| Velvety myotis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Myotis |
| Species: | M. simus |
| Binomial name | |
| Myotis simus Thomas, 1901 | |
 | |
| Synonyms | |
Myotis sima | |
The velvety myotis (Myotis simus), is a species of vesper bat from South America.
The velvety myotis is a small bat, although of average size for a myotine, with a total length of 8 to 9 cm (3.1 to 3.5 in) and weighing between 5 and 11 g (0.18 and 0.39 oz). It has short, velvety, orange-brown fur over the whole of the body, which may fade to a brownish shade in preserved specimens. The ears and wing membranes are black and hairless. [2]
The ears are short and triangular, with a pointed tragus. Velvety myotis can be distinguished from all other New World members of the genus Myotis by the velvety nature of its fur, possession of larger canine teeth, and by the shape of plagiopatagium and the absence of fur on the trailing edge of the uropatagium. [2] These differences were once considered sufficient to place the bat within its own monotypic subgenus, but this has not been supported by subsequent analysis. [3]
It is found in northern and western Brazil, southern Colombia, eastern Ecuador and Peru, and in Bolivia, Paraguay, and northwestern Argentina. [4] It inhabits lowland forest and savannah habitats, close to bodies of fresh water. [2] No subspecies are currently recognised, although a possible subspecies, or even full species, has been proposed for Bolivian specimens. [5]
The velvety myotis feeds on insects, including beetles, bugs, moths, and flies, which it typically captures over water. They are generally found near rivers or over floodplains. They spend the day roosting in hollow trees, in burrows made by other animals, or beneath the thatched roofs of local buildings. They have often been recorded roosting together with lesser bulldog bats, an unrelated species with similar habitat preferences. Little is known of their reproduction, although, like most bats, they apparently give birth to single offspring. Pregnant females have been captured between September and March. [2]
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 New Latin construction, from the Greek "muós and "oûs", literally translating to "mouse-eared".
The Alpine long-eared bat or mountain long-eared bat is a species of long-eared bat. It was originally described from Switzerland and Austria as a species intermediate between the brown long-eared bat and the grey long-eared bat in 1965. It was later described in 2002, from France and Austria, respectively. Despite its name, this species is not restricted to the Alps, being found in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and elsewhere. It differs from other European long-eared bats, such as the brown long-eared bat, by its white underparts.
The silver-tipped myotis is a species of mouse-eared bat found in a range of lowland habitats in the Americas.
The black myotis is a vesper bat species from South and Central America.
The riparian myotis, is a vespertilionid bat species from South and Central America. It is a medium-sized bat compared to other South American myotis.
The western yellow bat is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. This species roosts in trees such as Populus fremontii, Platanus wrightii, and Quercus arizonica. If available, the western yellow bat will use the dead fronds that encircle palm trees as a roosting site.
The southern myotis is a species of vesper bat. It is found only in Argentina.
The Atacama myotis is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Chile and Peru, an example ecoregion of occurrence being the Chilean matorral.
The fringed long-footed myotis is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The frosted myotis is a species of vesper bat. It is found only in Japan.
The Yanbaru whiskered bat(Myotis yanbarensis) is a species of vesper bat in the genus Myotis.
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 Isalo serotine is a vespertilionid 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.
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 to Spain, England, Sweden, and Azerbaijan, among other countries. 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. Although some genetic data suggest that it is related to Geoffroy's bat, other analyses do not support a close relationship between M. alcathoe and any other species.
Myotis midastactus is a golden-coloured species of vesper bats from South America, where it occurs in Bolivia and Paraguay. The characteristic golden fur of the bat distinguishes it from other South American bats.
The Barbados myotis is a species of bat found in the Lesser Antilles. It was previously considered a subspecies of Schwartz's myotis, Myotis martiniquensis, but was elevated to species rank in 2012.
The Taiwan broad-muzzled bat or Taiwan broad-muzzled myotis is a species of vesper bat found in Taiwan.
Myotis diminutus is a species of mouse-eared bat found in Ecuador and Colombia. It was recently described as a new species in 2011.
LaVal's myotis is a species of bat found in Brazil and Paraguay.
The long-tailed myotis is a species of vesper bat found in northern and eastern Asia.
