Levan Mumladze

Ilia State University | ISU · Institute of Zoology

Georgia's rich biodiversity, as a key part of the Caucasus hotspot, makes it an ideal destination for scientific research. Nevertheless, knowledge about the species diversity of different animal groups in this area remains limited. In this article we provide information on the nine centipede species (Henia brevis (Silvestri, 1896), H. hirsuta Verho...

Georgia is part of two biodiversity hotspots, the Caucasus and the Irano-Anatolian, both of which are characterized by high biological diversity and endemism rates. Eighty-one species of small mammals (Eulipotyphla, Chiroptera, Rodentia, and Leporidae) have been recorded in Georgia so far based on morphological identification. However, a comprehens...

A new species, Psammitis abuliensis sp. nov ., from Didi Abuli Mt. (Georgia, Samtskhe-Javakheti region), is described based on two male specimens. Diagnostic drawings, measurements, collecting data, diagnosis, and DNA barcodes are given. A new combination, Psammitis marmoratus (Thorell, 1875), comb. nov. (ex. Xysticus ), is proposed based on the CO...

The global decline of freshwater mussels and their crucial ecological services highlight the need to understand their phylogeny, phylogeography and patterns of genetic diversity to guide conservation efforts. Such knowledge is urgently needed for Unio crassus, a highly imperilled species originally widespread throughout Europe and southwest Asia. R...

Under the increasing threat to native ecosystems posed by non-native species invasions, there is an urgent need for decision support tools that can more effectively identify non-native species likely to become invasive. As part of the screening (first step) component in non-native species risk analysis, decision support tools have been developed fo...

In the present study, we aim to provide an inventory of digenetic trematodes (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea) from Georgia including records from the freshwater, marine and terrestrial realms. The checklist is based on a critical review of data from 109 papers, 11 monographs and four Ph.D. theses published between 1935 and 2019 and our new rec...

The knowledge of water mites of the Caucasus is very poor, and most studies are restricted to the northern part of this mountain range. In this paper new records of water mites collected from Georgia, are presented. By using the DNA barcode region of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), sequences were generated for 10 species, i,e.,...

Due to anthropogenic influences, habitat degradation and a continuous loss of biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems are occurring on a large scale, while these ecosystems constitute invaluable natural resources. Therefore, it is essential to study and monitor freshwater ecosystems to guide conservation efforts. Freshwater ecosystems are one of the...

In the present study, we aim to provide an inventory of digenetic trematodes (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda, Digenea) from Georgia including possibly all records available from the freshwater, marine and terrestrial realms. The checklist is based on a critical review of data from 109 papers, 11 monographs and four Ph.D. theses published between 1935 a...

Elevational gradients in species richness and species-area relationships are among the most interesting patterns in ecology and biogeography. Both patterns can be characteristic of the same system; however, current knowledge of how these patterns co-exist and how we can disentangle their contributions to biodiversity structure is insufficient. In t...

The narrow-clawed crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus is a large native European astacid crayfish species distributed in the drainage area of the Azov, Black and Caspian Seas. The species shows immense morphological diversity across its range. Various species and subspecies have been described and, recently, eight species and two subspecies were con...

This checklist reports 47 species of Psocoptera from 15 families and three suborders from Georgia, of which 31 species are recorded for the first time, increasing the known fauna of the country by more than 65%. Of these, 37 species have been barcoded, representing 210 Barcode Identification Numbers (BINs). An additional 14 species are expected to...

In Georgia, currently, 30 species of bats are recorded from four families and eleven genera. Although the oldest record of bats is from 1835 and continues until today, there are no comprehensive data available for bat diversity and distribution in Georgia. Thus, we aimed to fill that gap and make complete, expertly curated literature and our own pu...

Background: The South Caucasus Region and Georgia, in particular, is a biodiversity hotspot and characterised by high diversity of landscapes and ecosystems, as well as high levels of endemism. At the same time, diversity of freshwater organisms in the region remains poorly studied, including fishes. The freshwater fish fauna of the South Caucasus...

