| Brandt's bat | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Myotis |
| Species: | M. brandtii |
| Binomial name | |
| Myotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845) | |
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| Myotis brandtii range in red | |
| Synonyms | |
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Brandt's bat or Brandt's myotis (Myotis brandtii) is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is native throughout most of Europe and parts of western Asia. [1]
The species was described in 1845 by German zoologist Eduard Friedrich Eversmann, who placed it the genus Vespertilio . [2] For a time, the Brandt's bat was considered a subspecies of the whiskered bat, Myotis mystacinus. In 1958, one author proposed that the two might be separate species, based on baculum differences; this idea gained traction in papers authored in 1970 and 1971. [3] It is named for the German zoologist Johann Friedrich von Brandt. [4]
Formerly, populations in central and eastern Asia were classified in this species. However, more recent studies indicate that they form a distinct species, the Siberian bat (Myotis sibiricus). [5]
It is found throughout Europe and western Asia, and can be found in the following regions: Great Britain, Western Europe, Central Europe, Fennoscandia, and western Russia. [1] In the Balkans it is limited to the mountains. [6] In 2010, Brandt's bat was documented in Ireland for the first time. [7] Throughout its range, it has been documented at elevations from 0–1,800 m (0–5,906 ft) above sea level. It can be found in deciduous forests, or forests that are a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. It is often found in close proximity to water. [1]
It has dark gray or brown fur that is grayish underneath with golden tips. The face and the tips of ears are pinkish in color. [8]
Like primates and other bats, the Brandt's bat has lost the ability to synthesize vitamin C. [9]
During the summer, females will form maternity colonies to raise their young. The litter size is one pup. Pups are born in early summer, with pups becoming volant around one month of age. Maternity colonies have also been found in tree cavities and in bat houses. Some females reach sexual maturity at three months of age, but most do not breed until after reaching a year of age. [8] Mating occurs in the fall, [8] but females store the sperm until the spring, which is when fertilization occurs. [9]
Brandt's bats had previously been reported to have very long lifespans nearing 40 years, but these populations have since been reclassified into a different species, the Siberian bat (Myotis sibiricus). [5] [10] Populations of Brandt's bat do not have as long life expectancies as the Siberian bat. Populations of Brandt's bat near Saint Petersburg live approximately 8.5 years; populations in the Baltic region do not live longer than 18.5 years. [10] However, researchers have also identified molecular evidence for long lifespans in true Brandt's bats, including changes in growth hormone receptors and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors that likely contribute to a long life expectancy. By roosting in caves, it is able to avoid extreme weather conditions and predators, increasing its chances of living a long life. It also hibernates, which is linked to longer life expectancies in bats. [9]
Like other echolocating bats that use echolocation to detect prey instead of other senses, it has a reduction in the number of genes responsible for the sense of smell. Its eyes are small and adapted to vision in low-light levels. They are likely totally or partially color-blind, and likely unable to see clearly in bright daylight. [9] The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 32 and 103 kHz, have maximum energy density at 51 kHz and have an average duration of 4.2 ms. [11] [12]
It is currently evaluated as least concern by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this designation because it is an abundant, widespread species, with no indication of a decline in its population. [1] Like all bat species in Europe, the Brandt's bat is a European Protected Species, meaning that it is illegal to deliberately capture, kill, injure, or disturb individuals; in addition, their roosts are protected as "breeding or resting" places. [13]
The whiskered bat is a small European bat with long fur. Although uncommon, M. mystacinus is often found around human habitation and around water; it is similar to Brandt's bat, from which it was distinguished as a separate species only in 1970.
Natterer's bat is a European vespertilionid bat with pale wings. It has brown fur tending to greyish-white on its underside. It is found across most of the continent of Europe, parts of the Near East and North Africa. It feeds on insects and other invertebrates which it catches on the wing or pursues on the ground.
The mouse-eared bats or myotises are a diverse and widespread genus (Myotis) of bats within the family Vespertilionidae. The noun "myotis" itself is a New Latin construction, from the Greek "muós and "oûs", literally translating to "mouse-eared".
