North American mouse-eared mouse
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North American mouse-eared mouse ( Myotis septentrionalis ) |
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| Trouessart , 1897 |
The North American mouse- eared bat ( Myotis septentrionalis ) is a North American bat species from the genus of the mouse- eared bat ( Myotis ) within the smooth-nosed family (Vespertilionidae).
description
The North American mouse-eared mouse is between 7.7 and 9.5 centimeters tall and weighs 5 to 8 grams. The females are slightly larger and heavier than the males. Both the fur and the flight skin are colored light brown. The third, fourth and fifth metacarpal bones are of equal length. The narrow skull has a relatively long rostrum and long ears. Compared to other mouse ears ( myotis ), the North American mouse-eared mouse has a longer tail and a larger wing area. This makes the species very maneuverable when it flies slowly through densely vegetated terrain.
distribution and habitat
The range of the North American mouse-eared mouse extends over large parts of Canada and the eastern United States. The main distribution area includes Québec , Ontario and New England . The southern limit of the distribution is in Florida , while the western limit passes through Alberta , British Columbia , Montana, and Wyoming . Fossil finds from the Pleistocene are available for Pennsylvania , Virginia , West Virginia and Tennessee .
Mainly forested areas are populated. Occasionally, however, specimens have also been caught in the prairie .
Way of life
Trees and, less often, caves and buildings are used as sleeping places, although these are changed about every two days. Males and females use separate sleeping areas. Sexually mature females rest in groups of up to 60 animals. Males and not yet sexually mature females rest individually or in groups of up to 10 animals.
The North American mouse-eared mouse mainly overwinters in caves and disused mines. Depending on the geographical location, the species overwinters from the beginning of September to the beginning of May. Wintering places are usually used several times. The wintering sites are often shared with the large brown bat ( Eptesicus fuscus ), the small brown bat Myotis lucifugus and Pipistrellus subflavus .
Reproduction
Mating usually takes place in late July to early October. When mating, the male mounts the female from behind and bites into her neck. The females are likely to be able to store the sperm over the winter, as the egg is not fertilized until spring. The offspring are born between mid-May and mid-July, depending on the geographic location.
Food acquisition
The North American mouse-eared mouse-eared animal feeds mainly on insects, although the exact composition of the preyed animals can vary depending on the geographical region and the season. The prey is caught in flight, but can also be collected from the ground or leaves. Everything is captured that does not exceed a certain size. To search for food, both the canopy and the area around ponds, rivers and roadsides are searched.
Diseases and pests
The species is attacked by the mite species Euschoengastia pipistrelli , Leptotrombidium myotis , Macronyssus crosbyi , Spinturax americanus and Olabidocarpus whitakeri as well as various species of the genus Acanthopthirus . Furthermore were cimicidae Cimex adjunctus and the worms Hymenolepis Christians soni , Plagiorchis vespertilionis , Prosthodendrium volaticum and Vampirolepis roundabushi detected. Rabies virus , the causative agent of rabies , and the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus , the causative agent of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis , have been detected in some captured specimens .
Systematics
The species has long been considered a subspecies of the Keen mouse-eared mouse ( Myotis keenii ). van Zyll de Jong listed Myotis septentrionalis as an independent species in 1973. Manning regards the Keen mouse- eared species as a sister species , while van Zyll de Jong and Nagorsen regard the northern long-eared mouse-eared mouse ( Myotis evotis ) as such.
The specific epithet septentrionalis comes from Latin and means something like "north".
swell
- M. Carolina Caceres and Robert MR Barclay Myotis septentrionalis in: Mammalian Species 2000, No. 634, pp. 1-4.
Web links
- Myotis septentrionalis inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Endangered Species . Posted by: Arroyo-Cabrales, J. & Ticul Alvarez Castaneda, S., 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2013.