Painted bat

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Painted bat
Kerivoula picta 1.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Kerivoula
Species:
K. picta
Binomial name
Kerivoula picta
(Pallas, 1767)
Painted bat (Kerivoula picta) range map.png
Species distribution (in southeast Asia) based on data from the IUCN.

The painted bat (Kerivoula picta) or painted wooly bat [2] is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is also known as "butterfly bat" (projapoti badur), [3] "rongin chamchika" (coloured bat) or "komola-badami chamchika" (orange-brown bat) in Bengali. [2]

Contents

Habitat

It is found in Bangladesh [1] (in forested areas, especially in Dhaka Division [2] ), Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. It is found in arid woodland and is fairly uncommon. [2]

The bat had been spotted for the last time in Bangladesh in 1888 according to The Fauna of British India by W.T. Blanford. [3] [4] On Bangladesh Red List published in 2015 by IUCN and the Forest Department of Bangladesh, the bat was described as "data deficient". [2] The IUCN classifies Kerivoula picta as near threatened. [5] The species was thought to have been extinct before rediscovery after 133 years in Madhupur National Park in June 2021. [3]

Description

The body and tail are the same length. The body length is 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in). The tail length is 3 to 5.5 cm (1.2 to 2.2 in) as well. The wingspan is 18–30 cm (7.1–11.8 in). [2] Weight is about 5 g (0.18 oz).

Kerivoula picta is bright orange or scarlet, with black wings and orange along the fingers. As in other species of Kerivoula , K. picta possesses long, wooly, rather curly hair, a small, fragile form, large funnel-shaped ears and 38 teeth. Ears are naked, relatively large with rounded tip. [2] Tragus is long, narrow, and transparent. Muzzle is very hairy with naked nostrils. Older males are brighter than females.

Behavior

Painted bats are nocturnal or crepuscular. [2] Small groups of these animals are often found in unusual roosting sites such as in the suspended nests of weaver finches and sunbirds, banana tree leaves, or under the eaves of huts. [6] Painted bats have been known to roost in pairs or in groups of only 2–6 bats. [2] They apparently aestivate during the day, as they are relatively sluggish when disturbed. The bright and broken coloration of these bats may be a form of camouflage to protect them, as they have been reported to blend in with dried leaves and flowers when they roost. [1] They live on small insects. [4] Hunting flights last around 1–2 hours.

Not very much is known about their reproduction and lifespan. However, they form nuclear family units consisting of a mother, a father, and an offspring. They breed between June and August. Female bats give birth to a single offspring. [2]

The echolocation characteristics and the presence of a large interfemoral membrane, a characteristic feature of family Vespertilionidae, suggest that K. picta is an aerial hawker, i.e. capturing insects during flight using the interfemoral membrane as a net. [7]

Echolocation

Echolocation for this species is relatively similar to other species of Kerivoula. Recorded calls were broadband and steep calls ranging from 156.9 kHz to 41.5 kHz. Flight and resting echolocation calls differed every way except the peak frequency. Bats with higher starting frequencies appear to be better at catching prey close to clutter than those with lower frequencies. This is significant considering the amount of debris that is normally around their habitat. [7]

Hunting

These bats are hunted, taxidermied and sold online. Sellers may include the bats in a variety of commercial products. Academic researchers believe this practice to be harmful to an already scarce wild population as these bats cannot be farmed and can only raise one pup at a time. At least 856 listings featuring Kerivoula picta have been identified. [5] Taxidermied specimens of Kerivoula picta and other bat species are also sold as curios to tourists in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. [8]

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">Common pipistrelle</span> Species of mammal

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.

<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">Hodgson's bat</span> Species of bat

Hodgson's bat, also called the copper-winged bat or black-and-orange myotis, is a species of vesper bat in the genus Myotis, the mouse-eared bats. Favouring mountain forests, it is found throughout Central, Southeast, and East Asia, from Afghanistan to Taiwan. It is about 5 centimetres (2.0 in) long and is distinguished from most other species of bat in this range by its yellowish colouration.

