| Lesser mouse-eared bat | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Myotis |
| Species: | M. blythii |
| Binomial name | |
| Myotis blythii Tomes, 1857 | |
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| Myotis blythii distribution | |
| Synonyms | |
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The lesser mouse-eared bat or lesser mouse-eared myotis (Myotis blythii) is a species of insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
Lesser mouse-eared bats can be found in the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, [2] China, Croatia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.
The species is decreasing in population due to the pollution and changes in land management. Construction noise has disturbed populations in southern Spain; the population in Andalusia decreased from 30,000 to 14,000 between 1994 and 2002. Herders in Syria and Turkey light fires at cave mouths for their livestock disturbing the bats. [1]
It is protected in most of Europe by Bonn and Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. The species requires special measures including construction of designated areas, which are provided by Special Areas for Conservation. Natura 2000 is also protecting the species. In some European countries, the caves are closed with fences so that visitors do not disturb them. [1]
These large-sized bats are around 62–70 millimetres (2.4–2.8 in) long and weigh around 16–26 grams (0.56–0.92 oz). [3]
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 Neo-Latin construction, from the Greek "muós and "oûs", literally translating to "mouse-eared".
The greater mouse-eared bat is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
The Cape hairy bat, also known as little brown bat, Temminck's mouse-eared bat, Cape myotis, tricoloured mouse-eared bat, Cape hairy myotis, Temminck's hairy bat and three-coloured bat is a species of vesper bat that is found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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 has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1988.
Orlova Chuka is a cave situated in the Danubian Plain, north-eastern Bulgaria. With a total length of 13,437 m, Orlova Chuka is the second longest cave in the country after Duhlata. The cave was discovered in 1941 and opened for tourists in 1957. Orlova Chuka is home to 14 species of bats.
Yagodinska Cave is a cave in the Rhodope Mountains, southern Bulgaria. It is included in the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria and is named after the homonymous village nearby. With a total length of 10,500 m, Yagodinska is the fourth longest cave in the country after Kolkina Dupka, Duhlata and Orlova Chuka and the longest in the Rhodopes. Yagodinska Cave is home to 11 species of bats.
Media related to Myotis blythii at Wikimedia Commons