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Malagasy Myotis

Myotis goudotii

French: Murin de Madagascar / German: Madagaskar-Mausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de Madagascar

Other common names: Malagasy Mouse-eared Bat

Taxonomy. Vespertilio goudotic A. Smith, 1834,

Madagascar.

Subgenus Chrysopteron. See M. tricolor and M. anjouanensis . Specific epithet sometimes misspelled goudoti . Monotypic.

Distribution. Madagascar, including Nosy Be and Nosy Komba Is.

Descriptive notes. Total length 90-100 mm, forearm 37-40 mm; weight 5-6 g.

Pelage is soft and thick. Dorsal pelage of the Malagasy Myotis is dark brown (hairs with light brownish bases and dark tips) and ventral pelage is dark grayish or ash brown (hairs with dark brown bases and brownish gray or ash tips). Face is densely covered in long hairs and head is somewhat flattened with short, triangularly structured muzzle, occasionally with pronounced proximal indentation. Ears are medium sized and tragus is narrow, pointed and long, reaching about one-half the ear length. Calcaris relatively long (17-18 mm) and without lobe. Upperincisors have two cusps of equal height; P? is small and positioned in tooth row; braincase is high with steep forehead region. Chromosomal complement for one male and one female has 2n = 44 and FNa = 50.

Habitat. The Malagasy Myotis occurs across a wide range of different vegetation types. Undergrowth and partially open areas have been reported as its foraging habitat Food and Feeding. Diet consists mainly of Hymenoptera, Neuroptera, and Araneae, while Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Isoptera are also taken. Fragments of spiders were present in 55% of fecal samples.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The species roosts in caves. The remains of one individual was found in pellets of the bat hawk (Macheiramphus alcinus) in western-central Madagascar. Echolocation calls are single FM sweeps of 55-75 kHz; they are characterized by broadband FM sweeps produced at low-duty cycle. The greatest energy was always found in the fundamental (c.64-4 kHz) and pulses were very short (c.3 milliseconds).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Malagasy Myotis roosts in small colonies, sometimes with other species, such as the Manavil Long-fingered Bat ( Miniopterus manavti).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. ACR (2017), Csorba, Chou Cheng-Han et al. (2014), Dammhahn & Goodman (2014), Goodman, Razakaratrimo & de Roland (2016), Kofoky et al. (2009), Rakotoarivelo et al. (2007), Rakotondramanana & Goodman (2017), Rakotondramanana et al. (2015), Rasoanoro et al. (2015), Razakarivony et al. (2005), Richards et al. (2010), Russ, Bennett et al. (2003), Simmons (2005).