Bats of Georgia - an occurrence dataset from 1835 through 2022

Abstract Background 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 published data openly available (through GBIF) for researchers and conservationists. New information In this publication, out of 1987 records, 1243 (62.4%) are new and unpublished data. Generally, out of all records, 34% are literature and museum data and 66% are data collected by us. Additionally, for the first time in the history of the study of bats in Georgia, we initiated surveys in forested areas of the country.


Introduction
Georgia is a part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot -one of 36 biodiversity hotspots recognised in the world, with incredible landscape and species diversity (Myers et al. 2000;Mittermeier et al. 2011;Noss et al. 2014). Although Georgia, as a part of the Caucasus, was distinguished as a biodiversity hotspot 22 years ago, the diversity and distribution of animal species remains poorly investigated (Mumladze et al. 2020). Even the inventory of vertebrate taxa (that were used by Myers et al. (2000) along with plants to delineate biodiversity hotspots) is not yet satisfactorily done, leaving room to improve the understanding of species diversity, distribution and ecological requirements.
Systematic surveys of the bat fauna of Georgia were started at the end of the 20 century and resulted in a number of publications (Bukhnikashvili and Kandaurov 2002;Ivanitsky 2002;Bukhnikashvili et al. 2004;Gazaryan and Bukhnikashvili 2005;Gazaryan et al. 2008;Yavruyan et al. 2008;Bukhnikashvili et al. 2009;Ivanitsky 2010;Gazaryan et al. 2017;Ivanitsky 2017;Ivanitsky 2018;Imnadze et al. 2020;Urushadze et al. 2021). As a result of these studies, the number of bat species recorded in Georgia increased to 26 (Bukhnikashvili 2004). However, a considerable part of the results of bat surveys conducted during the last 25 years are either published in grey literature (i.e. publicly unavailable project reports) or kept unpublished by the authors. In addition to distribution data for other species, our unpublished data also provides records of four additional species (Rhinolophus blasii, Myotis alcathoe, Myotis davidii and Tadarida teniotis ) in Georgia that have not been previously documented in the literature. Thus, the goal of the present publication was to consolidate all available data about bat records of Georgia from 1835 through to 2022 into a comprehensive dataset and make it available through global and open-source databases such as GBIF (GBIF.org 2023) in order to facilitate further research and conservation of bats in Georgia. Sampling description: These records are based on literature published in Georgian, Russian and English languages, as well as data collected in the field by the authors during the last three decades. To collect field data, we employed various methods, including mistnetting, harp traps, visual inspection of both artificial and natural underground and overground habitats and other shelters (Dietz and Kiefer 2016). Additionally, we used hand-held bat detectors, specifically the Pettesson D240x ultrasound bat model. In our dataset, we use data obtained through hand-held bat detectors, which were validated by visually confirming the presence of the bat. To ensure high data quality, all recorded data were included only if bats were identified at the species level.
Quality control: In the dataset, 37.4% of records are based on literature. For each of the literature records, we retrieved as much information as possible, such as sampling date, location, closest populated area, habitat etc. For most of the literature data (especially old ones), no exact geographic coordinates were given. However, since the vernacular names of sampling areas (i.e. names of subterranean objects) along with habitat descriptions were provided in many cases, we were able to exactly georeference a large number of sampling locations for 55.9% of literature records. On the other hand, not all records in literature are supplied with sampling dates and we were able to retrieve information on sampling dates for only 81.6% of literature records.
In the dataset, we provide location common names for all records. Geographic coordinates with 4 m accuracy are given for most of the records (74%), while for 26% (all literature data) of records, we have coordinates without accurate information. Additionally, 9% of records are given without the collecting dates. Record summary by species is given in Our database contains several cases that require further clarification regarding the identity of certain species, including: (i) some records of Myotis nattereri may actually pertain to M. tschuliensis, as suggested by Çoraman et al. (2019) and Kruskop and Solovyeva (2020); (ii) the identification of M. davidii/mystacinus may be erroneous due to their cryptic nature; and (iii) the potential existence of another species, Miniopterus pallidus, in eastern Georgia, as proposed by Šrámek et al. (2012). However, additional research, including DNA analysis, is required to confirm the identity of these species. Any modifications resulting from these investigations will be reflected in the subsequent version of the dataset.

Geographic coverage
Description: The presented bat distribution dataset originated from the whole Georgian territory. Georgia (Fig. 1), covering an area of 69,700 km , is located on the southern slopes of the Great Caucasus Mountain Range, Lesser Caucasus Mountains on the isthmus between the Black and Caspian Seas. It contains lowlands between the abovementioned mountain ranges which include the Colchis lowland in the west (along the Black Sea Coast) and the Kura River lowland in the east. The land of Georgia covers an elevation range from sea level to approximately 5,184 m at Mount Shkhara. Two-thirds of the country is mountainous with an average height of 1200 m a.s.l.
Due to its diverse geography, the climate of the region varies greatly, from very humid lowlands and mountain forests in the west to dry forests and semi-deserts in the east and glaciated nival belts in the north. There are two zoogeographic subzones and three zoogeographic provinces in Georgia: the Circumboreal subzone (the Caucasus district of the European forest province) and Mediterranean subzone (the Anterior Asia district of the Mediterranean province and the Kura district of the Iran-Turan province) (Verestchagin 1959). Georgia has about 72 types of landscapes (Beruchashvili 2000): humid sub-tropic landscapes are in the western part; alpine landscapes are spread in the northern and north-eastern part; the typical Middle East treeless uplands are presented in the southern part; and semi-deserts of the Turanian type in the southeast part of the country. basisOfRecord The specific nature of the data record. institutionCode The code of the institution where data are stored. collectionCode The code of the collection.

Additional information
Field data were collected under the permissions #2722/01; 2302/01; R/057-21, issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia.