95.

Lanza’s Pipistrelle

Hypsugo lanzai

French: Vespére de Lanza / German: Lanza-Zwergfledermaus / Spanish: Hypsugo de Lanza

Taxonomy. Hypsugo lanzai Benda et al, 2011,

“ Yemen, Island of Socotra, Wadi Es Gego, 12°28' N, 54°01' E, 208 ma. s. 1.”

Populations now attributed to Hypsugo lanzai were previously treated as H. ariel . Relationship to other Hypsugo has not yet been tested on genetic grounds. Monotypic.

Distribution. Socotra I, Yemen.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 46 mm (average), tail 42 mm (average), ear 14-2 mm (average), forearm 31-1-32-7 mm. Dorsal pelage of Lanza’s Pipistrelle is brown with slight rusty tinge (hairs dark chestnut-brown for proximal one-half, and brown to rusty brown for distal one-half); ventral pelage is very slightly paler (hairs dark chestnut-brown at base, with pale brown to ochraceous tips). Skin of face and earsis grayish brown, and limbs and digits are bright red. Ears are relatively short, with convex inner margins, concave outer margins, and rounded tip; tragus has maximum breadth thatis only a little less than length of its anterior margin, straight anterior margin, smoothly convex posterior margin with distinct lobule basally, and rounded tip. Membranes are grayish brown and semi-translucent, and tail tip extends past uropatagium (last two vertebrae). Baculum is longer than in the Fairy Pipistrelle ( Hypsugo ariel), with almost parallel-sided shaft with only slight concavity before broad base, in dorsal view; base is not bifurcated but has two small ridges at base; tip is broad but gradually narrows to point and entire baculum from base up until tip is hollow ventrally. Skull is large; braincase is absolutely and relatively high; coronoid process is high. M? is very wide and molars are mesio-distally long; unicuspid tooth row is relatively short, and unicuspid teeth are relatively small; craniodental characteristics are otherwise relatively similar to the Fairy Pipistrelle.

Habitat. Recorded foraging above relatively humid ground in wadis or spring areas with an active water stream and relatively dense vegetation, surrounded by rock or desert habitats. Lanza’s Pipistrelles are usually captured at low elevations of 10-137 m, although they have been recorded up to 365 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. A lactating female was captured in mid-May.

Activity patterns. Lanza’s Pipistrelle is nocturnal. Calls from Socotra with peak frequencies of 45-47 kHz are assumed to refer to this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Lanza’s Pipistrelle is currently known only from four specimens and from five localities (one locality known only from echolocation calls) and does not seem to be particularly common across the island. Virtually nothing is known ofits ecology and threats; further research is needed.

Bibliography. Benda, Al-Jumaily et al. (2011), Benda, Nasher et al. (2017).