Thomas's big-eared brown bat

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

Thomas's big-eared brown bat

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Histiotus
Species:
H. laephotis
Binomial name
Histiotus laephotis
Thomas, 1916

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 is evaluated as near-threatened by the IUCN. Despite its reasonably wide distribution, it is dependent on fragile forest habitat that is significantly declining in extent and quality.[10]

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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.
  2. 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: 379.
  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.
  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). 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. 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. 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. 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.
  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.
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