458.

Long-fingered Myotis

Myotis capaccinii

French: Murin de Capaccini / German: Langful 3fledermaus / Spanish: Ratonero patudo

Other common names: Long-fingered Bat, Long-fringed Bat

Taxonomy. Vespertilio capaccinit Bonaparte, 1837,

Sicily, Italy.

Subgenus Myotis; capaccinii species group (1 species). The relationship of M. capaccinii to other Myotis speciesisstill relatively uncertain and the species is placed in its own monotypic species group. The species appears to be closely related to the siligorensis group based on limited genetic data. There is genetic evidence for the existence of two subspecies, although not all populations of the species have been included in genetic studies. The name abidinbudakiwas described as a subspecies by A. Karatas in 2019 from Anatolia, but this name is considered a synonym of M. c. bureschi here. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution. M.c.capacciniBonaparte,1837—Mediterraneancountriesbelow46°N,fromEIbe-rianPeninsula,NAfrica,andlargeislands(Balearics,Corsica,Sardinia,Sicily,andCrete).

M. c. bureschi Heinrich, 1936 — W & S Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, and W Iran.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 43-54 mm,tail 34-42 mm, ear 13-15 mm, hindfoot 12-15 mm, forearm 38- 4-44 mm; weight 7-10 g. The Long-fingered Myotis is similar in appearance to Daubenton’s Myotis ( M. daubentonii), but it has very distinctive large and strong feet that are one-half as long as tibiae and covered with long and strong bristles. The Long-fingered Myotis is the only European species of Myotis in which the wing attachesat distal end oftibia. Fur is soft, dense, and silky. Dorsal pelage is pale brownish gray (hairs with dark blackish brown basal one-half and pale brownish gray terminal one-half). Ventral pelage is white to yellowish (hairs blackish brown with white or yellowish tips). Juveniles are darker and browner. Uropatagium and tibia are distinctly covered in brown downy hair, withoutbristle-like hairs at posterior margin. Ears are grayish brown and relatively short, with outer margin slightly notched; tragus is Sshaped with bluntly pointed tip, only about one-half the ear height. Membranes are grayish brown. Nostrils are noticeably protuberant and facial skin is rufous brown to dark gray. Calcaris straight and extends one-third the way to tailtip, lacking developed lobe. Skull is small and delicate with comparatively high braincase and strongly concave forehead regions; there is no sagittal crest. P? is slightly reduced, being over one-half height and about one-half crown area of P?, but is within tooth row. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FN = 50 (Turkey) or 52 (Turkey and Greece).

Habitat. Kart limestone areas (generally associated with slow-flowing broad rivers, big lakes, and limestone rivers), wetlands, and shrublands, always open habitats free of vegetation, at elevations up to ¢. 1200 m. The Long-fingered Myotis is mostly found in Mediterranean climatic regions.

Food and Feeding. The Long-fingered Myotis feeds on small arthropods above open and calm water surfaces by trawling. Similar to Daubenton’s Myotis and the Pond Myotis ( M. dasycneme), it captures prey in its uropatagium, flying in large circles very close to the water surface. It can also capture flying mosquitoes and other small insects. Forests or brushlands away from water are also used for foraging. It mostly eats insects such asflies and caddisflies, moths, and Hymenoptera . It can also capture small fishes (e.g. mosquito fish). It can detect vibrations on the water surface and capture prey by immersing its feet under the water. Capture success is significantly higher in calm water,free of vegetation.

Breeding. Maternity colonies of 30-600 individuals roost in caves and mines, usually sharing them with other cave-dwelling bat species. In the eastern part ofits distribution where the Long-fingered Myotis is generally warm and humid, some colonies have more than 2000 individuals. Births take place between end of May and end of June; litters have only one young. Young lactate until the end ofJuly when they start foraging on their own. Mating occursat the end of September and early October in winter roosts. Females are sexually mature in their first year and males in their second year. Mating occurs in autumn (October-November) at swarming sites (e.g. specific caves and mines) where individuals from different regions congregate.

Activity patterns. The Long-fingered Myotis roosts in caves and mines year-round. Echolocation calls resemble typical pulses of all European species of Myotis, with broadband FM signalsstarting at 70-90 kHz and ending at 34-39 kHz and frequencies of maximum energy at ¢.47-50 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Long-fingered Myotis can travel more than 20 km from the roost each night to reach foraging areas. It is not considered a long-distance migrant and does not exceed distances of 100-150 km and usually flying more than 50 km in straight line. Green corridors and linear pathways such as edges ortrails are used to commute from one site to another. It will move over the sea. It can move seasonally from lowlands to low mountains. During hibernation, it tends to shift roosts and roost alone or in small clusters in cellars, caves, or war bunkers. Clusters of Long-fingered Myotis tend to be males, and solitary individuals tend to be females. Winter roosts tend to be separated from summer roosts by not more than 150 km. It will share roost with other species such as Schreibers’s Long-fingered Bat ( Miniopterus schreibersii) and some species of Myotis and Rhinolophus. Temperatures in winter roosts oscillate between 5°C and 10°C but not lower. Large hibernating colonies can contain thousands of individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Although it can be locally abundant, populations of Long-fingered Myotis are currently thought to be dramatically decreasing and heavily fragmented. In Spain, for example, the population has declined by 30-50% in the last ten years. Pollution or entire loss of watercourses (especially in karstic areas), large-scale use of pesticides in agricultural areas, degradation ofriparian forests, urban development, tourism, and disturbances in roosts caves are main threats, with northern parts of the distribution most affected. In northern Africa,it is collected for traditional medical purposes. Long-fingered Myotis have disappeared in southern Switzerland and northern Italy. Hibernation sites are unknown in many parts ofits distribution.

Bibliography. Aihartza, Aimenar et al. (2008), Aihartza, Goiti et al. (2003), Aizpurua (2014), Aizpurua & Alberdi (2018), Aizpurua, Aihartza et al. (2014), Aizpurua, Garin et al. (2013), Albayrak & Asan (2002), Almenar (2008), Almenar et al. (2006, 2009, 2011), Amengual et al. (2007), Bilgin et al. (2008), Karatas et al. (2003), Lisén et al. (2012), Papadatou, Butlin & Altringham (2008b), Papadatou, Butlin, Pradel & Altringham, (2009), Paunovi¢ (2016a), Siemers, Stilz & Schnitzler (2001), Volleth & Heller (2012).