The common pipistrelle is a small pipistrelle microbat whose very large range extends across most of Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and may extend into Korea. It is one of the most common bat species in the British Isles. In Europe, the northernmost confirmed records are from southern Finland near 60°N.
The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat is a small Eurasian insectivorous bat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold. It is extremely similar to the much rarer grey long-eared bat which was only validated as a distinct species in the 1960s. An adult brown long-eared bat has a body length of 4.5–4.8 cm, a tail of 4.1–4.6 cm, and a forearm length of 4–4.2 cm. The ears are 3.3–3.9 cm in length, and readily distinguish the long-eared bats from most other bat species. They are relatively slow flyers compared to other bat species.
The Alpine long-eared bat or mountain long-eared bat is a species of long-eared bat. It was originally described from Switzerland and Austria as a species intermediate between the brown long-eared bat and the grey long-eared bat in 1965. It was later described in 2002, from France and Austria, respectively. Despite its name, this species is not restricted to the Alps, being found in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and elsewhere. It differs from other European long-eared bats, such as the brown long-eared bat, by its white underparts.
The western barbastelle, also known as the barbastelle or barbastelle bat, is a European bat in the genus Barbastella. This species is found from Portugal to Azerbaijan and from Sweden to Canary Islands, where a sub-species was identified. It has a short nose, small eyes and wide ears. The conservation status of B. barbastellus is assessed as "near threatened", "vulnerable", "critically endangered" or "extinct" in various parts of its range.
The greater mouse-eared bat is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
Bechstein's bat is a species of vesper bat found in Europe and western Asia, living in extensive areas of woodland.
Myotinae is a subfamily of vesper bats. It contains three genera: Eudiscopus, Myotis, and Submyotodon. Before the description of Submyotodon and analysis of its phylogenetics, as well as a phylogenetic analysis of Eudiscopus, the only member of Myotinae was Myotis.
The Alcathoe bat is a European bat in the genus Myotis. Known only from Greece and Hungary when it was first described in 2001, its known distribution has since expanded to Spain, England, Sweden, and Azerbaijan, among other countries. It is similar to the whiskered bat and other species and is difficult to distinguish from them. However, its brown fur is distinctive and it is clearly different in characters of its karyotype and DNA sequences. Although some genetic data suggest that it is related to Geoffroy's bat, other analyses do not support a close relationship between M. alcathoe and any other species.
The long-fingered bat is a carnivorous species of vesper bat. It is native to coastal areas around the Mediterranean Sea, as well as a few patches of land in western Iran. Due to the fact that its population is in decline, it is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1988.
Daubenton's bat or Daubenton's myotis is a Eurasian bat with rather short ears. It ranges from Ireland to Japan (Hokkaido) and is considered to be increasing its numbers in many areas.
The cryptic myotis is a European vespertilionid bat. It is a member of the Natterer's bat species complex, and is also the closest living relative of M. nattereri. It is mostly distributed across European countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, from Spain west to Austria, north to Switzerland, and south to most of the Italian Peninsula. Populations of similar bats in southern Italy and Sicily display significant genetic divergence from M. crypticus, and thus may represent a unique taxonomic entity that requires more study. It is found in a wide range of altitudes, from sea level to 1000 meters above. It feeds in forest and grassland habitats and roosts in tree hollows as well as man-made structures. In autumn, M. crypticus swarms with other Myotis in large numbers, and overwinters with them in underground sites such as crevices.
Hipposideros atrox, commonly known as the lesser bicolored leaf-nosed bat, is a species of bat found in Southeast Asia. Originally described as a subspecies in 1918, it was recognized as a full species in 2010. It uses echolocation to navigate and find prey, and roosts in caves during the day.
The Siberian bat or Siberian whiskered myotis is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found throughout northeastern Asia, primarily in Siberia. It is known for its high life expectancy relative to its body size, approximately twice that of humans, and holds the record for the oldest bat; in 2005, one individual was discovered in a cave in Siberia that had been banded in 1964, making the bat at least 41 years old.
