Western yellow bat

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Western yellow bat
Lasiurus xanthinus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Lasiurus
Species:
L. xanthinus
Binomial name
Lasiurus xanthinus
Thomas, 1897
Distribution of Lasiurus xanthinus.png
Geographic range of the western yellow bat
Synonyms
  • Dasypterus ega xanthinusThomas, 1897
  • Lasiurus xanthinusThomas, 1897

The western yellow bat (Lasiurus xanthinus) is a species of vesper bat found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. This species roosts in trees such as Populus fremontii , Platanus wrightii , and Quercus arizonica . [2] If available, the western yellow bat will use the dead fronds that encircle palm trees as a roosting site. [3]

Contents

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new subspecies of bat in 1897 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. He listed it as a subspecies of the southern yellow bat, with a trinomen of Dasypterus ega xanthinus. [4] In 2015, Baird et al. argued that this species and other yellow bats should be in the genus Dasypterus, [5] though others have since argued that Dasypterus should remain a subgenus of Lasiurus. [6] In 1988, Baker et al. argued that it should be considered a full species based on its genetics. [7] In a 2017 follow-up to their 2015 study, Baird et al. again expressed that Aeorestes, Dasypterus, and Lasiurus should be separate genera comprising the tribe Lasiurini. They stated that the genetic distance of the three genera was much greater than observed between other bat genera, on average. In contrast to the average of 12.0% inter-generic divergence reported from another study on bats, Aeorestes and Dasypterus varied 18.79%; Aeorestes and Lasiurus varied 19.05%; and Dasypterus and Lasiurus varied 19.79%. [8] Its species name "xanthinus" is from Ancient Greek xanthos, meaning "pertaining to yellow." [9]

Description

The cranial anatomy of the western yellow bat. Dasypterus ega xanthius.jpg
The cranial anatomy of the western yellow bat.

The western yellow bat is a small species, though it is larger than the southern yellow bat. Its fur is bright yellow. Individuals weigh approximately 16 g (0.56 oz). Its forearm length is 42–47 mm (1.7–1.9 in). Its dental formula is 1.1.2.33.1.2.3 for a total of 32 teeth. [10]

Range and habitat

Its range includes the Southwestern United States of Arizona, California, and New Mexico, in addition to parts of Mexico. It is found in West and Central Mexico, as well as Baja California. [1]

Conservation

As of 2017, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. [1]

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".

<i>Lasiurus</i> Genus of bats

Lasiurus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. Its members are known as hairy-tailed bats or red bats.

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

The hoary bat is a species of bat in the vesper bat family, Vespertilionidae. It lives throughout most of North America.

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

The southern yellow bat is a species of vesper bat that belongs to suborder microchiroptera (microbat) in the family Vespertilionidae. It is native to South, North and Central America, from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States to Argentina.

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

The big red bat is a species of vesper bat from South and Central America.

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

The eastern red bat is a species of microbat in the family Vespertilionidae. Eastern red bats are widespread across eastern North America, with additional records in Bermuda.

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

The Hawaiian hoary bat, also known as ʻōpeʻapeʻa, is a species of bat endemic to the islands of Hawaiʻi. The Hawaiian hoary bat occupies the major Hawaiian islands, making it the only extant and native terrestrial mammal in the islands. Some studies report that the mainland hoary bat lives in sympatry on the Hawaiian Islands alongside the Hawaiian hoary bat, although this is disputed. The Hawaiian hoary bat was officially named the state land mammal of Hawaiʻi in 2015. It is a federally listed endangered taxon of the United States.

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

The desert long-eared bat is a species of vesper bat found in North Africa and the Middle East.

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

The Seminole bat is a species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.

<i>Rhogeessa</i> Genus of bats

Rhogeessa is a genus of bats within the vesper bats family, Vespertilionidae.

<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">Western red bat</span> Species of bat

The western red bat or desert red bat is a species of microbat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in western North America and Central America.

Baeodon is a genus of vesper bats. It consists of two species:

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

Trujillo's yellow bat or Trujillo's house bat is a species of vesper bat endemic to Kenya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bickham's little yellow bat</span> Species of bat

Bickham's little yellow bat is a species of vesper bat found in Central America.

<i>Aeorestes</i> Genus of bats

Aeorestes is a subgenus of Lasiurus commonly known as the hoary bats.

The South American hoary bat is a species of vesper bat found in South America.

Rhogeessa velilla, also called the Ecuadorian little yellow bat, is a species of vesper bat in the genus Rhogeessa. It is found in Northwestern Peru and parts of Ecuador. The species was previously included in R. io, but is now recognized as a separate species. Very little is known about this species, though it is generally considered to be insectivorous.

<i>Dasypterus</i> Genus of bats

Dasypterus is a subgenus of Lasiurus. Collectively, members of Lasiurus (Dasypterus) are referred to as the yellow bats.

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

Lasiurini is a tribe of bats in the family Vespertilionidae. It contains three genera of bats found in the Americas. All three genera were previously considered one genus, Lasiurus, but have since been split from one another. However, the validity of this split is still debated.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T. (2017). "Lasiurus xanthinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T41532A22004260. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T41532A22004260.en . Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  2. "Lasiurus xanthinus - Western Yellow Bat". InfoNatura. NatureServe. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  3. Hoffmeister, Donald F. (1986). Mammals of Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department. pp. 100–101. ISBN   978-0-8165-0873-0.
  4. Thomas, O. (1901). "LXVI.—Descriptions of new bats and rodents from America". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology. 6. 20 (120): 544. doi:10.1080/00222939709487398.
  5. Baird, Amy B; Braun, Janet K; Mares, Michael A; Morales, Juan Carlos; Patton, John C; Tran, Christina Q; Bickham, John W (2015). "Molecular systematic revision of tree bats (Lasiurini): Doubling the native mammals of the Hawaiian Islands". Journal of Mammalogy. 96 (6): 1255–1274. doi: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv135 .
  6. Novaes, Roberto Leonan M; Garbino, Guilherme S. T; Cláudio, Vinícius C; Moratelli, Ricardo (2018). "Separation of monophyletic groups into distinct genera should consider phenotypic discontinuities: The case of Lasiurini (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)". Zootaxa. 4379 (3): 439–440. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4379.3.8. PMID   29689956.
  7. Baker, R. J.; Patton, J. C.; Genoways, H. H.; Bickham, J. W. (1988). "Genic studies of Lasiurus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)". Occasional Papers, the Museum, Texas Tech University (117).
  8. Baird, Amy B.; Braun, Janet K.; Engstrom, Mark D.; Holbert, Ashlyn C.; Huerta, Maritza G.; Lim, Burton K.; Mares, Michael A.; Patton, John C.; Bickham, John W. (2017). "Nuclear and mtDNA phylogenetic analyses clarify the evolutionary history of two species of native Hawaiian bats and the taxonomy of Lasiurini (Mammalia: Chiroptera)". PLOS ONE. 12 (10): e0186085. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1286085B. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186085 . PMC   5636129 . PMID   29020097.
  9. Stangl, F. B.; Christiansen, P. G.; Galbraith, E. J. (1993). "Abbreviated guide to pronunciation and etymology of scientific names for North American land mammals north of Mexico" (PDF). Occasional Papers, the Museum, Texas Tech University (154): 1–28.
  10. Aguilar, S.; Leon P., Livia; Morales, J.C. (2014). Ceballos, G. (ed.). Mammals of Mexico. JHU Press. pp. 822–824. ISBN   978-1421408439.