83.

Tasmanian Long-eared Bat

Nyctophilus sherrini

French: Nyctophile de Tasmanie / German: Tasmanien-Langohrfledermaus / Spanish: Nictofila de Tasmania

Other common names: Tasmania Long-eared Bat

Taxonomy. Nyctophilus sherrini Thomas, 1915,

Tasmania, Australia.

Nyctophilus sherrini is tentatively in the gouldi group based on some morphological evidence, but this is in need of additional research. Nyctophilus sherrini, N. corbeni, N. major, and N. shirleyaewere previously included under N. timoriensis, but they were recently recognized as distinct species, and the name timoriensis is now regarded as a species inquirenda. Monotypic.

Distribution. Tasmania.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 51-5-54 mm,tail 35-37 mm, ear 26-29 mm, forearm 43-9— 48 mm; weight 9-8-18-9 g. The Tasmanian Long-eared Bat has verylarge ears and unique simple noseleaf consisting of two ridges, one further on muzzle and another immediately above nostrils, with vertical groove in middle and furred trough between them. Dorsal pelage is dark brown; venteris lighter brown. Rostrum, ears, and wing membranes are dark brown. Rostrum is short and blunt, with ridge across muzzle over nostrils that is poorly developed and low with shallow vertical groove. Ears are verylarge and broad, with bluntly rounded tips, horizontal ribbing on inner surfaces, inward curved anterior edges, and smooth posterior edges (ears can fold back at top of thick part of anterior edge); large and furred interauricular band crosses forehead between ears; tragus is small and bluntly rounded at tip, being convex on anterior margin. Glans penis is divided by longitudinal groove into two cylinders, with upper one projecting to give distinctly beak-like appearance. Baculum is 4-4-5 mm long, with moderatelythin shaft (but thick in terms of Nyctophilus) that constricts right before tip in dorsal view; tip is somewhat arrowhead-shaped, and base is stronglybifurcated; in lateral view, baculum is curved downward at base (where it is the thickest), but shaft is straight to narrowed tip. Skull is robust but relatively narrow, rostrum is also relatively narrow, zygoma is unexpanded, temporal region is relatively broad, braincaseis inflated, interpterygoid fossa are short, tympanic bullae are comparatively large, posterior part of palate is elongated, and M® and lower molars are not reduced.

Habitat. Commonly wet sclerophyll forests but also swamps and forests of Acacia melanoxylon ( Fabaceae) with 20m canopies and dense rainforest-like understories, dense tea trees up to 7 m high, montane Eucalyptus amygdalina ( Myrtaceae) forest, and coastal mallee from sea level up to elevations of¢. 740 m.

Food and Feeding. Tasmanian Long-eared Bats are specialized to eat non-flying prey that is captured by gleaning in understories. They forage in the air and on the ground and have even been captured in pitfall traps, being the mostterrestrial species of longeared bat. They have very broad wings, are very slow fliers, but are agile and highly maneuverable in flight.

Breeding. Tasmanian Long-eared Bats breed once a year in autumn. Spermatogenesis occurs in spring and summer, and sperm is stored in epididymides after testes regress. Twins are born in late spring and early summer, and lactation is usually finished by early February.

Activity patterns. Tasmanian Long-eared Bats roost during the day in tree hollows, fissures in branches, and under dried sheets of bark still attached to dead trees. One individual was found roosting in a timber hut.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Tasmanian Long-eared Bat probably roosts alone or in small groups, butit seems to create large maternity colonies during breeding season.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Tasmanian Long-eared Bat is considered relatively widespread, but virtually nothing is known about its ecology and threats. It is the least frequently recorded species of Tasmanian bat. Deforestation for eucalypt plantations, agriculture, and logging is probably a major threat.

Bibliography. Churchill (2008), Driessen et al. (2011), O'Neill & Taylor (1989), Parnaby (2009), Schulz & Kristensen (1996), Taylor & O'Neill (1986, 1988), Taylor et al. (1987).