The fossorial sand cockroach Hemelytroblatta livida (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865) is reported from Georgia for the first time, with a commentary on the species composition of the Corydiinae Saussure, 1864 subfamily in the Caucasus. Collection data, pictures of the male and female, and DNA barcodes are also provided. Furthermore, information on Poly...

The representatives of the genus Ametropus (Insecta, Ephemeroptera) were recorded 80 years ago in Georgia. Due to the taxonomic uncertainty, the recorded specimens were considered potentially new taxa. Since then, no other record of Ametropus has been documented from the whole South Caucasus and its nearby regions further south. In the present cont...

The Caucasus ecoregion is one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in western Eurasia. Georgia is situated in the middle of this area, between the ranges of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus, a position providing exceptionally balanced environmental conditions for its flora and fauna. Animal groups of low mobility, such as land snails, are imp...

Since 2020, the southwestern Caucasus has been recognized as a hotspot of stygobiotic Mollusca diversity after revealing a large number of new, range-restricted species within the spring snail family Hydrobiidae, subfamily Sadlerianinae sensu Szarowska. Meantime, based on extensive material collected in the southwestern Caucasus during the last dec...

The Caucasian fauna of water bugs (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha, Nepomorpha) is reviewed based on data originating from literature survey, museum and private collections, and extensive field sampling. The diversity of Caucasus ecoregion is quite significant with 77 species and subspecies framed within 25 genera (17 in Nepomorpha, 8 in Gerromorpha), and...

The Aciculidae is a family of terrestrial operculate snails with a western Palaearctic distribution. Historically three Acicula species were reported from the Caucasus Mountains, which represents the eastern edge of the family's distribution: A. limbata, A. moussoni and A. parcelineata, all from a few localities. We examined extensive material from...

Diatoms are widely used as ecological indicators and show various degrees of endemism. Many studies that support the idea of endemic species integrate several climate zones, a variety of ecosystem types, and often focus on a global scale. Here, we investigated whether endemism could be detected when considering a homogeneous type of ecosystem in a...

The checklist of oribatid mites from Georgia is updated using sampling data from more than 230 locations during field works conducted between 2016 and 2022. We report 32 species of oribatid mites, sixteen of them were collected between 2017 and 2019, six were missing in Checklist I, while eleven species are new records for the country. The genus Am...

Hygrobates specimens with a coarse lineated soft integument generally have been considered as representatives of H. calliger Piersig, 1896, regarded as a common and widely distributed species in the Palaearctic. In the present study using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines morphological studies and DNA barcoding we show that Hygrobates...

Electronic decision-support tools are becoming an essential component of government strategies to tackle non-native species invasions. This study describes the development and application of a multilingual electronic decision-support tool for screening terrestrial animals under current and future climate conditions: the Terrestrial Animal Species I...

Aquatic invasions are one of the major threats for freshwater ecosystems. However, in developing countries knowledge of biological invasions essential for the implementation of appropriate legislation is often limited if not entirely lacking. In this regard, the identification of potentially invasive non-native species by risk screening, followed b...

This study provides the first attempt to investigate the molecular diversity of South Caucasian freshwater molluscs (Mollusca, Gastropoda) and lay down the first bricks to build up a DNA-barcode library. In total, 289 COI barcode sequences were obtained from 33 morpho-species belonging to 24 molluscan genera and 10 families that represent nearly 30...

In mountain areas where livestock farming and overgrazing have led to deforestation and the decrease of forest ecosystem services for centuries, it is necessary to develop sustainable strategies to restore forest ecosystems. We here investigate the case study of Javakheti Highland in the Southern Cau-casus (Georgia), which has been largely deforest...

Several taxa that are distributed in the Caucasus and/or the adjacent Pontic Mountains also have representatives in the East Mediterranean region. These disjunctions could have been caused by long‐distance dispersal or be the result of extinctions in Central Anatolia caused by the aridification of the Anatolian Plateau during the Pliocene. We studi...

