120.

Isalo Serotine

Neoromicia malagasyensis

French: Vespere de |'lsalo / German: Isalo-Zwergfledermaus / Spanish: Neoromicia de Isalo

Taxonomy. Eptesicus somalicus malagasyensis Peterson, Eger & Mitchell, 1995,

220 km NE Tuléar (= Toleara), Ilakaka, East of Sakaraha sous-prefecture, Madagascar (22°41' S, 45°13' E).

Originally described as a subspecies of N. somalica; it is treated as a separate species based on cranial traits, and perhaps also bacular morphology. Its distinction from N. matroka is still open to question. Monotypic.

Distribution. Madagascar, known only from four localities around the Isalo Massif.

Descriptive notes. Tail 30-4 mm, ear 9-8 mm, hindfoot 5: 3 mm (one specimen), forearm 30-1-32 mm. Dorsal pelage of the Isalo Serotine is dark brown, with mid-dorsal hairs c¢. 7 mm long; ventral pelage is sharply bicolored, with a mixture of dark buff and gray, becoming paler toward tail. Ears are mid-brown and translucent. Single available baculum is 2-2 mm long, has distal end flattened and deflected ventrally, as in the Malagasy Serotine ( N. matroka), but has a smaller surface area, and lateral flanges and vertical projection are less developed; dental morphology of the two is similar.

Habitat. The Isalo Serotine has been netted foraging over water in transitional gallery tropical dry forest in canyons, at elevations of 450-700 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. In Isalo National Park, a male captured in December had slightly enlarged testes, and a female had large mammae, indicating recently ceased lactation.

Activity patterns. Based on calls ofsix individuals, FM/QCF components are produced at low-duty cycle, with maximum energy in fundamental harmonic at ¢.45-8 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. The Isalo Serotine is only known from a few specimens. It occurs in Isalo National Park, occupying a restricted area of 1905 km ²

Bibliography. Bates et al. (2006), Goodman & Ranivo (2004), Kofoky et al. (2009), Ramasindrazana et al. (2016), Simmons (2005).