First records of bats near Multa lakes, Altai (Russia): diet and ectoparasites

In the Altai Republic Red List almost all bats have ʻData Deficient’-status, and knowledge of their ecology in the region is still fragmented. The aim of this study was to illuminate one blind spot in bat research in this territory and compare it with known data. Bats were trapped for the first time near the Multa lakes, Altai, Russia, in July 2023. We captured six bats of three species: the eastern water bat (Myotis petax), David’s myotis (Myotis davidii), and the Ikonnikov’s bat (Myotis ikonnikovi). In the bats` faeces, six orders of arthropods were found: Coleoptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Neuroptera, Lepidоptera and Mesostigmata. The ectoparasites inhabiting the trapped Myotis were Macronyssus charusnurensis, Spinturnix bregetovae, Nycteribia quasiocellata and one Cimex cf. lectularius. No fleas were captured. Our results suggest that the bats near Multa Lakes are similar to those studied in Altai-Sayan Region of Southern Siberia.