but it prefers relatively moist, but not swampy areas of the outskirts of forests or thickets of shrubs, and is also found along the banks of water bodies. For example, in the south-west of the region (Neverkinsky district), small shrews were caught in the floodplain of the river. Kadada in deciduous forest with comparatively sparse undergrowth; in central regions(Nizhnelomovsky, Mokshansky) - in the floodplains of the Atmis and Moksha rivers in broad-leaved forests with well-developed undergrowth and dense grass cover. In the Luninsky district, the lesser shrew was caught in a wide meadow floodplain of the river. Suras with small willow bushes.
It should also be noted that at the sites of stationary research (the biological station of the Department of Zoology and Ecology in the Zemetchinsky district and the biostation of the PSPU in the Shemyshey district), the little shrew has been observed annually, starting from 1991 and 1992, respectively, and in some years its number was comparable to that of the common shrew, one of the most widespread species of small small mammals in the region.

common shrew

The range of the species covers Europe, Western and Eastern Siberia, Northern Kazakhstan.
For the common shrew, intraspecific chromosomal variability has been discovered; the existence of about 50 chromosomal races has been proven within the range (Zima et al., 1996). On the territory of the Middle Volga region, the habitation of 3 chromosome races is currently established; in the Penza region, the race B “Mologa V” is widespread (Bulatova et al., 2000).
Within the region, it is represented by the subspecies S. a. araneus L. (1758).
As noted above, the common shrew is a typical species for the region. It is noted in 19 regions, where it inhabits mainly broad-leaved (oak, linden, aspen, maple) and mixed forests along the floodplains of the Kadada, Moksha, Nyanga, and Sura rivers. Always adheres to moist habitats, very rarely found in dry pine forests and open spaces.
The largest number The places of finds of the common shrew are concentrated around the city of Penza, as well as along the entire floodplain of the Sura River. This is due to favorable living conditions: in these areas, as a rule, grows deciduous forest(oak, linden, birch) with well-developed undergrowth (hazel, mountain ash, buckthorn, warty euonymus) and thick litter of tree litter.
In different years, starting from 1971, the common shrew was found in the Belinsky district (floodplain of the Vorona river), Bashmakovsky, Pachelmsky (floodplain of the Vysha river), Serdobsky, Kolyshleysky (floodplain of the Khoper river). Every year, since 1991, it has been celebrated in Zemetchinsky, since 1992 - in Shemysheysky districts. In general, it can be said that, in fact, the common shrew in the Penza region was found in all places where trappings were carried out.

water shrew

The range of the species occupies near-water forest biotopes of Europe, the Caucasus, Western and south Eastern Siberia, Transbaikalia.
On the territory of the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies N. f. fodiens Pennant, 1771.
Kutora is a stenobiont species, gravitating towards near-water habitats; for the region it is common (Guryleva, 1968; Frolova, 1986). The finds of the shrew are known in 12 districts; all of them are confined to the banks of rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and oxbow lakes, densely overgrown with shrubs (willow, bird cherry, alder) or forest (oak, linden, maple, aspen, birch). Similar biotopes are found in Nizhnelomovsky, Mokshansky, Shemysheysky districts. In the Neverkinsky and Gorodishchensky districts, the water shrew was found in the floodplains of the Kadada and Sura rivers with typically meadow vegetation and rare shrubs.
Shrews are caught almost every year at a biological station in the Zemetchinsky district; repeatedly noted in Shemysheysky and Gorodishchensky (1998-1999) areas; at other points this species was caught only once.

The range of the species covers the plain and mountain (up to 2000 m) broad-leaved forests of Europe and the Caucasus; islands of the Mediterranean.
On the territory of the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies G.g. glis L., 1766.
The shelf inhabits mainly watershed and floodplain broad-leaved and coniferous-broad-leaved forests, as well as massifs of walnut-fruit plantations.
In the region, the species was first noted in the Gorodishchensky and Narovchatsky districts (Fedorovich, 1915), and then in 1997 one specimen was caught in the Shemysheysky district on the banks of the Sursky reservoir, on a cordon in a broad-leaved forest (oak, linden, aspen). There are no other finds of polchka in the region yet. Apparently, the information given does not reflect the true picture of the distribution of the species in the Penza region, since catching dormouse requires the use of special, rather laborious methods, which was not included in the goals of expeditionary research.

hazel dormouse

Distributed mainly in broad-leaved low-mountain (up to 1300 m) forests of continental Europe; south of Scandinavia and England; north of Turkey.

