Miniopterus aelleni

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Miniopterus aelleni

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1
)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Miniopteridae
Genus: Miniopterus
Species:
M. aelleni
Binomial name
Miniopterus aelleni
Goodman et al., 2009
Collection localities of Miniopterus aelleni (in green)[1]

Miniopterus aelleni is a bat in the genus Miniopterus that occurs on Anjouan in the Comoros and in northern and western Madagascar.

It is a small brown bat; its forearm length is 35 to 41 mm (1.4 to 1.6 in). The long

canines and premolars
.

Populations of this species have historically been included in

karstic areas. Its distribution overlaps that of M. griveaudi
, also formerly included in M. manavi.

Taxonomy

In a 1995 contribution to

Ankarana, near Montagne d'Ambre; the cytochrome b divergence between M. aelleni and other Malagasy Miniopterus is 7 to 10%.[6]

Later in 2009, Goodman and colleagues described two more species of M. manavi-like Malagasy Miniopterus:

cryptic species of M. manavi-like bats, including M. aelleni, occur together.[10]

Description

Measurements[11]
Island n Total length Tail Hindfoot Tragus Ear Forearm Mass
Anjouan 5 89.8 (88–91) 43.4 (41–46) 5.2 (5–6) 6.0 (6–6) 10.6 (10–11) 38.2 (37–39) 5.6 (4.7–6.5)
Madagascar 12 90.7 (88–95) 42.1 (40–45) 6.1 (5–7) 6.1 (5–8) 11.1 (10–12) 38.8 (35–41) 4.6 (3.9–6.5)
All measurements are in the form "mean (minimum–maximum)" and are in millimeters, except mass in grams.

Miniopterus aelleni is a small, brown Miniopterus species. The head may be slightly lighter in color than the body. Some hairs on the underparts have buff tips.

uropatagium is lighter. The wing membrane and uropatagium are attached to the upper leg at the same level, above the ankle. The uropatagium is sparsely covered with thin, but clearly visible hairs.[15] In contrast, M. manavi, M. mahafaliensis, and M. brachytragos have densely covered uropatagia and that of M. griveaudi is almost naked.[17] Individuals from Anjouan have significantly shorter hindfeet than those from Madagascar, but otherwise the two populations cannot be distinguished on the basis of external characteristics.[15]

In the skull, the rostrum (front part) is short and line-shaped,

diastemata (gaps) between the upper canine (C1) and P2 and between P2 and P4, which are weaker or absent in M. griveaudi and M. manavi. Behind C1, the toothrows are about parallel, not divergent as in M. manavi. The third upper molar (M3) is more compressed than in M. manavi and M. griveaudi.[13] In some measurements of the skull and teeth, Anjouan specimens are larger than those from Madagascar.[15]

The animal has a

M. fuliginosus.[18]

Distribution and ecology

Miniopterus aelleni is known to live from 4 to 225 m (13 to 738 ft) above sea level in northern and western Madagascar, at 1,100 m (3,600 ft) on

lactating. M. griveaudi were reproductively active at the same time, suggesting that the reproductive seasons of the two do not differ significantly.[21] Although some ecological and behavioral data has been published on Miniopterus manavi, the recognition of several cryptic species within this group, more than one of which may occur in any given locality, renders the association of these data with any of the individual species uncertain;[22] however, species of Miniopterus generally feed on insects.[23] Because M. aelleni is widespread and occurs in many protected areas on Madagascar, Goodman and colleagues inferred that its conservation status is secure.[24]

References

  1. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, appendix 1
  2. ^ Peterson et al., 1995, pp. 120–135
  3. ^ Weyeneth et al., 2008, p. 5205
  4. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 339
  5. ^ a b Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 353
  6. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 355
  7. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 1
  8. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 6, fig. 2
  9. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 28
  10. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 30, table 7
  11. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, table 2
  12. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, pp. 353–354
  13. ^ a b c Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 356
  14. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, pp. 21–22
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 354
  16. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 21
  17. ^ a b c Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 22
  18. ^ Richards et al., 2010, p. 649
  19. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, pp. 358–359
  20. ^ Goodman et al., 2010, p. 131
  21. ^ Goodman et al., 2010, pp. 131–132
  22. ^ Goodman et al., 2009b, p. 31
  23. ^ Nowak, 1994, p. 222
  24. ^ Goodman et al., 2009a, p. 359

Literature cited

External links