23.

Madeira Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus maderensis

French: Pipistrelle de Madére / German: Madeira-Zwergfledermaus / Spanish: Pipistrela de Madeira

Other common names: Madeiran Pipistrelle

Taxonomy. Vesperugo maderensis Dobson, 1878,

“ Madeira [Islands],” Portugal.

Pipustrellus maderensis 1s closely related to P. kuhlii, and genetic data indicate that it is embedded within P. kuhlii . This suggests that either P. maderensis should be considered a subspecies of P. kuhlii or P. kuhlii represents multiple species; additional studies are needed to clarify this. There are potentially multiple subspecies recognizable between the Madeira Archipelago and Canary Islands populations. Monotypic.

Distribution. Madeira Archipelago (Madeira and Porto Santo) and W Canary Is (La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, and Tenerife). Individuals classified as Pipistrellus sp. from the Azores have been suggested to be Madeira Pipistrelles.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 39-47 mm, tail 30-36 mm, forearm 29-9-34.9 mm; weight 5-9 g. Females are slightly larger than males. The Madeira Pipistrelle is generally similar to Kuhl’s Pipistrelle ( P. kuhlii). Fur is uniformly chocolate-brown to orange brown. It often has white line at patagium and uropatagium edges (specifically in the Madeiran and La Palma populations). Muzzle is dark. Ears are short and broad, and they cover short rounded and curved tragus (typical shape for all pipistrelles). Tibia is relatively long (c.12-5 mm). I* is unicuspid, as in Kuhl’s Pipistrelle; P* is small but alwaysvisible above gum, unlike in Kuhl’s Pipistrelle; and lower molars are nyctalodont.

Habitat. Various habitats such as wetlands, woodlands, coniferous plantations, leafy laurel forests, farmlands, and urban areas from sea level up to ¢. 2150 m. The Madeira Pipistrelle reportedly forages up to 2150 m in the Canary Islands but mostly in lowlands on Madeira. It seems to prefer water bodies for foraging (e.g. lakes, ponds, and wetlands).

Food and Feeding. The Madeira Pipistrelle feeds on Diptera (mosquitoes) and Lepidoptera (moths) and occasionally Coleoptera (beetles) around streetlamps. It is an aerial hawker, hunting with short quick dives. Gleaning has not been reported.

Breeding. Adult Madeira Pipistrelles suckling young have only been detected in June-July in urban environments.

Activity patterns. The Madeira Pipistrelle emerges a few minutes after sunset, being one ofthe first bats emerging at night. It is well adapted to man-made or human-influenced habitats for roosting. It roosts in Canary palms ( Phoenix canariensis, Arecaceae), old buildings, tunnels, and sea cliffs. The few breeding roosts found include rock crevices, bird boxes, and building roofs. Echolocation is almost indistinct from that of Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, but it has peak frequencies of 45-47 kHz, resembling pulses of the Common Pipistrelle (P. pipustrellus). It has the typical pipistrelle-like calls, with first FM component followed by second QCF section that greatly varies in length and intensity.

Calls are very flexible from almost entirely FM calls in cluttered environments such as forest interiors to QCF calls in open areas such as grasslands. Social calls are very similar to those of Kuhl’s Pipistrelle.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Swarming period occurs in the beginning of autumn (September—October). Movements of the Madeira Pipistrelle are poorly known. Populations from Madeira and the Canary Islands are genetically well separated, with larger phylogenetic distances than in other comparisons in the pipistrellus group but shorter than distances between species, suggesting an early stage of evolutionary segregation. The Madeira Pipistrelle roosts alone or in small clusters; it is not typically gregarious. Nursery colonies are almost always formed entirely of adult females and their young; roosts have males and females during the rest of the year.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. This classification 1s due to the small population of the Madeira Pipistrelle at less than 1000 individuals, reduced distribution (less than 5000 km? scattered between Madeira and the Canary Islands), destruction of remaining natural habitat on the islands, use of pesticides in banana plantations and other agricultural areas, and potential roost disturbances. In fact, the Madeira Pipistrelle is among the most endangered bat species in Europe. Its population trends are unknown in both archipelagos, but it is suspected to be currently declining. Most important threats include restoration of buildings,loss of natural habitat, use of pesticides, predation by domestic animals (e.g. cats), and disturbance to roosts in buildings.

Bibliography. Alcalde & Juste (2016), Benda et al. (2015), Dietz & Kiefer (2016), Fajardo & Benzal (1999), Jesus et al. (2013), Medina (2014), Pacifici et al. (2013), Pestano, Brown, Suarez & Fajardo (2003), Rainho et al. (2002), Rocha (2015), Teixeira & Jesus (2009), Trujillo (2002, 2008), Trujillo & Barone (1991), Trujillo & Gonzalez (2011), Veith et al. (2011).