<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.

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

The lesser bamboo bat or lesser flat-headed bat is one of the smallest species of vesper bat, and is native to Southeast Asia.

The Damara woolly bat is a nocturnal insectivorous species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae found in Africa. This species typically has reddish brown fur on its back and white fur on its abdomen. Its natural habitat is moist savanna, although it has also been shown to inhabit woodlands and coastal forests. These bats typically weight about 10 g, and have a low aspect ratio, as well as low wing loading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardwicke's woolly bat</span> Species of species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae

Hardwicke's woolly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae.

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

The lesser woolly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Botswana, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and rarely Ethiopia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna, and moist savanna. Members of this species typically have a dark greyish brown fur with whitish tips scattered throughout.

The Bismarck trumpet-eared bat, also known as the Manus Island woolly bat, is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in subtropical or tropical dry forests.

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

The papillose woolly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clear-winged woolly bat</span> Species of bat

The clear-winged woolly bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Members of this species are relatively small, typically weighing about 4.5 g (0.16 oz) and mainly forages in the understory of tropical forests. This species also presents a unique variant of echolocation that is a higher intensity and lower frequency than most other kerivoula calls. The short range calls are distinguishable from the long range orientational echolocation calls by peak frequency and duration.

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

The golden-tipped bat is a species of Microchiropteran in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Papua New Guinea and in Australia, especially scattered along the eastern part of Australia. The species is considered uncommon, and is listed as endangered in Australia.

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

The little forest bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found only in south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a tiny bat often weighing less than 4 g (0.14 oz). It is sometimes referred to as Australia's smallest mammal, although the Northern or Koopmans Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus westralis, is possibly smaller, weighing on average around 3 g (0.11 oz). It is the smallest bat in Tasmania

<i>Scotophilus</i> Genus of bats

Scotophilus is a genus of vespertilionid bats commonly called yellow bats. They are found in southern Asia and Africa. They are the only members of the tribe Scotophilini.

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

The cinnamon red bat is a species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It was first described from a specimen that had been collected in Chile. For more than one hundred years after its initial description, it was largely considered a synonym of the eastern red bat. From the 1980s onward, it was frequently recognized as distinct from the eastern red bat due to its fur coloration and differences in range. It has deep red fur, lacking white "frosting" on the tips of individual hairs seen in other members of Lasiurus. It has a forearm length of 39–42 mm (1.5–1.7 in) and a weight of 9.5–11.0 g (0.34–0.39 oz).

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

The Kachin woolly bat is a species of bat found in Southeast Asia.

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

The Marovaza yellow bat or Marovaza house bat is a species of bat found in Madagascar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Huang, J.C.-C.; Lim, L.S.; Chakravarty, R. (2020). "Kerivoula picta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T10985A22022952. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T10985A22022952.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Bats of Bangladesh". Nature Study Society of Bangladesh. 14 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 ১৩৩ বছর পর বাংলাদেশে প্রজাপতি বাদুড়ের সন্ধান [Butterfly Bat found in Bangladesh after 133 years]. Jagonews24.com . Jahangirnagar University. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 Mahmud, Iftekhar (18 June 2021). "প্রজাপতি বাদুড়ের সন্ধান". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Dhaka. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  5. 1 2 Calma, Justine (18 July 2024). "Please stop buying taxidermied bats online / A new study sounds a warning about wild bats used in decorations sold online". The Verge. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  6. "Zoo Print Magazine" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-09-09. Retrieved 2018-10-08.
  7. 1 2 Sripathi, K., H. Raghuram, and N. Thiruchenthil. "Echolocation Sounds of the Painted Bat Kerivoula Picta (Vespertilionidae)." Current Science 91.9 (2006): 1145–147. Print.
  8. Vu, Nguyen; Tuan, Nguyen; Tran Vy, Nguyen; Huang, Joe Chun-Chia (2015). Bat souvenir trade in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. 3rd International Southeast Asian Bat Conference. Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Retrieved 24 Jan 2025.