241.

Sardinian Long-eared Bat

Plecotus sardus

French: Oreillard de Sardaigne / German: Sardinien-Langohr / Spanish: Orejudo de Cerdena

Taxonomy. Plecotus sardus Mucedda et al., 2002,

“interior of a cave at Lanaitto’s Valley, Oliena District, Nuoro Province, middle-east Sardinia, Italy (40°15'29"N, 9°29'13"E, 150 mas.l.).”

Previously treated within either P. austriacus or P. auritus, but recently elevated to species level based on morphological and molecular data. Monotypic.

Distribution. Sardinia.

Descriptive notes. Head-body c. 45 mm, tail ¢.b 1 mm, ear 37- 5-39 mm, hindfoot 6-7-7- 7 mm, forearm 41-1-42- 2 mm. Dorsal fur woolly (c. 10 mm long), brownish, with hairs tricolored (dark brown bases, then grayish, with dark brown tips); ventral fur whitish or pale brown, with bicolored hairs (dark brown and whitish). Ears pale brown; tragus distinctive compared to congeners, being large (over 18 mm) and broad (over 6 mm), dark brown at base and yellowish at tip. Muzzle narrow, with round gland under chin. Wings brown, inserting at base of toe. Thumbs large; claws and hindfoot have sticking hair. Calcar long (c. 18 mm) and slender, with small lobe at tip. Penis is almost cylindrical, unlike in the Brown Longeared Bat ( P. auritus) and the Gray Long-eared Bat ( P. austriacus); differs from the Alpine Long-eared Bat ( P. macrobullaris) in baculum shape. P* is minute.

Habitat. Very little information. Of three reports, two were from karstic areas with forests nearby at medium elevations, the third being at the coastline. It is suspected that the species is a forest-dweller, foraging within woodlands, and roosting in caves.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Only four maternity colonies are known with a total estimate of under 1000 breeding bats, but reproductive patterns remain poorly studied.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No movements have been reported.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Limited forest remains in Sardinia, while deforestation is increasing; the species may be at real risk of extinction in the near future. Also, roost visiting and disturbance may threaten potential roost sites.

Bibliography. Bosso et al. (2016), Dietz & von Helversen (2004), Dietz & Kiefer (2016), GIRC (2004), Mucedda et al. (2002), Pacifici et al. (2013), Piraccini (2016e), Simmons (2005).