Rostislav Bekchiev

(Associate Professor Dr)

phone: (+359 2) 9885116 (ext. 662); e-mail:

Born: 10 March 1976.

Education

Master of Sciense in Ecology and Entomology — Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, Faculty of Biology, Department of Zoology and Anthropology, 2002. PhD student in Invertebrate zoology — Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, 2003—2007.

Research interests

Taxonomy and faunistics of Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Biomonitoring and Nature protection.

Current projects

2021— “Caves as a reservoir of new and re-emerging zoonoses — ecological tracking and real-time metagenomic analysis.” Funded by Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria Contract KP-06-N51/9-16.11.2021. Position: expert Coleoptera.

2021— “A combined approach to reveal the cryptic diversity of ant genus Messor with emphasis on functional morphology, symbiont complexes, vibroacoustic and chemical communication”, Contract KP-06-N51/6-11.11.2021. Position: expert Coleoptera.

2018—2024 “Cybertaxonomic approach to phylogenetic studies of model invertebrate genera (Invertebrata, Arachnida, Insecta) clarifyng the problems of origin, formation and conservation of the Invertebrate Fauna of the Balkan Peninsula”. Funded by Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria, Contract KP-06-N21/1-17.12.2018. Position: manager, expert Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae.

2019—2023 “Structural-functional characteristics and perspectives for the use of endemic, relict conifer communities in Bulgaria in the changing climate conditions.” Funded by Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria. Contract KP-06-N36/13/17.12.2019. Position: expert Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae.

2023 “SPRING: Strengthening Pollinator Recovery through INdicators and monitorinG in the Eastern Region including Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus”. Position: field expert polinators.

2022 “Consultation and assistance in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data on natural habitat types and species for the purposes of the National System for Monitoring the Status of Biological Diversity (NSMBD) and the Biodiversity Conservation Policy”, Agreement between NMNH-BAS and MOEW, D-33-19/08.07.2022. Position: chief expert Invertebrata, protected beetle species.

2022 “Action plan for the conservation of the Carabus menetriesi pacholei and Carabus hungaricus in Bulgaria”, in implementation of a project BG16M1OP002-3.020-0002-S01, financed under OP “Environment 2014—2020”. Position: field expert Coleoptera: Carabidae.

Most recent publications

Tolchkov, V., Hodzhev, Y., Tsafarova, B., Nenova, R., Mikov, O., Simov, N., Slavov, G., Nedyalkov, N., Langurov, M., Bekchiev, R., Stoev, P., Nikolova M., Panaiotov, S., 2024. Human pathogens among bats. — Problems of Infectious Parasitic Diseases, 52 (2): 32—38. https://doi.org/10.58395/51hccc30

Kostova, R., Borissov, S., Bobeva A., Bekchiev, R., 2024. At a crossroads: Genetic lineages and dispersal routes of Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) s.l. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Bulgaria. — Biodiversity Data Journal, 12: e116619. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.12.e116619

Georgiev, D., Manh, V. Q., Simov, N., Bekchiev, R., Hieu, N. V., Hoang, L. T., 2024. New records of Psocoptera (Insecta) from Vietnam. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 46: 211—214. [PDF] https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.46.081

Toshkova, N., Dimitrova, K., Langourov, M., Zlatkov, B., Bekchiev, R., Ljubomirov, T., Zielke, E., Angelova, R., Parvanova, R., Simeonov, Tz., Simov, N., 2023. Snacking during hibernation? Winter bat diet and prey availabilities, a case study from Iskar Gorge, Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 45: 125—142. [PDF] https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.45.053

Kostova, R., Bekchiev, R., Popgeorgiev, G., Kornilev, Y. V., 2023. First exhaustive distribution and habitat modelling of Morimus asper (Sulzer, 1776) sensu lato (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Bulgaria. — Nature Conservation, 53: 39—59. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.53.104243

Kostova, R., Bekchiev, R., 2023. Ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) taxocoenoses from high altitude Pinus peuce and Pinus heldreichii forests in Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 45 (7): 187—196. [PDF] https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.45.073

Kostova, R., Bekchiev, R., 2023. Data on the distribution of Osmoderma barnabita Motschulsky, 1845 (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae) in Bulgaria from 1904 to 2022. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 45 (6): 155—161. [PDF] https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.45.061

Kostova, R., Bekchiev, R., 2023. Trechus (s. str.) “subnotatus” species group (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in Bulgaria. — Zootaxa, 5264 (4): 505—525. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5264.4.3

Bekchiev, R., Kostova, R., 2023. New data about the distribution of Plectophloeus fischeri (Aubé, 1833) and Dicentrius biroi Besuchet, 1999 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) in Bulgaria. — Historia naturalis bulgarica, 45 (2): 39—42. [PDF] https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.45.024

Bekchiev, R., Kostova, R., 2022. The Subfamily Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of South-western Bulgaria: Rila and Pirin Mountains. — Acta zoologica bulgarica, 74 (2): 169—174.

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