Thomas's big-eared brown bat

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Thomas's big-eared brown bat
Histiotus laephotis 1150264.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Histiotus
Species:
H. laephotis
Binomial name
Histiotus laephotis
Thomas, 1916
Distribution of Histiotus laephotis.PNG

Thomas's big-eared brown bat (Histiotus laephotis) is a species of vesper bat found in South America.

Contents

Taxonomy and etymology

Thomas's big-eared brown bat was described as a new species in 1916 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. [2] Thomas described the species based on specimens held by the Turin Museum of Natural History that had been collected by "Dr. Borelli", [2] likely Dr. Alfredo Borelli, who furnished many biological specimens during this time from Argentina, Paraguay, and Bolivia. [3] The holotype had been collected in Caiza, Bolivia, which is located in the Potosí Department of Southern Bolivia. [2] Of the species name "laephotis", Thomas was not clear on its meaning, though he remarked that it "[had] a similar meaning" to the name histiotus, [4] which means "sail ear" (from Ancient Greek "ἱστός" meaning "mast" + "οὖς" meaning "ear"). [5] A hypothesis for the etymology of laephotis is that it comes from Greek "λαιός" meaning "awkward" and "φως" meaning "light," possibly referring to an awkward flight in the daylight. [6]

The validity of Thomas's big-eared brown bat as a species has been disputed. In the past, it has been regarded as a subspecies of the big-eared brown bat, H. macrotis. [7] More recently, it has been considered a subspecies of the small big-eared brown bat, H. montanus. [8] At present, several sources consider it a valid species. [9] [10]

Description

Individuals weight approximately 11 g (0.39 oz). [11] Its ears are very long relative to other members of its genus, at 32–33 mm (1.3–1.3 in) long. The ears are 23–24 mm (0.91–0.94 in) wide. Its fur is dark brown, with the tips of individual hairs lighter brown. Its ears and flight membranes are grayish in color. Its forearm is 46–51 mm (1.8–2.0 in) long. From head to tail, it is 104 mm (4.1 in) long. Its tail is 50 mm (2.0 in); its tragus is 11 mm (0.43 in) long. [2] It can be differentiated from the similar small big-eared brown bat (Histiotus montanus) by its yellowish fur, pale ears, and longer forearm. [11]

Range and habitat

Its range includes Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. [10] In March 2006, it was documented in Brazil for the first time. [12] A paper published in 2015 cited its first ever documentation in Chile. [11]

Conservation

As of 2019, it was evaluated as near-threatened by the IUCN. [10]

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">Mouse-eared bat</span> Genus of bats

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big-eared woolly bat</span> Species of mammals belonging to the New World leaf-nosed bat family

The big-eared woolly bat or (Peters's) woolly false vampire bat is a species of bat, belonging to the family Phyllostomidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tropical big-eared brown bat</span> Species of bat

The tropical big-eared brown bat, is a bat species found in Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

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

The velvety myotis, is a species of vesper bat from South America.

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

The cinnamon dog-faced bat, is a South American bat species of the family Molossidae. It is found in northern and central South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-throated round-eared bat</span> Species of bat

The white-throated round-eared bat is a bat species found from Honduras to Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil. It creates roosts inside the nests of the termite, Nasutitermes corniger. It thrives on a mainly insect-based diet, focusing on the surfaces of foliage to hunt, and also eats fruit and pollen. It has a very wide range and is a common species over much of that range, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<i>Eptesicus</i> Genus of bats

Eptesicus is a genus of bats, commonly called house bats or serotine bats, in the family Vespertilionidae. The genus name is likely derived from the Greek words ptetikos 'able to fly' or petomai 'house flier', although this is not certain.

