Eastern little-footed mouse-ear
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Eastern little-footed mouse-eared mouse ( Myotis leibii ) |
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| Myotis leibii | ||||||||||||
| ( Audubon & Bachman , 1842) |
The eastern little-footed mouse- eared mouse- eared bat ( Myotis leibii ) is a species of bat from the smooth-nosed family (Vespertilionidae), which is native to North America. The species is named after CG Leib , who collected the holotype .
description
With an average total length of 83 mm, a forearm length of 32.2 mm and a weight of 3.8 g, the eastern small-footed mouse-ear is one of the smallest mouse-ears in North America. The coat color is a dark tan, with a lighter belly and a black mask around the eyes. The individual hairs are black at the base with a yellow tip, which gives the fur a golden sheen. The Kalkar is long and curved. The species had short feet (<8 mm, less than half the length of the tibia ) and ears (<15 mm). The ears protrude slightly beyond the muzzle when put forward. The Californian mouse-eared mouse ( Myotis californicus ) differs from the eastern small-footed mouse-eared mouse-ear by the lack of a black mask. The eastern small-footed mouse-eared mouse-ear and the western small-footed mouse-eared mouse-ear can only be distinguished by their teeth, which is why the western small-footed mouse-eared mouse-ear was previously considered a subspecies of M. leibii . The coat color is similar to that of the small brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ), but the eastern small-footed mouse-ear has shorter ears and feet, and a 4-8 mm shorter forearm. The eastern small-footed mouse-ear differs from the similarly large Pipistrellus subflavus by the tapering tragus , the paler color and the smaller ears.
Way of life
The eastern lesser-footed mouse-eared mouse is usually found in mountainous regions. Like most bats, it is nocturnal and feeds on insects. During the day the species hides in buildings and crevices. The animals rarely form groups of more than 30 individuals and are therefore more likely to be loners. Little is known about the way of life of the species, since it is mostly only discovered during hibernation in caves and mines, where the species often hides in crevices or hangs on walls and ceilings. Based on such counts, the population is believed to consist of approximately 3,000 individuals, with 60% being found in a single cave. It is assumed that there are a little over 125 different hibernating places in the distribution area, some of which are difficult to access, and the population size is therefore likely to be underestimated. In general, however, the species is considered rare. The species is still active in relatively cold temperatures of down to −9 ° C in November and is one of the first bat species to wake up from hibernation in spring - usually at the end of March. It is active and hunts on warmer winter days. The eastern small-footed mouse- eared bat often shares its hibernation with the large ( Eptesicus fuscus ) and small brown bat ( Myotis lucifugus ), Pipistrellus subflavus and the North American mouse- eared bat ( Myotis septentrionalis ). The eastern little-footed mouse-eared animal prefers well-ventilated areas of the caves with a low temperature and low humidity. M. leibii is probably one of the migrating bat species that migrate to warmer regions in autumn to overwinter there.
Reproduction
The mating season takes place in autumn just before hibernation. During mating, the male mounts the female and holds onto the female's neck with his teeth. The male fixes the female with his thumb. The female stores the male's sperm over the winter, with ovulation not taking place until spring and the egg cell being fertilized accordingly late after mating. Each female gives birth to a single cub per year in May or June.
Hazard and protection
Although the population of the Eastern Little-footed Mouse-eared Mouse is classified as safe by the IUCN thanks to its wide distribution , it is susceptible to disturbance and is therefore protected in large parts of North America. The main threat lies in the commercial use of hibernation caves. Even supposedly small sources of disturbance such as muffled noises, light or body heat can cause bats to wake up from hibernation and lose important body reserves in the process. Such reserves can be essential for the survival of the animals, especially towards the end of hibernation. Protective measures do not always lead to the desired success, especially if the ecology of the animals is not taken into account. For example, blocking a cave entrance from unauthorized entry in Québec resulted in insufficient ventilation, which led the colony to abandon the cave.
distribution and habitat
The eastern little-footed mouse-eared mouse-ear occurs in the west from Oklahoma to the east coast of the United States , as well as in Canada in southern Ontario and Québec .
literature
- TL Best, JB Jennings (1997) Myotis leibii . In: Mammalian Species , No. 547, pp. 1-6
swell
- ↑ Myotis leibii in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .
