Lesser noctule

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Lesser noctule
Nyctalus leisleri.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Nyctalus
Species:
N. leisleri
Binomial name
Nyctalus leisleri
(Kuhl, 1817)
Mapa Nyctalus leisleri.png

The lesser noctule, Leisler's bat or the Irish bat (Nyctalus leisleri), [2] [3] is a species of insectivorous bat belonging to the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. The species was named to honour the naturalist Johann Philipp Achilles Leisler.

Contents

Description

It is a medium-sized bat, slightly smaller than the common noctule. It has a length of 48 to 68 mm (head and body) and a wingspan of 260 to 330 mm. The forearm measures 38 to 47 mm and the bat's weight is 11 to 20 grams. The face, ears and wings are dark. The fur is brown, darker at the base than the tip unlike that of the common noctule which is the same colour along its length. The undersides of the arms are hairy giving it the alternative name "hairy-armed bat". The ears are short and rounded with a mushroom-shaped tragus. The wings are long and narrow. [4]

Distribution

The lesser noctule is found locally across Europe and western Asia, eastwards as far as the Urals and Himalayas. It is also found in north-west Africa, the Canary Islands and Madeira. The form in the Azores is often considered to be a separate species – Azores noctule (Nyctalus azoreum).

It is typically found in forests, both coniferous and deciduous, but has also adapted to parkland and urban areas and frequently roosts in buildings.

In most parts of its range the lesser noctule is rare, however in Ireland it is much more common, being the island’s largest and third most common bat species. Due to the lesser noctule's ubiquity in Ireland, the island is also considered its global stronghold. [5] In Britain it is known from a few colonies in England and Wales with occasional wanderers reaching Scotland. Threats to its survival include declines in large insects, loss of forest and hollow trees and toxic chemicals found in treated timber in buildings.

Feeding

From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon Vesperugo leisleri ras.jpg
From Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon

The bats emerge soon after sunset to feed on flying insects such as moths and beetles. They fly straight and fast with shallow dives, often at treetop level. They sometimes feed around streetlights, catching the insects attracted to them. They are most active around dusk and dawn and will travel up to 10 km while foraging.

Reproduction

Lesser noctules usually breed in small colonies of around 20 to 50 individuals but in Ireland they can be much larger, with some colonies numbering as many as 1,000 individuals. [6] The colony is usually in a hollow tree or building; bat boxes may sometimes be used. The females give birth to one or two young, with twins being more common in the eastern part of the range.

Echolocation

The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 25 and 54 kHz, have most energy at 29 kHz and have an average duration of 8.5 ms. [7] [8]

Cultural references

An image of the bat is one of the security features of the 2020 £20 banknote of the Ulster Bank of Northern Ireland. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vespertilionidae</span> Family of microbats

Vespertilionidae is a family of microbats, of the order Chiroptera, flying, insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat families, specialised in many forms to occupy a range of habitats and ecological circumstances, and it is frequently observed or the subject of research. The facial features of the species are often simple, as they mainly rely on vocally emitted echolocation. The tails of the species are enclosed by the lower flight membranes between the legs. Over 300 species are distributed all over the world, on every continent except Antarctica. It owes its name to the genus Vespertilio, which takes its name from a word for bat, vespertilio, derived from the Latin term vesper meaning 'evening'; they are termed "evening bats" and were once referred to as "evening birds".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater bulldog bat</span> Species of mammal

The greater bulldog bat or fisherman bat is a species of fishing bat native to Latin America. The bat uses echolocation to detect water ripples made by the fish upon which it preys, then uses the pouch between its legs to scoop the fish up and its sharp claws to catch and cling to it. It is not to be confused with the lesser bulldog bat, which, though belonging to the same genus, merely catches water insects, such as water striders and water beetles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serotine bat</span> Species of bat

The serotine bat, also known as the common serotine bat, big brown bat, or silky bat, is a fairly large Eurasian bat with quite large ears. It has a wingspan of around 37 cm (15 in) and often hunts in woodland. It sometimes roosts in buildings, hanging upside down, in small groups or individually. The name serotine is derived from the Latin serotinus, which means 'evening', while the generic name derives from Greek ἔπιεν and οίκος, which means 'house flyer'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser horseshoe bat</span> Species of bat

