Nepal is a small country (147,181㎢) located in a borderline between two bio-geographical regions, Palearctic in the north and Oriental in the south. It has wide altitudinal variation from flat plain to high Himalaya (60-8848m). Due to the unique climatic and geographical variations, it is rich in biodiversity. Altogether 211 species of mammals, 878 species of birds, 182 species of herpeto-fauna and 232 species of fishes have been recorded in Nepal. Mammalian species occupied the 4.2% species of all mammals of the world. All together 46 species of mammals are listed under the categories of threatened IUCN threatened category including one regionally extinct, eight critically endangered and 25 endangered species. Small mammals have significant part (71.6%) in total mammalian species of Nepal. It occupies 151 species under seven orders and 25 families. Two species of small mammals Himalayan Field Mouse (Apedoemus gurkha) and Mouse-eared Myotis (Myotis csorbai) are endemic to Nepal. Among the small mammals (for example, rodents) occupied the highest number (52 spp.) and Chiroptera occupies the second position (51 spp.). Field-collection and observation of small mammals has been done three times since December, 2014 to February, 2016 in three different locations Kathmandu (1,200-1,800m), Pokhara (827-2,600m) and Lumbini (65-2,000m) of Nepal. Live-traps (Sherman trap) and traditional mouse-catching live-traps in different size were used to collect small mammals. A total of 221 individuals were captured from different habitats, human settlement (129 individuals), grassland (46 individuals), forest (25 individuals) and agriculture land (21 individuals). 99 individuals were collected from Lumbini following by 83 individuals from Pokhara and 39 individuals from Kathmandu. Morphological measurement has done in each species and their biological samples were collected. Altogether, four orders, four families and 19 species of small mammals were collected and identified. In addition, three species of monkey (Macaca assamensis, Macaca mulata and Semnopithecus schistaceus) and one species of flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) were observed in their natural habitats. A total of eleven taxa of Muridae family (Bandicota bengalensis, Canomys Badius, Mus booduga, Mus musculus, Niviventer fulvescen, Rattus nitidus, Rattus norvegicus, Rattus pyctoris, Rattus rattus, Rattus tanezumi, and Tatera indica) were identified within species level but three taxa were identified within genus level (Mus spp., Niviventer spp. and Rattus spp.). Among the collections, Rattus rattus was most dominant (33.93%) and Suncus murinus (20.81%) as well as Mus musculus (12.21%) occupied second and third position, respectively. Rattus rattus, Rattus tanezumi, Rattus norvegicus and Suncus murinus were abundant in all habitats but Rattus pyctoris, Canomys badius and Tatera indica only found in wild habitats, grassland and forest. In this study Canomys badius, Niviventer fulvescen, Tatera indica and Semnopithecus schistaceus are truly wild species but remaining 19 species are urban species. This study shows that large numbers of small mammals are urban type and their habitat is associated with human beings. For more clear understanding the ecological roles of Nepalese small mammals found, further continious monitoring and comprehensive studies are required to obtain abundant information applicable to comparative analyses of intraand inter-species interaction in the wild and urban habitats of Nepal.

This study was conducted to screen the characteristics of external and cranial characters of Crocidura shantungensis collected from Korean Peninsula, Ulleung Island and Jeju Island. There were significant differences in head-body length (HBL), tail length (TL), ear length (EL), and hind foot length (HFL) in males and HBL, TL, and HFL in females among three populations (p<0.05). The HBL and TL in the Jeju Island population were larger (8.0 mm and 4.0 mm in lengths, respectively) than those of the Korean Peninsula population. Based on skull analysis, a total of thirteen traits showed significant differences among the three populations (p<0.05). The condylo-insicive length (CIL), maximum width of brain case (MWB), mandibular length (ML), and mandibular height (MH) in the Jeju Island population were significantly larger than those of Korean Peninsula population (p<0.05). Principle component analysis (PCA) showed that two principle components (PC) identified from the PCA affected on the body size and width of the skull, respectively. Discriminant analysis revealed that these populations could be discriminated through skull traits. These findings concluded that the Jeju Island population was greater in the size than the Korean Peninsula, suggesting that the Jeju Island shrews have successfully adapted to the island environments and they had morphologically differentiated during glacial period after natural immigration into that Island. Thus, this study supports the ‘Island Rule’, showing that the population is well adapted to the island environments. This may provide important information for biogeographical and ecological studies on insular animals.

This study was carried out to investigate the bat (Chiroptera) fauna in Jeju Island. Bat distribution was monitored in lava tubes, sea caves, cave encampments and eco-corridors from July, 2006 to June, 2015. Bat specimens were also confirmed at the museums in Jeju Island. From the present study, we found 8 species of 6 genera belong to 3 families, which was different from the records had previously described in Jeju Island since 1928. Five species (Rhinolophus ferrumequium, Myotis bombinus, M. formosus, M. macrodactylus and Miniopterus schreibersi) were commonly found to live in lava tubes and cave enforcements. But only R. ferrumequium was found in a sea cave and five species including Murina leucogaster and Pipistrellus abramus were found in eco-corridors. We have also found seven species including Tadarida insignis in the specimens stored in local museums. From the results of this study, we actually could not found the remaining seven species (Hypsugo savii, Miniopterus fuscus, Myotis mystacinus, Myotis ikonnikovi, Myotis branditii, Myotis petax and Pipistrellus endoi). Interestingly, Myotis formosus which is known as one of endangered species and Myotis bombinus which is very rare in Korean Peninsula were currently found in Jeju Island. In addition, Tube-nosed bat (Murina leucogaster) that was discovered for the first time through this study. A variety of habitats for Chiroptera were identified, but the information is still not sufficient to understand. These results will be useful to provide a fundamental data in preserving the diversity of bats and in ecological study in Jeju Island.

동절기에 제주도 지역에서 도래하는 떼까마귀의 유전적 특성과 집단 간 유연관계를 구명하기 위해, 미토콘드리아 COI 유전자 서열의 다형성에 기반한 모계 계통 구조와 계통 유연관계를 분석하였다. 떼까마귀 DNA는 우도와 제주도 내에서 발견된 깃털과 사체 시료에서 분리하였다. 결정된 COI 서열들(n=41)은 떼까마귀(Corvus frugilegus)에서 기존 에 보고된 서열들과 97.0% 이상 일치하였다. 제주도 떼까마귀 COI 서열들은 3가지 haplotype(J01-J03)으로 구분되었으 나 지역-특이적인 양상을 보이지 않아, 이들이 하나의 모계 기원에서 유래한 집단임을 알 수 있었다. 떼까마귀 전체 COI 서열에서 8개의 COI haplotype들이 발견되었다. 이 중 3가지 haplotype들은 러시아 동부, 몽골, 한국 등 동북아시 아의 COI 서열들을 포함하였고, 나머지 5가지는 중앙아시아, 중동아시아, 러시아 서부, 유럽국가의 떼까마귀에서 발견 되었다. 계통수 상에서 떼까마귀의 COI 서열들은 측소적 종분화 단계인 2아종, C. f. frugilegus와 C. f. pastinator인 2개의 모계 계통으로 뚜렷하게 구분되었다. DNA barcoding 분석을 통한 연구결과는 모계 계통의 구조, 계통 유연관계 및 분자생태를 이해하는 데 중요한 정보를 제공할 것이다.