442.

Valley Myotis

Myotis ancricola

French: Murin des vallées / German: Bergtalmausohr / Spanish: Ratonero de los valles

Other common names: Valley-dwelling Myotis

Taxonomy. Myotis ancricola Kruskop et al., 2018,

“ Vietnam, Kon Tum Province, Kon Plong district, 14 km NNE from town Mang Den, Thak Nam forestry; N 14º43.3' E108°18.9', elevation 1040 m AS.1.”

Subgenus Myotis; muricola species group (7 species). See M. annatessae . Monotypic. Distribution. C Vietnam and SE Laos.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 38 mm, tail 37 mm, ear 13- 2 mm, hindfoot 6- 2 mm, forearm 31.8-34- 1 mm; weight 3.7- 4-7 g. Other than forearm length and weight, these measurements are from the holotype; however, these same measurements listed in the original description of the species exactly match the measurements listed for the holotype of Anna Tess’s Myotis ( M. annatessae), by the same author; this looks to be a mistake. The Valley Myotis can be distinguished from Anna Tess’s Myotis by somewhat darker pelage, shorter tibia, and larger skull on average. Fur is moderately thick; dorsally dark grayish brown to blackish brown (hairs blackish or dark brown for basal two-thirds, paler brown to tip, with silvery white-tipped guard hairs) ventrally very similar with only the mid-venter being noticeably paler (where hairs are tipped silvery white). Bare face, ears, and membranes are dark brown. Ears are moderately long with bluntly pointed tips and a weak notch on posterior margin; tragus is just below half ear-height and is bluntly pointed and slightly curved forward at tip. Wings attach at base of outer toe; calcar is unkeeled. Baculum is short (¢. 0-88 mm long) and saddle-shaped;lateral sides converge forward and anterior end is blunt; there is no constriction on anterior third, and tip does curve downward; overall more robust than Anna Tess’s Myotis, and lacks prominent basal notch. Skull is small, with low, narrow rostrum, bulbous braincase, and concave frontal region; sagittal crest is reduced and lambdoidal crests are visible but weak. Canines are small, and both C' and C, are onlyslightly taller than their respective anterior premolars; all upper and lower premolars are within tooth row; lower molars are myotodont.

Habitat. The region in which the type specimen was collected is a largely deforested valley landscape, probably covered in montane forests before deforestation. Recorded at elevations of 1030-1040 m.

Food and Feeding. The Valley Myotis has been recorded foraging over small rivers and streams c. 1-3 m above water surface or banks.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List, due to its recent recognition as a species. The Valley Myotis has been found in highly deforested regions, suggesting that it may be adaptable.

Bibliography. Kruskop & Borisenko (2013), Kruskop, Borisenko et al. (2018).