19.

Soprano Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus pygmaeus

French: Pipistrelle pygmée / German: Mickenfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago de Cabrera

Other common names: Brown Pipistrelle, Pygmy Pipistrelle

Taxonomy. Vespertilio pygmaeus Leach, 1825,

“Spitchweek [= Spitchwick], near the forest of Dartmoor,” Devon, United Kingdom.

Pipistrellus pygmaeus has generally been included as a subspecies of P. pipistrellus; however, following a number of genetic studies that were supported by morphological data, the two species were separated in the 1990s. Genetic data place P. pygmaeus close to P. creticus and P. hanaki . Recently described subspecies cyprius might represent a distinct species because it is very distinct morphologically and fairly distinct genetically. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.p.pygmaeusLeach,1825—mostofEurope(fromIrelandandIberianPeninsulaEtoRussia)andCaucasus;alsoonmajorMediterraneanIs(Balearic,Corsica,Sardinia,andSicily).

P. p. cyprius Benda, 2007 — Cyprus.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 36-51 mm,tail 23-36 mm, ear 9-13 mm, forearm 27-7-32-8 mm; weight 4-7-5 g. Fur of the Soprano Pipistrelle is slightly darker on dorsum than on venter, all pallid brown ranging from yellowish to sand brown. Compared with the Common Pipistrelle ( P. pipistrellus), hair and skin color are paler. Similarly, buccal glands and overall color of penis or skin surrounding vagina are yellowish or orangish; they are gray in the Common Pipistrelle. Compared with other pipistrelle bats such as Nathusius’s Pipistrelle (P. nathusit), the Soprano Pipistrelle has short wings (wingspan 190-230 mm) that are inserted at base of toes. Calcar is up to one-third the length of uropatagium, and postcalcarial lobe is present. Snout is short and forehead clearly curved. Ears are triangular and short, with slender, curved, and rounded tragus. There is a quite diagnostic heart-shaped protuberance in middle of nose of both sexes. Nose is significantly smaller than in Nathusius’s Pipistrelle and Kuhl’s Pipistrelle ( P. kuhlii). As for other European pipistrelles, cell pattern in wing venation is commonly used to tell them apart (although it has been proved to be reliable in only 89% of cases). Penisis yellowish orange without medialstripe on glans penis. There is usually a gap between I* and I’; lower molars are nyctalodont. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FNa = 50 (many karyotypic reports of P. pipistrellus might actually represent this species).

Habitat. Middle of cities and various other habitats such as forests, wetlands, rural areas, grasslands, pastures, and agricultural lands. The Soprano Pipistrelle has adapted to live in association with humans, and many authors suggest that it is more associated to aquatic habitats, wetlands, and urban areas than the Common Pipistrelle, although their habitat selection might vary latitudinally.

Food and Feeding. The Soprano Pipistrelle feeds on small Diptera (e.g. mosquitoes and midges) and Lepidoptera (e.g. moths), but also Hymenoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera (Sternorrhyncha), Neuroptera, and Homoptera. It is an aerial hawker (always capturing prey in flight, never on ground or any vegetation surface). It commonly hunts in swamps and wetlands, using quick dives but also in agricultural areas and pastures, or around streetlamps, where they can be seen before sunset.

Breeding. Colonies of only adult female Soprano Pipistrelles and their young form in April-May, and parturition of mostly twins occurs in late May and early June. Young tend to be more grayish than adults that are reddish or brown. If conditions are not appropriate for lactation, females reportedly switch roosting sites and move their offspring among alternative roosts several times. Young are able to fly at 3-4 weeks old and become fully independent at c.6 weeks. Although variable, mating occurs between the end ofJuly and October, and by that time, females born the same year have already become sexually mature. Males become sexually active in their second yearoflife.