Prefers broad-leaved forests, especially oak and beech, where it lives in aspen-birch biotopes, mainly with undergrowth of hazel, linden and maple.
In the Penza region hazel dormouse was noted only once, in the Nizhnelomovsky region (Guryleva, 1968).

forest dormouse

The range of the species passes through Europe (except for the extreme south and north), as well as the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Western Asia.
The subspecies taxonomy of the forest dormouse is not well developed; in the Penza region, it is represented by one of the subspecies of the so-called Central Russian group (D. n. nitedula Pallas, 1779; D. n. obolenskii Ognev, 1923; D. n. carpathicus Brohmer, 1927).
It inhabits mainly broad-leaved and sometimes coniferous-broad-leaved forests, including floodplain and insular forests, as well as shrub thickets along beams in the forest-steppe zone, gardens, forest nurseries, field-protective plantings. Everywhere avoids tall forests without undergrowth.
On the territory of the region, the species was recorded in 4 regions, mainly in the north, in broad-leaved and mixed forests in the floodplains of the Sura, Moksha and Vysha rivers. In the Zemetchinsky district, forest dormouse has been encountered periodically since 1995, and in other areas, trappings were carried out only in certain years.

forest mouse

It lives in the plain and low-mountain forests of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, Northern Kazakhstan and the south of Western Siberia, the Baikal region.
In the late 1980s, it was found that under the species name B "forest mouse" there are 2 forms with different numbers of chromosomes - 2n = 32 and 2n = 44, which were given the status of species (Sokolov et al., 1989). Therefore, at present, in order to accurately establish the species belonging of mice, it is necessary to study their chromosome sets. On the territory of the Penza region, mouse mice were karyotyped in 2 districts - in Zemetchinsky and in Kolyshleysky. It has been established that mice from the Zemetchinsky district have 32 chromosomes in the karyotype, i.e. belong to the species forest mouse; the animal from the Kolyshleysky district has 2n = 44, and it belongs to another species, the Strand mouse (Bystrakova et al., 1999).
The wood mouse is most common in deciduous as well as mixed forests, especially with a predominance of aspen and well-developed undergrowth and herbage. Avoids marshy meadows and swamps of various types.
On the territory of the region, mice were caught even without karyotyping, and it can only be assumed that forest mice also live in these areas (Luninsky and Nizhnelomovsky), because. the animals were caught in biotopes more typical for this species than for the Strand mouse (floodplains of the Sura, Moksha, Vysha rivers, overgrown with young oak or pine forest).
In these areas, the wood mouse was noted only once, while in the Zemetchinsky district it has been found annually since 1995.

Mouse Strand

Distributed in the south of Eastern Europe, in Ciscaucasia, presumably in Central Europe.
It is a geographically replacing species-twin of the forest mouse, in the karyotype of 44 chromosomes. In the Penza region, so far it has been found only in the Kolyshleysky district, on the territory of the site of the reserve V "Privolzhskaya forest-steppe" (V "Ostrovtsovskaya forest-steppe"). This site is characterized by steppe territories in the floodplain of the river. Khoper, in some places overgrown with shrubs and completely covered with last year's herbs.
Thus, through the territory of the Penza region, along the watershed of the basins of the Sura and Khopra rivers, there is a line that delimits the ranges of two twin mouse species - the forest and Strand.
Obviously, further studies of the distribution of these species in the Penza region are needed. However, some features of their biology do not allow these studies to be carried out as quickly as is possible in the case of other rodents.

gray hamster

The range of the species includes southern and southeastern Europe, Asia Minor and Western Asia, within which it inhabits forest-steppes, semi-desert and desert regions, up to high mountains (up to 4300 m above sea level in the Pamirs).
Two subspecies are possible in the Penza region: C. m. bellicosus Charlemagn, 1915 (known in the central regions of the European part of Russia) and C. m. phaeus Pall., 1779 (steppe Don region, Lower Volga region).
The gray hamster was noted in the southern regions of the region - in Tamalinsky, Bekovsky and Maloserdobinsky (Guryleva, 1968); apparently, the distribution of the species to the north is limited by forests; therefore, its northern border passes either through the Penza region or near its borders. The hamster is confined to open spaces, often to agrocenoses (in the Kamensky district it was caught in corn crops), however, it was also noted in human buildings (in the Shemysheysky district it was caught in a school building). In all other areas where the counts were carried out, the species was not found.
It should be noted that valuable information on the distribution of relatively rare steppe species, such as the gray hamster, can be obtained by analyzing the contents of the pellets of birds of prey. So, in the pellets of an eagle owl from the Shemyshei region, we found 9 skulls of this species.

