472.

Maluku Myotis

Myotis moluccarum

French: Murin des Molugues / German: Maluku-Wasserfledermaus / Spanish: Ratonero de las Molucas

Other common names: Arafura Large-footed Bat

Taxonomy. Leuconoe moluccarum Thomas, 1915,

“Ara, Kei [= Kai] Islands,” Moluccas, Indonesia.

Subgenus Myotis; horsfieldii species group. See M. adversus . There are at least two species of Myotis in New Guinea: M. macropus and specimens currently attributed to M. moluccarum that could represent a distinct species. Sampling from across the distribution of M. moluccarum is needed to fully understand its taxonomy and how it relates to M. macropus and M. adversus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Sulawesi (including Talaud, Sangihe, Togian, and Peleng Is), N & C Moluccas (Halmahera, Seram, and Ambon), Kai Is, New Guinea including Raja Ampat Is (Waigeo, Batanta), Karkar I, Bismarck Archipelago, Nissan I, Solomon Is, D’Entrecasteux Is (Normanby), Southeast Is, and Vanuatu (Malakula I).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 40-59 mm, tail 27-47 mm, ear 10-7-17- 3 mm, hindfoot 10-14 mm, forearm 36-43- 1 mm; weight 5-7-11- 1 g. The Maluku Myotis is large, with very large hindfeet for fishing. Fur is long, dense, and woolly. Dorsal pelage is black brown to medium brown (hairs dark with buffy white or pale gray tips); venter is gray white (hairs with grayish white tips and dark bases). Hindfeet are very long, with long toes and hooked claws. Wings attach at ankles; membranes are black and opaque. Baculum is very short (0-66— 0-78 mm), broad, and spatulated. Skull is on average smaller in most measurements compared with the Southern Myotis ( M. macropus) but smaller compared with the Gray Large-footed Myotis ( M. adversus). P° and P, are minute at two-thirds the size of first molars.

Habitat. Primarily in coastal lowlands near permanent freshwater sources, including wetland habitats from large lakes to forest streams, from sea level up to elevations c. 1200 m.

Food and Feeding. Maluku Myotis feed on large aquatic insects and small fish by raking their feet at the surface ofstill bodies of water. They apparently also feed on aerial insects while flying above the water.

Breeding. Two juveniles, two lactating females, and two pregnant females were caught roosting together in November on Halmahera. Subadult male was caught from a cluster of three bats in Karkar Island in early July. In New Guinea, females have been caught in advanced pregnancy or lactating in March, and a lactating female was caught in mid-June on New Ireland. Females give birth to one young (occasionally two) per pregnancy, apparently three times a year.

Activity patterns. Maluku Myotis roost in caves, tunnels, mines, wall crevices, buildings, houses, and foliage and under bridges and rock overhangs.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Maluku Myotis roost in mixedspecies clusters with species of Miniopterus, generally in groups of a few up to 20 individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Maluku Myotisis currently widespread, but taxonomic status in much ofits distribution is uncertain.

Bibliography. Bonaccorso (1998), Cooper et al. (2001), Findley (1972), Flannery (1995a, 1995b), Kitchener, Cooper & Maryanto (1995), Meinig (2002), Reardon & Bonaccorso (2008).