190.

Long-tailed Serotine

Eptesicus hottentotus

French: Sérotine hottentote / German: Hottentotten-Breitflligelfledermaus / Spanish: Eptesicus de cola larga

Other common names: Hottentot Bat, Hottentot Serotine Bat, Long-tailed Greater Serotine Bat, Long-tailed House Bat, Long-tailed Serotine Bat

Taxonomy. Vespertilio hottentota [sic] A. Smith, 1833,

Uitenhage, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Genetic data have placed E. hottentotus close to E. bottae, E. anatolicus, and E. ognevi using nuclear genes, but mitochondrial genes place it sister to all or most (sometimes E. isabellinus is most basal) of the other sequenced Old World Eptesicus . Taxon pallidioris often recognized as a distinct subspecies, but morphological and genetic data show that it is best included under the nominate subspecies hottentotus as a synonym; however, genetic and morphological research is needed to validate this view. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

E.h.hottentotusA.Smith,1833—SWAngola,WNamibia,andNW&SWSouthAfrica.

E.h.bensoniRoberts,1946—NEZambia,SMalawi,NWMozambique,Zimbabwe,ESouthAfrica,andLesotho;probablyinSwaziland.

E. h. portavernus Schlitter & Aggundey, 1986 — SW Kenya.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.62-77 mm,tail 38-58 mm, ear 14-20 mm, hindfoot 9-11 mm, forearm 45-54 mm; weight 10-8-24-5 g. Males have slightly shorter forearm lengths than females on average (at least in Namibia). Fur of the Long-tailed Serotine is sleek, soft, and dense; dorsal pelage is variable, ranging geographically from pale brown to nearly black, generally with silky sheen (hairs with dark bases and pale tips); ventral pelage is paler, generally with creamy sheen (basal two-thirds of hairs blackish brown and terminal one-third grayish brown with cream or whitish tips). Bare face and ears are dark brown to blackish, and membranes are brown to blackish brown, usually darkening as pelage darkens. Earsare relatively short, with rounded tips; tragus is about one-third the ear length, broadest part is at base, posterior margin is mostly straight but is smoothly convex near tip, and tip is rounded. Tail is of average length for Eptesicus despite the common name and extends a few millimeters past uropatagium; calcar has well-developed postcalcarial lobe. Baculum is short, roughly triangular with concave sides, and flat but with proximal end being thicker than distal end. Skull is large for an African Eptesicus; braincase is relatively low and narrow; rostrum is broad; forehead profile is straight; sagittal crest is slight; occipital helmet is present; and lambdoidal crests are well developed. I? is large and unicuspid (unlike many of its congeners); I” is minute; and lower molars are myotodont. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 50 and FNa = 48.

Habitat. Primarily close to rivers in various surrounding habitats, such as woodland savannas, montane grasslands, marshlands, well-wooded banks, and even farmland. In Namibia, Long-tailed Serotines are known from permanent water sources surrounded by desert, and they have been captured in the vicinity of cliffs in South Africa.

Food and Feeding. The Long-tailed Serotine probably forages by slow hawking in moderately vegetation cluttered areas and open areas. It is predicted to be a slow and maneuverable flier in vegetation clutter, becoming faster in more open areas. Fecal samples from six bats in West Cape Province, South Africa, contained Coleoptera (88:3% by mean percent volume), Diptera (4:5%), and Hemiptera (1:5%), along with some unknown arthropod (1%). Tympanate moths were also identified in diets in the same area.

Breeding. Nine females captured in Mutoko district, Zimbabwe, at the beginning of the hot wet season (mid-November) were heavily pregnant or lactating.

Activity patterns. Long-tailed Serotines roost by day in dry and wet caves, abandoned mines, small hollows in rocks, and outside wall of a building. Call frequencies in Soutpansberg, north-eastern South Africa, had start frequencies of 54-69-8 kHz, end frequencies of 28-2-31-6 kHz, peak frequencies of 30-4-33-8 kHz, and durations of 2:6—4-1 milliseconds. Recordings from the same area in another study had similar results, with peak frequencies of 30-34 kHz, end frequencies of 28-32 kHz, and durations of 3—4 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. [.ong-tailed Serotines are usuallyreported roosting alone or in groups of 2—4 individuals, with one record offive individuals in a single roost. When roosting in groups, they usually hang together in loose clusters.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. The Longtailed Serotine is widespread and does not appear to face any major threats. It is locally abundant throughout Zimbabwe and much of South Africa, but it is considerably rare in Angola and Malawi. It might be threatened bylocal roost disturbance.

Bibliography. ACR (2018), Artyushin et al. (2018), Cotterill & Happold (2013h), Crawford-Cabral (1989), Juste et al. (2013), Kearney (2005), Kearney, Van Cakenberghe et al. (2008), Kearney, Volleth et al. (2002), Linden et al. (2014), Lynch (1994), McBee et al. (1987), Monadjem, Cotterill & Jacobs (2017), Monadjem, Tayloret al. (2010), Rautenbach (1982), Schlitter & Aggundey (1986), Schoeman & Jacobs (2003), Taylor (1998, 2000), Taylor, Sowler et al. (2013).