12.

Japanese Noctule

Nyctalus furvus

French: Noctule sombre / German: Japan-Abendsegler / Spanish: Noctulo de Japon

Other common names: Japanese Lesser Noctule

Taxonomy. Nyctalus furvus Imaizumi & Yoshiyuki, 1968,

Kado, 300 m, IwaizumiMachi, Shimohei-gun, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

The phylogenetic position of N. furvus is uncertain, but the species has a similar karyotype to N. leisleri, indicating that they may be closely related. However, based on morphology, N. furvus is most similar to N. noctula and N. plancyi, and the species has variously been included in either of these. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known from Aomori, Iwate, Fukushima, and Tochigi prefectures on Honshu I, Japan, as well as from a recently collected specimen from C & SW South Korea.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 69-9-84-2 mm, tail 42:2-54 mm, ear 14-6-18-5 mm, hindfoot 10-13 mm, forearm 48-4-52-7 mm; weight 19-46 g. Pelage of the Japanese Noctule is velvety and dark brown with a yellowish hue, being somewhat lighter on venter. Fur extends to elbows and knees ventrally on membranes. Face and cheeks are dusky, while ears and membranes are blackish. Ears are short and triangular, with 4-5 folds on outer edge; tragus is very short and rounded, mushroom-shaped, as is characteristic of genus. Tail extends a few millimeters beyond uropatagium and is relatively long at ¢.64% of head-body length. Calcaris keeled and uropatagium attaches to ankles. Muzzle is short, with large glands between nostrils and eyes. Skull is robust and lacks forehead curvature; lacrimal foramen is large and placed behind orbital rim; infraorbital foramen is large; basial pits are shallow; shaft of I is only slightly higher than cingulum of I?; lower molars are nyctalodont. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FN = 50-52.

Habitat. Primary forests.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Like their congeners, Japanese Noctules are probably nocturnal and hibernate through the winter. Roosts occurin tree hollows, and a hibernating colony was found in a building.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The [UCN Red List. The Japanese Noctule is rarely recorded and possibly threatened by deforestation and agricultural expansion.

Bibliography. Ando et al. (1977), Harada, Uchida et al. (1982), Imaizumi & Yoshiyuki (1968), Jo Yeong-Seok et al. (2018), Maeda & Sano (2008), Ohdachi etal. (2009), Yoon Myung-Hee (2009), Yoshiyuki (1989).