448.

Insular Myotis

Myotis insularum

French: Murin des Samoa / German: Samoa-Wasserfledermaus / Spanish: Ratonero de Samoa

Taxonomy. Vespertilio insularum Dobson, 1878,

Samoa.

Subgenus Myotis; muricola species group. Taxonomy and distribution highly uncertain. Stated locality of holotype is the only record of Myotis in Samoa. Holotype has been suggested to represent a vagrant or a mislabelled specimen. The species has been included in Emballonura semicaudata but seems best placed in Myotis, with possible affinities to M. muricola . Monotypic.

Distribution. Samoa.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.40- 6 mm, tail ¢.38: 1 mm, ear c.15- 2 mm, hindfoot c.7- 6 mm, forearm c.35- 6 mm (type specimen). Dorsal pelage is blackish, ventral pelage is lighter. Membranes, ears, and limbs are dark brown. Earis long, with a deeply concave upper outer margin, being strongly and abruptly convex on lower two-thirds; tragus is straight and subacutely pointed at tip, with basal lobe on posterior margin. Wings attach at base offirst toe; feet are small and slender. Last vertebrae oftail extends past margin of uropatagium. P° and P, are small and within their respective tooth rows.

Habitat. No information.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Considering the uncertainty surrounding the distribution and taxonomyofthis species,there is no way to assess its conservation status.

Bibliography. Dobson (1878), Findley (1972), Flannery (1995a), Helgen & Bonaccorso (2008b), Helgen & Flannery (2002), Koopman (1984b, 1993, 1994).