This study provides the first attempt to investigate the molecular diversity of South Caucasian freshwater molluscs (Mollusca, Gastropoda) and lay down the first bricks to build up a DNA-barcode library. In total 289 CO1 barcode sequences were obtained from 34 morpho-species belonging to 24 molluscan genera and 10 families that represent nearly 30%...

The cover image is based on the Viewpoint A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research by Alain Maasri et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13931. Image Credit: Solvin Zankl. image

Chromosome number data on the Hygromiidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) are summarized and reviewed briefly in the context of the phylogeny of the family. In hygromiids, the haploid chromosome numbers range from 21 to 26. It is supposed that n = 21 is the ancestral chromosome number in the family. The modal haploid number for Hygromiidae is 23. Des...

Chromosome number data on the Hygromiidae (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) are summarized and reviewed briefly in the context of the phylogeny of the family. In hygromiids, the haploid chromosome numbers range from 21 to 26. It is supposed that n = 21 is the ancestral chromosome number in the family. The modal haploid number for Hygromiidae is 23. Des...

Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global...

The Caucasus region is a meeting point for culture and nature, lying at the nexus of Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa, and identified as one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots. The Republic of Georgia, the center of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, encompasses a geographically diverse landscape inhabited by a remarkable, endemic,...

The South Caucasus (SC) region is recognized for its high biological diversity and various endemic animal taxa. The area has experienced many fish introductions over the years, but the overall information about non-native fishes in the three SC countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia did not exist. Although these three countries belong to the K...

The Serrulinini, a small relict group of clausiliids occurring in coastal regions of the Black and Caspian Seas and the Caucasus, are currently classified within the Phaedusinae, however paraphyletic origin of the Serrulinini is also widely debated with Pontophaedusa funiculum (Mousson) being most phylogenetically distinct from other taxa. As life...

The diversity and distribution of freshwater molluscs is poorly studied in the Republic of Georgia, due to the scarcity of field studies during the last 50 years. Here, we present the results of the first concerted investigation of freshwater mollusc biodiversity in the Javakheti Highlands, in the southern, mountainous region of Georgia. In total,...

Oribatid mite diversity was investigated in the most understudied region of Georgian South-Eastern Caucasus – open arid ecosystems, which are under heavy natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Field sampling was performed in three geographical units and in each unit three types of ecosystems with different disturbance classes were studied: (1) Arab...

The threat posed by invasive non-native species worldwide requires a global approach to identify which introduced species are likely to pose an elevated risk of impact to native species and ecosystems. To inform policy, stakeholders and management decisions on global threats to aquatic ecosystems, 195 assessors representing 120 risk assessment area...

The diversity and distribution of freshwater molluscs is poorly studied in the Republic of Georgia, due to the lack of field studies during the last 50 years. Here we present the results of the first concerted investigation of freshwater mollusc biodiversity in Javakheti Highlands, in the southern, mountainous region of Georgia. In total, we were a...

Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and the current biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and mobilizing substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the reasons are varied, both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine realms. We identify fifteen pres...

Freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and the current biodiversity crisis requires defining bold goals and mobilizing substantial resources to meet the challenges. While the reasons are varied, both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind efforts in the terrestrial and marine realms. We identify fifteen pres...

The aim of the present study was to check the identity of a newly recorded freshwater crab and a goby species using DNA barcoding. The specimens were collected from the fresh waters of the western and eastern areas of Georgia. DNA barcodes (CO1) were obtained from samples, which turned out to belong to Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Decapoda: Panopeidae...

In this study, we provide a first estimation of the molecular diversity of the freshwater fishes of Georgia. In addition to field collections, we integrated DNA barcode data obtained from recent works and public databases (BOLD and NCBI GenBank). Currently, the DNA barcode reference library for freshwater fishes of Georgia comprises 352 DNA barcode...

Environmental changes due to non-native species introductions and translocations are a global concern. Whilst understanding the causes of bioinvasions is important, there is need for decision-support tools that facilitate effective communication of the potential risks of invasive non-native species to stakeholders. Decision-support tools have been...