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

The big-eared brown bat is a species of vesper bat found in Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small big-eared brown bat</span> Species of bat

The small big-eared brown bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It can be found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

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

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<i>Histiotus</i> Genus of bats

Histiotus is a genus of South American vesper bats with species that include:

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

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

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

The Patagonian bonneted bat, also called the Patagonian dwarf bonneted bat, is a species of free-tailed bat found in Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isalo serotine</span> Species of bat in the genus Neoromicia

The Isalo serotine is a vesper bat of Madagascar in the genus Laephotis. It is known only from the vicinity of the Isalo National Park in the southwestern part of the island, where it has been caught in riverine habitats. After the first specimen was caught in 1967, it was described as a subspecies of Eptesicus somalicus in 1995. After four more specimens were collected in 2002 and 2003, it was recognized as a separate species. Because of its small distribution and the threat of habitat destruction, it is considered "vulnerable" in the IUCN Red List.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern big-eared brown bat</span> Species of bat

The southern big-eared brown bat is a species of bat from the family Vespertilionidae. Although current taxonomy treats the southern big-eared brown bat as a separate species, it is often treated as a subspecies of the small big-eared brown bat. It lives in the forests of southern Argentina and Chile; though the population of the bat in the southern part of its habitat is low, there are no major concerns to justify anything lower than a Least Concern rating in the IUCN Red List.

<i>Myotis izecksohni</i> Species of bat

Myotis izecksohni is a species of mouse-eared bat that is endemic to Brazil and Argentina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eptesicini</span> Tribe of bats

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The Moche big-eared brown bat is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is endemic to coastal Peru. It is notable for its likely depiction in Moche ceramics over a millennium prior to its discovery to Western science in 2012 and scientific description in 2021.

References

  1. Solari, S. (2019). "Histiotus laephotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T136502A21974854. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T136502A21974854.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Thomas, Oldfield (1916). "XXIX.—Notes on bats of the genus Histiotus". Journal of Natural History. 17 (99): 275–276. doi:10.1080/00222931508693782.
  3. Rehn, J. A. (1906). "Notes on South American grasshoppers of the subfamily Acridinae (Acrididae), with descriptions of new genera and species". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 30 (1453): 379. doi:10.5479/si.00963801.1453.371.
  4. Thomas, O. (1901). "LVIII.—On a new genus and species of Vespertilionine but from East Africa". Journal of Natural History. 7 (41): 460–462. doi:10.1080/00222930108678499.
  5. Braun, J. K.; Mares, M. A. (1995). "The mammals of Argentina: an etymology" (PDF). Mastozoología Neotropical. 2 (2): 173–206. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-10-18. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  6. Davis, W. B.; Carter, D. C. (1978). "A review of the round-eared bats of the Tonatia silvicola complex, with descriptions of three new taxa" (PDF). Occasional Papers Museum of Texas Tech University (53): 1–12.
  7. Barquez, R. M.; Mares, M. A.; Braun, J. K. (1999). The bats of Argentina (PDF). Vol. 42. Special Publications Museum of Texas Tech University. pp. 129–133.
  8. Handley Jr, C. O.; Gardner, A. L. (2008). "Genus Histiotus P. Gervais, 1856". Mammals of South America. Vol. 1. pp. 450–457. ISBN   978-0226282428.
  9. Simmons, N. B. (2005). "Histiotus laephotis". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 488. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  10. 1 2 3 Barquez, R.; Diaz, M. (2008). "Histiotus laephotis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008: e.T136502A4301641. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T136502A4301641.en .
  11. 1 2 3 Ossa, G.; Bonacic, C.; Barquez, R. M. (2015). "First record of Histiotus laephotis (Thomas, 1916) from Chile and new distributional information for Histiotus montanus (Phillipi and Landbeck, 1861)(Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae)". Mammalia. 79 (4): 457–461. doi:10.1515/mammalia-2014-0041. hdl: 11336/13021 . S2CID   87464399.
  12. Miranda, J.; Azevedo-Barros, M. F.; Passos, F. C. (2007). "First record of Histiotus laephotis Thomas (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Brazil". Revista Brasileira de Zoologia. 24 (4): 1188–1191. doi: 10.1590/S0101-81752007000400040 .