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Longitudinal chromatic aberration and polychromatic image quality metrics of intraocular lenses abuz, G

Miniopterus schreibersii is a polytypic bat species, with one of the widest distribution ranges among the mammals. We studied the genetic differentiation and taxonomy of this species in the transition zone between south‐eastern Europe and Anatolia (in Asia), where two subspecies have been described. The results indicated a sharp genetic break between the samples from western Anatolia and south‐eastern Europe and those of eastern Anatolia. In addition, the samples from western Anatolia and south‐eastern Europe were seen to be reciprocally monophyletic, although the differentiation was less drastic. These patterns of genetic differentiation suggest the presence of two distinct groups within the M. schreibersii complex in the region, concordant with previous subspecific recognition. The cause of this genetic break is most likely differentiation in separate glacial refugia followed by secondary contact. However, more samples are needed to assess whether these represent different species, as well as to understand more clearly the causes of this differentiation. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 87, 577–582.

In long-lived animals, adult survival is among the most important determinants of population dynamics. Although it may show considerable variation both in time and among populations and sites, a single survival estimate per species is often used in comparative evolutionary studies or in conservation management to identify threatened populations. We estimated adult survival of the isabelline serotine bat Eptesicus isabellinus using capture-recapture data collected on six maternity colonies scattered over a large area (distance 8-103 km) during periods varying from 8 to 26 years. We modelled temporal and inter-colony variations as random effects in a Bayesian framework and estimated mean annual adult survival of females on two scales and a single survival value across all colonies. On a coarse scale, we grouped colonies according to two different habitat types and investigated the effect on survival. A difference in adult survival was detected between the two habitat types [posterior mean of annual survival probability 0.71; 95% credible interval (CI) 0.51-0.86 vs. 0.60; 0.28-0.89], but it was not statistically supported. On a fine scale, survival of the six colonies ranged between 0.58 (95% CI 0.23-0.92) and 0.81 (0.73-0.88), with variation between only two colonies being statistically supported. Overall survival was 0.72 (95% CI 0.57-0.93) with important inter-colony variability (on a logit scale 0.98; 95% CI 0.00-8.16). Survival varied temporally in a random fashion across colonies. Our results show that inference based solely on single colonies should be treated with caution and that a representative unbiased estimate of survival for any species should ideally be based on multiple populations.

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