steppe pied

The range of the species extends across the steppes and semi-deserts of Eurasia from the Dnieper River to Tuva, and south to the Tien Shan.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies L. l. agressus Serebrennikov, 1929.
The steppe lemming ubiquitously inhabits the steppes, semi-deserts and the southern part of the forest-steppe, but avoids the forb steppes and shrubs; prefers grass-forb, feather-grass-fescue and sagebrush steppes. Willingly settles on arable land, fallow lands, pastures, along the edges of roads and railroad embankments. Within the study area, the species was found in 4 regions in the south and southwest of the region, in open spaces, including fields.
In the Penza region, the steppe pied beetle is located on the northern border of its range, in addition, it does not go well in crushers - a traditional tool for trapping small mammals. Therefore, data on finds of this species are scarce. It should be noted that in the pellets of the eagle owl from the Shemysheisky district, in which the skulls of gray hamsters were found, we also found the skull of the steppe lemming, and for the Penza region this is the northernmost point of finding the species.

bank vole

Distributed in various forests of Europe, north of Asia Minor east to the Yenisei, Baikal region.
Two subspecies are possible in the Penza region: C. g. glareolus Schreber, 1780 (distributed from Belarus and Smolensk region to Tatarstan) and C. g. istericus Miller, 1909 (recorded in Voronezh, Saratov, Samara regions).
The bank vole is one of the most typical and widespread species in the Penza region, whose habitat has been noted in 20 districts. The largest number of finds of the species is concentrated along the floodplain of the Sura and its tributaries (Kuznetsky, Gorodishchensky, Shemysheysky, Penza, Luninsky districts), in Zasurye, as well as along the floodplains of the Moksha, Vysha and Vorona rivers (Mokshansky, Pachelmsky, Zemetchinsky districts). Everywhere bank vole timed to woody vegetation- to broad-leaved and mixed forests (oak, aspen, birch, linden, pine), but everywhere it avoids forests with a dense forest stand, inhabiting lightened habitats along the edges, especially those overgrown with shrubs or light forests; common in floodplain forests. Often found in field-protective forest belts, as well as residential and utility buildings, especially in winter time(in winter it is also common in haystacks and stacks). In the places of stationary surveys, the bank vole is caught annually.

water vole

The range of the species occupies plain and mountain (up to 3200 m) near-water biotopes of the northern part of Eurasia.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies A. t. terrestris L., 1758.
Inhabits river floodplains, shores of various types of lakes, irrigation canals and other natural and artificial reservoirs, upland and floodplain bogs. It settles in quagmire, meadows, among shrubs and in swampy undergrowth along the banks of forest streams, in fields and vegetable gardens; sometimes found in buildings. The shores of clogged or polluted reservoirs are avoided everywhere.
On the territory of the region it was found in 5 districts along the floodplains of the Moksha, Sura rivers, overgrown with shrubs (willow, bird cherry, alder), grass (sedge, reeds). In Zemetchinsky district water vole It has been observed almost annually since 1995 in the floodplain of a forest stream overgrown with broad-leaved species and various shrubs.

underground vole

The range is located in the forest zone of plains and mountains (up to 2200 m) of Western and Central Europe, from the Atlantic coast to the Balkans and Ukraine, in the center of the European part of Russia there is an isolate.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies M. s. transvolgensis Schaposchnikov et Schanev, 1958.
It reaches the highest abundance in broad-leaved forests, as well as in island forests of the forest-steppe; sometimes found in secondary deforested areas among mixed and coniferous forests with a well-developed grass cover, as well as in meadow and shrub habitats in floodplains.
The habitat of the underground vole in the Penza region was established recently, in the late 90s. Previously, the westernmost point of its capture was with. Desirable Ryazan region. (Zagorodnyuk, 1992), located about 25 km from the northwestern border of the Penza region, and since 1996 it has been recorded almost annually at a biological station in the Zemetchinsky district (in a mixed forest; in a meadow with high grass; in a floodplain of a stream at the edge of the woods). It should be noted that in most cases the animals were killed with the help of a trapping groove, and only 1 time - in a crush. The infrequent use of ditches when trapping small mammals, as well as some difficulty in identifying the species (reliable only by the skull), may be the reasons why the ground vole is considered a very rare species, the distribution of which is far from being studied enough.

