Pipistrelle bats
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Pipistrelle bat ( Pipistrellus pipistrellus ) |
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| Kaup , 1829 |
The pipistrelle bats ( Pipistrellus ) are a species of bat from the smooth-nosed family (Vespertilionidae). It is one of the taxonomically most controversial genera and is divided into several sub-genera. Worldwide there are around 35 species, including one extinct and five European.
description
As the name suggests, piped bats are among the smaller representatives of the smooth-nosed bats. They reach a head body length of 35 to 62 millimeters, a tail length of 25 to 50 millimeters and a weight of 3 to 20 grams. Their fur is usually dark brown or black, but there are also red-brown or gray representatives. The relatively short, wide ears are characteristic.
Way of life
Pipistrelle bats are found in a number of habitats, they can be found in open terrain, in forests and in the mountains. They use houses, hollow tree trunks, rock caves and much more as sleeping places. As a rule, they are less sociable than other smooth-nosed animals, and many species are solitary or can be found in small groups of up to 12 animals. They usually go looking for food early in the evening, sometimes in broad daylight. The species in cooler regions hibernate or migrate to warmer areas.
The pipettorbats' diet consists primarily of insects that they prey on in flight.
Once or twice a year, after a gestation period of 40 to 60 days, the female gives birth to one or two young, with twin births being more common than other bats. Females of many species form nurseries in which they retire for birth and rearing young.
The species
The systematics of the piped bat is still largely unclear. The approximately 35 species are divided into some sub-genera. The former subgenus Hypsugo , to which the native alpine bat also belongs, is now mostly listed as an independent genus. The subgenus Scotozous is also considered a separate genus today. The sub-genera Vespadelus and Neoromicia , which were sometimes also assigned to the pipistrelle or the broad-winged bats ( Eptesicus ), are now considered to be independent genera. The subgenus Perimyotis was divided into two genera Perimyotis and Parastrellus .
Subgenus Pipistrellus
- The Japanese pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus abramus ) is common in East and Southeast Asia.
- The Cape York pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus adamsi ) is found in northern Australia.
- Pipistrellus aegyptius is distributed throughout northern Africa .
- The airy pipistrelle bat ( Pipistrellus aero ) lives in northwestern Kenya and possibly in Ethiopia . It is considered endangered.
- The Sri Lankan pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus ceylonicus ) is common in South and Southeast Asia.
- The Indian pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus coromandra ) is native to southern Asia, from Afghanistan to Thailand .
- The broad-headed pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus crassulus ) lives in central Africa.
- The endo pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus endoi ) is endemic to the Japanese island of Honshū . The species is considered threatened.
- The Java pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus javanicus ) lives in the entire south and southeast of Asia. The subspecies babu ( Himalaya region ) and peguensis ( Myanmar ) are sometimes considered to be separate species.
- The white-edged bat ( Pipistrellus kuhlii ) is common in southern Europe, western Asia and all of Africa.
- Pipistrellus macrotis lives in Southeast Asia.
- The Madeira bat ( Pipistrellus maderensis ) is endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands . The species is considered endangered.
- Pipistrellus minahassae isendemic tonorthern Sulawesi .
- Christmas Island Pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus murrayi ), endemic to Christmas Island, Australia, not seen since 2009 and possibly extinct.
- Pipistrellus nanulus lives in central Africa.
- The banana pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus nanus ) is common throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar .
- The rough-skin bat ( Pipistrellus nathusii ) is widespread in large parts of Europe and western Asia.
- Pipistrellus paterculus lives in northern India , Myanmar and southern China .
- Pipistrellus permixtus is only known from Tanzania .
- The (Actual) pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus pipistrellus ) lives in large parts of Eurasia.
- The mosquito bat ( Pipistrellus pygmaeus ), which lives in Eurasia, has only recently been recognized as a species of its own.
- Racey pipistrelle ( Pipistrellus raceyi ) is endemic to Madagascar.
- Pipistrellus rueppelli is native to southwest Asia and large parts of Africa.
- Pipistrellus rusticus is common in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Pipistrellus sturdeei was endemic to the Bonin Islands of Japan. The species has not been seen since 1915 and is considered extinct.
- The white-winged bat ( Pipistrellus tenuis ) lives in southern and south-eastern Asia, in New Guinea , northern Australia and the Solomon Islands . The subspecies adamsi (northern Australia), angulatus (New Guinea, Solomon Islands), collinus (New Guinea), mimus (South and Southeast Asia), papuanus (Moluccas, New Guinea), wattsi (New Guinea) and westralis (northern Australia) are sometimes considered separate Species considered.
Subgenus Falsistrellus
- Pipistrellus affinis lives in northern India, Myanmar and southern China.
- Pipistrellus mordax is only found on Java .
- Pipistrellus petersi is native to Indonesia and the Philippines .
- Pipistrellus tasmaniensis lives in southern and southeastern Australia. The subspecies mackenziei (southwestern Western Australia) is sometimes listed as a separate species.
Subgenus Arielulus
- Pipistrellus circumdatus is widespread from southern China to Java.
- Pipistrellus cuprosus isendemicto Borneo .
- Pipistrellus societatis occurs only on the Malay Peninsula .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
