European bulldog bat
| European bulldog bat | ||||||||||||
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European bulldog bat ( Tadarida teniotis ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Tadarida teniotis | ||||||||||||
| ( Rafinesque , 1814) |
The European bulldog bat ( Tadarida teniotis ) is the only species from the family of bulldog bat (Molossidae) native to Europe . It is common in southern Europe and North Africa around the Mediterranean Sea and on the Canary Islands . It prefers mountainous regions with gorges and rock faces, but also occurs in localities. In the French Alps you can find them up to an altitude of 1923 meters above sea level.
features
With a body size of 81 to 92 millimeters and a weight of 25 to 50 grams, the European bulldog bat is one of the largest bats in Europe. The fur of the animals is very short and soft, brownish black-gray to smoky gray in color, slightly lighter on the underside. The ears, the snout and the membranes are black to blackish gray. The juveniles are a little lighter in color than the adult bats. It is unmistakable due to its large ears, which protrude above the eyes and face, as well as the 5-fold upper lip that earned it its name. The rear edge of the ear is widened and has an almost square and conspicuous antitragus at eye level . The nostrils point forward.
The wings of the species are very narrow and long, the wingspan is about 410 mm. The arm skin reaches to the heel and starts there. The 44 to 57 mm long tail protrudes from a third to half of the short tail membrane and is used for touching. The spur has no epiblema . The legs are strong and can be used for running and climbing.
The smell of the animals is noticeable; they smell intensely of a mixture of lavender and muskrat .
distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the European bulldog bat includes southern Europe from the Iberian Peninsula via southern France , Italy and the Balkans to Turkey and from there to the Arabian Peninsula. It is also found on large parts of the North African Mediterranean coast from Morocco to Egypt and on most of the Mediterranean islands. She was recently discovered in a grotto near Zirl in Tyrol .
The bat is mainly found in rocky habitats in the mountains or in the area of bank rocks, but is also found in localities. The highest evidence was in the French Alps at an altitude of 1923 meters at the Col de Bretolet . The animals find their summer quarters in crevices in the rock, on cave ceilings or in crevices in buildings. The winter quarters are also in caves and crevices.
Systematics
The European bulldog bat is the only European species of bulldog bat (Molossidae) and the genus Tadarida , of which there are seven more species in tropical areas. In Europe only the nominate form Tadarida teniotis teniotis occurs, while the subspecies Tadarida teniotis rueppellii is common on the Arabian Peninsula and in Egypt .
literature
- Wilfried Schober, Eckhard Grimmberger: The bats of Europe. know - determine - protect. 2nd updated edition, Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH, Stuttgart 1998; Pages 200-202. ISBN 3-440-07597-4
Web links
- Tadarida teniotis inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . 2 . Posted by: Aulagnier, S., Paunovic, M., Karataş, A., Palmeirim, J., Hutson, AM, Spitzenberger, F., Juste, J. & Benda, P., 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2013 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ New mammal species discovered for Austria! (PDF; 363 kB)