| Yemeni mouse-tailed bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Rhinopomatidae |
| Genus: | Rhinopoma |
| Species: | R. hadramauticum |
| Binomial name | |
| Rhinopoma hadramauticum Benda, Reiter, Al-Jumaily, Nasher & Hulva, 2009 | |
The Yemeni mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma hadramauticum) is an endangered species of bat found in Yemen. It is only known from one roost, and its population is estimated at 150 individuals.
Before 2001, it was believed that only one mouse-tailed bat species was found in Yemen—the lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickii. In 2001, a paper was published that cited the presence of the small mouse-tailed bat, R. muscatellum, in the Hadramaut Province of Yemen. [2] However, an analysis of mitochondrial DNA in 2007 found a "deep genetic gap" between R. muscatellum in Iran and the individuals identified as R. muscatellum in Yemen. The genetic distance for the two populations was 8–9%. The lineages of the two populations are estimated to have diverged 10 million years ago. The 2007 study concluded that the population discovered in Yemen in 2001 was a distinct clade within R. muscatellum, but the authors stopped short of describing it as a new species. [3] The Yemeni population of R. muscatellum was described as a new species in 2009 based on the genetic difference described in the 2007 paper. Its species name hadramauticum is a Neo-Latin derivation of "Hadramaut", which is the place where the holotype was collected. [2]
It is considered a medium-sized bat for its genus. It has a nose-leaf that is trapezoidal in shape. Its tragus is broad and blunt, with two points. The outside edge of each tragus has several emarginations. Fur on the dorsal and ventral surfaces is grayish to grayish-brown in color. Fur around the neck is yellowish-brown, creating the appearance of a collar. The skin of its face, ears, belly, and extremities is pale gray in color. Its wing membranes, fingers, tail, and the tips of its ears are gray. Its forearm is 52–55.7 mm (2.05–2.19 in) long; its tail is 54–62 mm (2.1–2.4 in) long; [2]
The only known colony of this species, as of 2007, was in a newly-constructed and uninhabited house in the village of Ash Shahar. [2] The elevation of this roost is 65 m (213 ft) above sea level. The habitat around the roost, where the bat presumably forages, consists of arid and semi-desert climate. [1]
It is currently evaluated as endangered by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this designation because it is known from only one site, and its total population is estimated at 150 individuals. Main threats to this species are disturbances to its only known roost site. [1] In the same paper where the species was initially described, the authors stated that it "may rank among the most threatened bat species in the Middle East or even in the World." [2]
Kitti's hog-nosed bat, also known as the bumblebee bat, is a near-threatened species of bat and the only extant member of the family Craseonycteridae. It occurs in western Thailand and southeast Myanmar, where it occupies limestone caves along rivers.
Mouse-tailed bats are a group of insectivorous microbats of the family Rhinopomatidae with only three to six species, all contained in the single genus Rhinopoma. They are found in the Old World, from North Africa to Thailand and Sumatra, in arid and semiarid regions, roosting in caves, houses and even the Egyptian pyramids. They are relatively small, with a body length of just 5 to 6 cm. They weigh between 6 and 14 g.
The European free-tailed bat is a species of free-tailed bat found in the Old World. Other common names include the bulldog bat and the mastiff bat because of the presence of wrinkling on the snout. This bat is found in the Mediterranean region of Europe and in scattered locations across Asia at altitudes from sea level to 3100 m. The range of distribution is from the Canary Islands and Madeira through the whole Mediterranean area, Asia Minor, the Caucasus and the Middle East. In the north to southern France, southern Germany, Switzerland, Croatia and Bulgaria. It was reported from Korea in 1931, but has not been sighted on the Korean Peninsula since then. Populations in Japan, Taiwan and Korea are now considered to be a separate species Tadarida insignis.
Peters's wrinkle-lipped bat, also called Peters's goblin bat, is a species of bat in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is endemic to Madagascar, where it is widespread and in some areas abundant. It commonly roosts in human-made structures, sometimes in colonies with other free-tailed bat species. It forages in the open, often in agricultural areas. The bat is sexually dimorphic, with males larger than females.
The Kolar leaf-nosed bat, or leafletted leaf-nosed bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is endemic to India. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and caves. It is found in only one cave in India, and its population is less than 200 individuals.
The lesser mouse-tailed bat is a species of microbat in the family Rhinopomatidae. Also referred to as Hardwicke's lesser mouse-tailed bat and long-tailed bat, it is named after Major General Thomas Hardwicke (1755–1835), an English soldier and naturalist who served many years in India. It is found in North Africa, some parts of central and eastern Africa, West Asia and east to the Indian subcontinent.
The greater mouse-tailed bat is a species of bat in the Rhinopomatidae family.
The small mouse-tailed bat is a species of bat in the Rhinopomatidae family. It is found in Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, and possibly Ethiopia, ranging from the Sistan Basin in Iran well into the Helmand River basin of south-western Afghanistan.
Grandidier's trident bat is a species of bat in the family Hipposideridae endemic to Madagascar. It was formerly assigned to the genus Triaenops, but is now placed in the separate genus Paratriaenops.
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.
Mops atsinanana is a free-tailed bat found on Madagascar. It was considered a subspecies of the little free-tailed bat until 2010. During the day, they are known to roost in man-made structures such as the roofs or attics of buildings.
The Turkestani long-eared bat is a species of bat found in Asia. Though it was initially described in 1873 as a species, for many years it was considered synonymous with the desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii. Recently, it was recognized as a distinct species once again.
Harrison's large-eared giant mastiff bat is a species of bat found in Northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It was described as a new species in 2015. The IUCN evaluates it as a vulnerable species.
The Egyptian mouse-tailed bat is a species of mouse-tailed bat found in North Africa and the Middle East.
The Somalian trident bat is a species of bat found in the Horn of Africa.
Hanak's dwarf bat or Hanak's pipistrelle is a species of bat only found in Cyrenaica, Libya and Crete, Greece.
The Dhofar pipistrelle is a species of vesper bat in the genus Pipistrellus. It is found in Southern Arabia, including Oman and Yemen.
