Siberian bat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Vespertilionidae |
Genus: | Myotis |
Species: | M. sibiricus |
Binomial name | |
Myotis sibiricus (Kastschenko, 1905) | |
Myotis sibiricus range in green | |
Synonyms | |
Myotis brandtii gracilis Ognev, 1927 Contents |
The Siberian bat or Siberian whiskered myotis (Myotis sibiricus) is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found throughout northeastern Asia, primarily in Siberia. [2] 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. [3] [4]
It was previously classified within the Brandt's bat (M. brandtii), but more recent phylogenetic studies have found deep genetic divergence between both taxa, indicating that both are distinct species from one another, and they have thus been split by authorities including the American Society of Mammalogists, the IUCN Red List, and ITIS. [2] [5] [6]
It is found throughout much of the Palearctic east of the Ob River, from eastern Kazakhstan east throughout southern Siberia to the Kamchatka Peninsula, and south to northern China, northern Mongolia, North Korea, and northern South Korea. It is also known from Sakhalin & the Kuril Islands in Russia, and Hokkaido in Japan. It inhabits both lowland and mountain forests as well as forest-steppe ecosystems. During the summer it takes shelter in tree hollows, caves, and even buildings, but it winters exclusively in caves. [1]
It is a small bat, with the length of its head and body only 39–51 mm (1.5–2.0 in). Its forearm is 33–39 mm (1.3–1.5 in) long; its tail is 32–44 mm (1.3–1.7 in) long; its hind feet are 7–9 mm (0.28–0.35 in) long; its ears are 12–17 mm (0.47–0.67 in). It has long fur relative to its body size. The fur on its back is pale brown with a golden sheen, while the fur on its ventral side is paler gray, sometimes with a yellowish tinge. Its tragus is narrow and pointed. [7]
Populations in Siberia have exceptionally long hibernation periods, beginning in late September and continuing through mid-June of the following year. [8] During the winter, Siberian bats will roost in mine shafts, caves, tunnels, and cellars. Some – but not all – populations hibernate in the winter, while others are partially migratory. They are insectivorous, foraging at low altitudes through quick, maneuverable flight. [7]
During the summer, females will form maternity colonies to raise their young. The litter size is one pup, though occasionally two are born. Pups are born in early summer, with pups becoming volant around one month of age. Maternity colonies are frequently in manmade structures. [7]
In the early 1960s, 1,544 Siberian bats were banded in Siberia. Of these individuals, at least 67 lived longer than 20 years (of note, all of these individuals were male). [8] In 2001, two individuals were documented 38 years after capture, making them, at the time, the longest-lived individuals of this species ever recorded. [9] However, three years later, one of these individuals was documented again. This meant that the longest-lived individual of this species was at least 41 years old. [8] In mammals, larger animals tend to have longer lifespans than smaller ones; the Siberian bat is the most extreme outlier to this pattern, with lifespans exceeding 40 years in the wild while only weighing 4–8 g (0.14–0.28 oz). [10] Compared with other animals its size, it lives 9.8 times longer than expected, which is the greatest value of any mammal with a known lifespan. [8]
This species is thought to have a declining population due to forest degradation and fragmentation, as well as the loss of roost sites in caves. The primary cause of forest loss is urban development, with deforestation and wildfires also playing a role in the decline. Disturbances by cavers are known to cause mortality in winter roosts. However, it has a wide population and is not thought to be declining at a rate that would qualify it for a more imperiled status, so it is classified as Least Concern. [1]
The tricolored bat or American perimyotis is a species of microbat native to eastern North America. Formerly known as the eastern pipistrelle, based on the incorrect belief that it was closely related to European Pipistrellus species, the closest known relative of the tricolored bat is now recognized as the canyon bat. Its common name "tricolored bat" derives from the coloration of the hairs on its back, which have three distinct color bands. It is the smallest bat species in the eastern and midwestern US, with individuals weighing only 4.6–7.9 g (0.16–0.28 oz). This species mates in the fall before hibernation, though due to sperm storage, females do not become pregnant until the spring. Young are born helpless, though rapidly develop, flying and foraging for themselves by four weeks old. It has a relatively long lifespan, and can live nearly fifteen years.
The big brown bat is a species of vesper bat distributed widely throughout North America, the Caribbean, and the northern portion of South America. It was first described as a species in 1796. Compared to other microbats, the big brown bat is relatively large, weighing 15–26 g (0.53–0.92 oz) and possessing a wingspan of 32.5–35 cm (12.8–13.8 in).
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 Neo-Latin construction, from the Greek "muós and "oûs", literally translating to "mouse-eared".
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.
The evening bat is a species of bat in the vesper bat family that is native to North America. Hunting at night, they eat beetles, moths, and other flying insects.
The greater mouse-eared bat is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
Brandt's bat or Brandt's myotis is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is native throughout most of Europe and parts of western Asia.
Findley's myotis is a species of vesper bat. It is found only on the Tres Marías Islands off the west coast of Mexico.
The eastern small-footed bat is a species of vesper bat. It can be found in southern Ontario and Quebec in Canada and in mountainous portions of the eastern United States from New England to northern Georgia, and westward to northern Arkansas. It is among the smallest bats in eastern North America and is known for its small feet and black face-mask. Until recently, all North American small-footed Myotis were considered to be "Myotis leibii". The western population is now considered to be a separate species, Myotis ciliolabrum. The eastern small-footed bat is rare throughout its range, although the species may be locally abundant where suitable habitat exists. Studies suggest white-nose syndrome has caused declines in their populations. However, most occurrences of this species have only been counted within the past decade or two and are not revisited regularly, making their population status difficult to assess. Additionally, most bat populations in the eastern U.S. have been monitored using surveys conducted in caves and mines in the winter, but eastern small-footed bats hibernate in places that make them unlikely to be encountered during these surveys. Perhaps as a result, the numbers of eastern small-footed bats counted in winter tend to be low and they are relatively variable compared to other species of bats. Many biologists believe the species is stable, having declined little in recent times, but that it is vulnerable due to its relatively restricted geographic range and habitat needs.
The fringed myotis is a species of vesper bat that is found in British Columbia, Mexico, and the western United States.
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-legged myotis is a species of vesper bat that can be found in western Canada, Mexico, and the western United States.
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 little brown bat or little brown myotis is an endangered species of mouse-eared microbat found in North America. It has a small body size and glossy brown fur. It is similar in appearance to several other mouse-eared bats, including the Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, and Arizona myotis, to which it is closely related. Despite its name, the little brown bat is not closely related to the big brown bat, which belongs to a different genus.
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 as far as Portugal, England, Sweden, and Russia. 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. It is most closely related to Myotis hyrcanicus from Iran, but otherwise has no close relatives.
Old Bow And Old Ham Mines is a 40.3-hectare (100-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Gloucestershire, notified in 1998.
The long-fingered bat is a small carnivorous vesper bat.
A maternity colony refers to a temporary association of reproductive female bats for giving birth to, nursing, and weaning their pups. The colonies are initiated by pregnant bats. After giving birth, the colony consists of the lactating females and their offspring. After weaning, juveniles will leave the maternity colony, and the colony itself will break apart. The size of a maternity colony is highly variable by species, with some species forming colonies consisting of ten or fewer individuals, while the largest maternity colony in the world in Bracken Cave is estimated to have over 15 million bats.
Longevity Quotient (LQ) is a simplified measure to enable normalized comparisons of various species' longevity. It shares some similarity with measures such as Intelligence Quotient. It originated with Steven N. Austad and Kathleen E Fischer's 1991 paper on mammalian aging.