house vole

The range of the species includes moist habitats in the tundra and taiga zones (in the mountains up to 2500 m) of Eurasia, in Alaska.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies M. oe. stimmingi Nehring, 1899.
Inhabits mainly the forest zone, where it is most numerous in moist open meadow-type habitats along the banks of rivers and lakes, edges of sedge and moss bogs, in floodplains overgrown with bushes and river valleys.
In the Penza region, the housekeeper can be considered as a common species, the number of which, however, is low everywhere due to the remoteness from the main range.
The southern border of its distribution runs along the south of the Saratov region. In all seven districts of the region where the housekeeper is found, it is confined to wet areas (floodplains of the Khopra, Sura, Kolyshleya rivers). At the biological station in the Zemetchinsky district, it is observed constantly, but sometimes with rather large intervals of 3-4 years.

Dark, or plowed, vole

It is distributed mainly in sparse forests and shrub thickets of the plains - middle mountains (up to 2000 m) of Europe, Western Siberia, and the Baikal region.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies M. a. gregarius L., 1766.
Adheres mainly to open, well-moistened biotopes, avoids dry coniferous forests; habitats and way of life are similar to the housekeeper.
The species was first noted in 1950 in the city of Penza (Ognev, 1950); Since then, the field vole has been found in 6 more districts of the region. Despite the fact that the southern border of the range of the field vole, apparently, coincides with the border between the Penza and Saratov regions(Shlyakhtin et al., 2001), i.e. is located much closer to our territory than the housekeeper, at the biological station in the Zemetchinsky district the field vole is observed annually, and, as a rule, in several copies, unlike the housekeeper. To date, the southernmost point of detection of the species in the region is with. Sosnovka, Kondolsky district.

common vole

The range covers meadows and agrocenoses of mainland Europe (except for the extreme north and south) to the east to the Dnieper-Kirov line.
Subspecific taxonomy has not been developed.
30 years ago, when studying the chromosome sets of voles from different regions, it was found that within the polytypic species of the common vole, 5 twin species with different karyotypes are distinguished, all of which were given species status (Meyer et al., 1972, Malygin, 1983). In the Penza region, as well as in the territory of the European part of Russia, two of them live - common (2n = 46) and Eastern European (2n = 54) voles, whose ranges basically coincide. The habitat of both named species was confirmed by karyotype studies (Stoiko, 1997; Bystrakova, 2000). The 46-chromosome vole was noted in Zemetchinsky, Nizhnelomovsky, Luninsky, Kondolsky and Shemysheysky districts. The rest of the finds on the map of the distribution of the species are indicated as “conditionally” and can indicate the places of finds of both common and Eastern European voles, since the animals were not karyotyped.
It reaches its highest abundance in open habitats of the steppe and forest-steppe zones, including cultivated lands. In the forest zone of the Russian Plain, the favorite habitats are glades, edges, thickets of shrubs in river valleys. The species is also common on the outskirts of large cities, in parks, in wastelands and cemeteries, in gardening plots. In the Penza region, the finds of common voles are confined to the floodplains of the rivers - Sura, Moksha, Khopra and Vorona.

East European vole

Distributed in Eastern Europe, but occurs somewhat to the north and does not go far to the south.
It is a twin species of the common vole. Subspecific taxonomy has not been developed.
The species affiliation is determined by the karyotype, so the places of finds of voles in the region are still little known. For the first time in the study area, it was discovered in 1973 (Belyanin et al., 1973) in the Lopatinsky district (floodplain of the Uza river), then in 1987 two specimens were caught in the Belinsky district (Stoiko, 1987), and in 1999 - in Kondolsky and Gorodishchensky districts (Bystrakova, 1999). The habitats of twin species are similar.

baby mouse

The range covers temperate zone Eurasia to the north to 65 N, to the south - to Ciscaucasia, northern Mongolia, southern China and Assam, the British Isles, Japan, Taiwan.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies M. m. minutus Pallas, 1771.
Within the study area, it was found in 9 districts, mainly in the center and north-west of the region. For the first time in the region, a baby mouse was found within the city of Penza (Fedorovich, 1915; 1926), then it was noted in the Gorodishchensky and Sosnovoborsky districts in 1953 and 1960 (Guryleva, 1968), the rest of the finds were made in 80-90 -s yrs.
In some areas, the species prefers wooded areas (Nizhnelomovsky, Kondolsky, Serdobsky districts), however, in most cases it occupies typical biotopes - floodplain tall grass meadows, various agrocenoses, haystacks and ridges. In all areas marked on the map, the baby mouse was caught once, with the exception of the Zemetchinsky district, where this happens sporadically, after several years.