The lesser horseshoe bat is a type of small European and North African insectivorous bat, related to its larger cousin, the greater horseshoe bat. As with all horseshoe bats, the species gets its name from its distinctive horseshoe-shaped noseleaf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater noctule bat</span> Species of bat

The greater noctule bat is a rare carnivorous bat found in Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. It is the largest and least studied bat in Europe with a wingspan of up to 46 centimetres (18 in) and is one of the few bat species to feed on passerine birds. Greater noctule bats are the only bat species to hunt birds on the wing rather than when roosting. The greater noctule bat has wings adapted for open-air hunting and uses echolocation frequencies above the hearing range of birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western barbastelle</span> Species of bat

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern bat</span> Species of bat

The northern bat is the most abundant species of bat in northern Eurasia occurring from France to Hokkaidō and south to Kazakhstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nathusius's pipistrelle</span> Species of bat

Nathusius' pipistrelle is a small bat in the genus Pipistrellus. It is very similar to the common pipistrelle and has been overlooked in many areas until recently but it is widely distributed across Europe. It was described by two German naturalists, Alexander Keyserling and Johann Heinrich Blasius, and named by them after Hermann von Nathusius, in gratitude for his support of their research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azores noctule</span> Species of bat

The Azores noctule is a species of bat found in the dry forests of the Azores. It is the only species of mammal endemic to the Azores. It has been recorded on most of the islands of the Azores, and remains common on some but is rare on others. Its numbers are threatened due to habitat loss caused by humans, and the remaining populations are quite fragmented. It is known to roost in hollowed-out trees, buildings, and caves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Common noctule</span> Species of bat

The common noctule is a species of insectivorous bat common throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater mouse-eared bat</span> Species of bat

The greater mouse-eared bat is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.

<i>Nyctophilus geoffroyi</i> Species of bat

Nyctophilus geoffroyi is a vespertilionid bat. a flying nocturnal mammal found in Australia, The species is relatively common. They have been referred to as the lesser long-eared bat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeastern long-eared bat</span> Species of bat

The south-eastern long-eared bat or Corben's long-eared bat, is a species of bat found in Australia. It occurs in the woodlands of the Murray Darling Basin and adjacent areas.

The southern forest bat is a vesper bat found in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vespertilioninae</span> Subfamily of bats

The Vespertilioninae are a subfamily of vesper bats from the family Vespertilionidae.

<i>Nyctalus</i> Genus of bats

Nyctalus is a genus of vespertilionid bats commonly known as the noctule bats. They are distributed in the temperate and subtropical areas of Europe, Asia and North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese noctule</span> Species of bat

The Chinese noctule is a common and widespread species of bat belonging to the family Vespertilionidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon Bat Group</span> English bat conservation organisation

The Devon Bat Group (DBG) was founded in 1984 to help protect bats and their habitats, to look after injured bats and to advise and educate people about bats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipistrellini</span>

Pipistrellini is a tribe of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains several genera found throughout the Old World and Australasia, including the pipistrelles, noctules and related species.

References

  1. Juste, J.; Paunović, M. (2016). "Nyctalus leisleri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T14919A22016159. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T14919A22016159.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. The Irish Examiner (2 July 2018). "High temperatures send bats swooping in".
  3. Shiel et al (1999). "Seasonal changes in the foraging behaviour of Leisler's bats (Nyctalus leisleri) in Ireland as revealed by radio‐telemetry".
  4. Nyctalus leisleri – Science for Nature Foundation
  5. The Irish Independent. "Ireland a Leisler's Bat stronghold".
  6. Bat Conservation Trust. "Leisler's bat" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. Parsons, S. and Jones, G. (2000) 'Acoustic identification of twelve species of echolocating bat by discriminant function analysis and artificial neural networks.' J Exp Biol., 203: 2641-2656.
  8. Obrist, M.K., Boesch, R. and Flückiger, P.F. (2004) 'Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: Consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergic pattern recognition approach.' Mammalia., 68 (4): 307-32.
  9. "New Ulster Bank £20 bank note has 'skeleton and bat' security features". Belfasttelegraph.

Further reading