50.

Asian Particolored Bat

Vespertilio sinensis

French: Vespertilion oriental / German: Asiatische Zweifarbfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago bicolor asiatico

Taxonomy. Vesperus sinensis Peters, 1880,

“ Peking (China).”

In the past this species was referred to as V. superans, but in 1997 I. Horac¢ek showed that sinensis was the oldest name available for this species. Several other named taxa (V. auryunctus, V. montanus, and V. motoyoshit) are also considered synonyms. Five subspecies have been suggested ( sinensis, anderssoni, namaiyei, noctula, and orientalis), but subspecific taxonomy requires reassessment. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Siberia and S Russian Far East, E Mongolia, Korean Peninsula, Japan, C & E China, and Taiwan I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 58-80 mm, tail 34-54 mm, ear 14-51 mm, hindfoot 9-16 mm, forearm 43-55 mm; weight 14-30 g. Dorsal fur is dark brownwith silvery frosted tips; ventral pelage is yellowish white with dull brown hairs mixed throughout, giving brindled or wavy pattern. Juveniles are darker and less frosted, being brown to reddish brown in color with yellowish-tipped hairs.. Skin, when visible, is dark or blackish. Wings are dark brown and narrow, and uropatagium encloses the whole tail except last vertebra, which protrudes. Broad, robust muzzle has large lateral glands, more visible in males. Skull is dorsally flattened, with braincase ¢.8: 2 mm wide. Mandible is massive, condyle-basal length ¢.16: 6 mm and zygomatic length c. 11 mm. Chromosomal complement typically has 2n = 38 and FNa = 50, with one specimen in Japan with FNa = 54.

Habitat. Steppe habitats in Mongolia, as well as mountains, semi-deserts, and deserts, sometimes close to water, e.g. lakes and rivers throughout the species’ distribution.

Food and Feeding. The Asian Particolored Bat feeds over water—e.g. swamps. Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera are main food items, with proportions varying seasonally. Large insect species may be preferred, but diet always is strongly influenced by relative insect abundance locally.

Breeding. Maternity colonies have been found with tens to thousands of individuals roosting in buildings. Adult females give birth to average two young during late June and early July. Adult females and their offspring roost together from May to August to retain the necessary warmth during the maternity period. In the past, the Asian Particolored Bat probably used natural cavities such as hollow trees or crevices for maternity colonies, but due to increasing deforestation and subsequent drastic decrease in roost availability they are currently more and more found on man-made structures in urban environments.

Activity patterns. Unlikeits sibling species, the Eurasian Particolored Bat ( Vespertilio murinus), the Asian Particolored Bat tends to start foraging early at night, hunting insects in open areas. It roosts in hollow trees, buildings, and caves along the coast, and also within foliage. InJapan, it has also occupied some wood and laminar bat boxes, although never to date in the form of a maternity colony (mainly during the postlactating period). In general roost preferences change with season and internal temperature in the cavities. The species emits typical broadband modulated calls, highly plastic depending on the environment and clutter within the nearby vegetation. Typical echolocation pulses are FM/QCEF, with peak frequency at ¢.30-8 kHz, maximum frequency at ¢.46 kHz, minimum frequency at 22-8 kHz, and bandwidth at 23-2 kHz. In most areas, it is difficult to distinguish from other sympatric vespertilionids by means only of acoustic testing.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. After maternity period, all individuals tend to disperse and large colonies disperse. Males have been reported singing from buildings during the mating season several times all over China.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. In Japan, the Asian Particolored Batis listed as vulnerable or data deficient. This species has a relatively large distribution. Its main threat is probably roost disturbance.

Bibliography. Abe et al. (2005), Ando et al. (1977), Bannikov (1954), Chung Chul-Un & Han Sang-Hoon (2015), Fukui & Agetsuma (2010), Fukui et al. (2010), Gorobeyko & Kartavtseva (2018), Harada et al. (1987b), Horacek (1997), Jin Longru, Wang Jing et al. (2012), Obara & Saitoh (1977), Ono & Obara (1994), Ono & Yoshida (1997), Peters (1880), Smith & Xie Yan (2008), Sokolov & Orlov (1980), Stubbe & Chotolchu (1968), Stubbe, Samiya et al. (2008), Vorontsov etal. (1969), Wallin (1969), Xu Chunzhu et al. (2016), Yoon Kwang-Bae, Lee Jin-Hong et al. (2016).