Activity patterns. The Soprano Pipistrelle is one ofthe first European species of bats to emerge at dusk and start foraging. It often repeats the same flight path and visits the same hunting areas every night, but foraging patterns and behavior change depending on weather and reproductive status. It typically has bimodal activity, with high activity just after sunset and a second activity peak (usually lower) before dawn. Similar to the Common Pipistrelle, the Soprano Pipistrelle roosts in a wide variety of places, including wall cladding, houses roofs, empty large cavities under roofs or ceilings, hollow trees, and especially bat boxes placed in agricultural landscapes. Winter roosts are poorly known, butit probably roosts mainly in tree holes and occasionally rock crevices, walls, buildings, and bat boxes. There are a few reports of hibernating individuals in caves in Romania. Hibernation period varies between regions and usually occurs from late autumn (November) to early spring (March). It has the typical pipistrellelike echolocation calls (first FM component of pulse, followed by QCF part), with peak frequencies of 50-60 kHz, occasionally up to 65 kHz. Soprano Pipistrelles can emit one single pulse or a double pulse per wingbeat cycle, depending on surrounding clutter. Pulses of Soprano Pipistrelles are as long as those of Common Pipistrelles (c.12 milliseconds), and when peak frequencies overlap (c.50 kHz), it is almost impossible to identify the species with certainty. Due to high variability of echolocation, overlapping frequencies leading to ambiguous identification occur almost always in cluttered environments. To make it more complicated, echolocation of the Soprano Pipistrelle is almost identical to that of Schreiber’s Long-fingered Bat ( Miniopterus schreibersii), and therefore, they cannot be easily distinguished. Socialcalls are normally formed by a series of pulse combinations (including 2—4 pulses, usually three).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Soprano Pipistrelle is not considered migratory, but it probably undertakes short-distance movements from summer roosts to winter roosts. Its flight is slow, erratic, but rather agile, and it is definitely not adapted to perform long flights in straight line. Some long-distance (up to 760 km) flights have been reported, but more information is needed to understand their seasonal movements. While some individuals might undertake partial migrations, others seem to be entirely sedentary. Foraging or hunting areas are 1-12-3 km away from roosts, usually covering areas of 7-8 km?. It has been reported foraging over 500 m from shores on lakes and seas. Maternity colonies can have up to a few hundred individuals (in a few cases up to several thousands). Apparently, colonies tend to be slightly larger than those of Common Pipistrelle. In Central Europe, these species occasionally hybridize. The Soprano Pipistrelle often shares maternity colonies with the Common Pipistrelle, Nathusius’s Pipistrelle, Kuhl’s Pipistrelle, and Brandt's Myotis ( Myotis brandltii).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Soprano Pipistrelle is widespread across its distribution and common in most habitats. Although it is well adapted to live in association with humans, its most important threats might be direct persecution, roost disturbance and destruction, domestic animals (especially cats), and building renovation.

Bibliography. Agirre-Mendi & Ibanez (2004), Arslan & Zima (2014), Bartonitka & Rehék (2004, 2005, 2007), Bartonicka, Bielik & Rehak (2008), Bartonitka, Rehak & Andreas (2008), Bartonitka, Rehak & Gaisler (2007), Benda, Coroiu & Paunovi¢ (2016), Benda, Hulva & Gaisler (2004), Boston et al. (2014), Celuch et al. (2006), Davidson-Watts & Jones (2006), Davidson-Watts et al. (2006), Dietz & Kiefer (2016), Dietz, von Helversen & Nill (2009), Dietz, Schunger et al. (2005), Evin et al. (2011), Fichera et al. (2013), Flaquer et al. (2006), Herdina et al. (2014), Hulva, Benda et al. (2007), Hulva, Horacek et al. (2004), Jones & Barrett (1999), Leach (1825), Lourenco & Palmeirim (2004), Masing (2006), Michaelsen etal. (2014), Nicholls & Racey (2006), Obrist et al. (2004), Pacifici et al. (2013), Pavlini¢ et al. (2008), Pétersons (2003), Presetnik et al. (2001), Schober & Grimmberger (1998), Simmons (2005), Stone etal. (2015), Sztencel-Jabtonka & Bogdanowicz (2012), Waters & Wong (2007), Wicht et al. (2003).