Environmental changes due to non-native species introductions and translocations are a global concern. Whilst understanding the causes of bioinvasions is important, there is need for decision-support tools that facilitate effective communication of the potential risks of invasive non-native species to stakeholders. Decision-support tools have been...

The phylogeny of European crayfish fauna, especially with respect to Eastern European species, is still far from being completely resolved. To fill this gap, we analysed most of the European crayfish species focussing on the phylogenetic position of the endemic crayfish Astacus colchicus Kessler, 1876 inhabiting Georgia. Three mitochondrial and one...

The position of the southwestern Caucasus as a stygobiotic Mollusca hotspot is confirmed. Molecular data of stygobiotic gastropods revealed the diversity of subfamily Sadlerianinae Szarowska, 2006, inhabiting the subterranean environment of Georgia. In addition to the well-known endemic genera Pontohoratia Vinarski, Palatov & Glöer, 2014 and Motsam...

Georgia is a country of great diversity of freshwater fish species that is facilitated due to the landscape diversity and richness of water resources. As an area of global biological importance, measuring biodiversity and the conservation of species is a significant issue. Recent taxonomic research found 96 freshwater fish species, from which sever...

Pontophaedusa gregoi sp. nov. is described from the Imereti Region of Georgia. This is the second species of a Tertiary relict genus that represents a very early diverged lineage of the Phaedusinae subfamily. The differences between the shell characters and climatic preferences of the Pontophaedusa species are discussed.

Pontophaedusa gregoi sp. nov. is described from the Imereti Region of Georgia. This is the second species of a Tertiary relict genus that represents a very early diverged lineage of the Phaedusinae subfamily. The differences between the shell characters and climatic preferences of the Pontophaedusa species are discussed.

We present findings from the first survey of shallow-water amphipods conducted along the Black Sea coast in Georgia. Eight species from five families have been identified, all but one being new for the Georgian fauna. Although most are usual inhabitants of the Black and Mediterranean seas, we report the first record of the invader Melita nitida in...

We present a critical checklist of freshwater fish species found so far in the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In total 119 freshwater fishes are recorded. There are 40, 86 and 96 species currently known for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia respectively. From these 119 species, seven are endemic and seven species are alien. From the al...

The caddisfly (Trihoptera) fauna of Georgia was summarised in a check-list published in 2002 where 116 species were listed (Zosidze, Eliava, and Kvavadze 2002). Data provided in this check-list is based on a review of publications published before 1990. Since then, no new data on the diversity and distribution of caddisflies is available for Georgi...

We evaluated progress towards animal biodiversity research in Georgia, a key area in the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot. By reviewing recently (1990–2018) published articles in all areas of animal diversity research, we unmasked the trends in biodiversity inventory, ecological and biogeographical studies, and conservation issues in Georgia. We concl...

Here we report on collaborative expeditions run by ISU (Ilia State University, Tbilisi), ZFMK (Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn) and external taxonomists in Georgia in 2018 and 2019 as part of the renewed close cooperation between Germany and Caucasus countries aiming at the exploration of biodiversity in the Caucasus region. Th...

Forest degradation worldwide stimulates efforts to restore forests. In particular, in mountain areas, where livestock agriculture and grazing have led to deforestation and a strong decrease in forest ecosystem services over centuries, it is necessary to develop sustainable strategies for the restoration of multifunctional forest ecosystems. We inve...

In order to establish or regenerate ecosystems in severely disturbed mining sites, reclamation activities are common practice. However, the effectiveness of reclamation strategy might be depended on the specific conditions of the area under question. To evaluate the effect of provided reclamation activities, we investigated structure and compositio...

We provide new records of five oribatid and 10 mesostigmatic mite species for Georgia. As a result, the number of oribatid mites registered for Georgia increased to 548 and the preliminary number of Mesostigmata species to 136. For each record, diagnostic characters, coordinate data, habitat and information about regional and world distribution are...