Harvest mouse

Distributed in Europe, eastern Kazakhstan, south of Western Siberia to Lake Baikal.
Two subspecies are possible in the Penza region: the northern one (A. a. karelicus Ehrstrom, 1914), distributed southward to the line Kyiv - Voronezh - Saratov, and the nominative one (A. a. agrarius Pall., 1771).
The field mouse is a common species for the Penza region; inhabits various, mostly well-moistened habitats. Everywhere it avoids continuous forest plantations, adhering to shrub and open biotopes, including meadows and grain fields. Found in the city. According to observations at the biological station in the Zemetchinsky district, the number sometimes increases significantly, and in some years, on the contrary, it decreases, moreover, more noticeably than in our other typical mouse-like rodents (bank vole, yellow-throated mouse).

Lesser wood mouse

It is distributed in the forest-steppe zone of Eurasia to the west to the Baltic states, to the north to the Vologda and Arkhangelsk regions, to the south to the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov and the Black Sea region.
In the Penza region, the subspecific affiliation has not been clarified due to the undeveloped subspecific taxonomy.
The Lesser Wood Mouse is a common species for the region, found in 15 districts. The largest number of catching sites is concentrated in the floodplain of the Sura River (Penza, Shemysheisky, Gorodishchensky, Luninsky districts), as well as in the floodplains of the Vyshi, Atmis, and Vorona rivers. Almost everywhere the species was caught in the same type of biotopes: usually it is a floodplain broad-leaved (oak, aspen, linden, birch) or mixed (pine and broad-leaved species) forest with a developed undergrowth (hazel, mountain ash, buckthorn, warty euonymus). Often settles in forest belts, sometimes found in stumps and stacks.
However, according to observations at biological stations, in habitats with the yellow-throated mouse, which requires similar environmental conditions, the small wood mouse, as a rule, cannot compete with the latter and is forced out by it, appearing only in years of decline in the number of yellow-throated mice.

yellow-throated mouse

Distributed mainly in the forests of Europe (including England and southern Scandinavia), from the Baltic through central Russia to the southern Urals.
Two subspecies are possible in the Penza region: A. f. flavicollis Melchior., 1834 (characteristic of the northern regions of Russia) and A. f. samariensis Ognev, 1922 (distributed in the southern regions).
Common view in the area. In the study area, it was found in 19 districts, mainly in the eastern part of the region, which is explained by the presence of large forests in these places (Penza, Shemyshey, Gorodishchensky, Luninsky districts). Often found in the north-east of the region in broad-leaved forests along the floodplains of the rivers Vysha, Atmis, Lomovka, Moksha (Nizhnelomovskiy, Pachelmskiy, Bashmakovskiy, Zemetchinskiy districts). In the south of the region, it occupies suitable habitats in island forests in the floodplains of the Khoper and Uza rivers.
When conducting long-term research in certain places, it is caught annually.

house mouse

It is distributed throughout the world in human settlements. They inhabit various natural biotopes in the southern part of the temperate, subtropical and tropical zones. Outside of human dwellings, it avoids the open arctic and subarctic landscapes of the north and central parts deserts, as well as continuous forests of the taiga type.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies M. m. musculus Linnaeus, 1758.
In the study area, it was found in 11 districts, where it inhabits a wide variety of biotopes: from residential and utility premises to various types of forest plantations; in natural habitats it is noted much less frequently than in human buildings. The house mouse is a typical synanthropic species, so it can be found almost everywhere next to a person, in this regard, we should talk about the ubiquitous distribution of this species in the region.

gray rat

Distributed in the southeast of Siberia, Primorye, northeast China and all over the world in human settlements or near it.
In the Penza region, it is represented by the subspecies R. n. norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769.
Occurs in vegetable gardens, wastelands, gardens and parks, greenhouse buildings, urban areas (including major cities), in grain fields and stacks; in all cases, the prerequisite is the proximity of water.
On the territory of the region it is noted in 5 districts. There were no special captures of rats in the region; therefore, almost all data on the presence of this species were obtained from oral reports or as a result of random captures.