Grandidier's Trident Bat
Encyclopedia
Paratriaenops auritus, also known as Grandidier's Trident Bat, is a species of bat
in the family Hipposideridae. It is endemic to Madagascar
. It was formerly assigned to the genus
Triaenops
, but is now placed in the separate genus Paratriaenops.
first described the species in 1912, as Triaenops aurita, on the basis of a single poorly preserved specimen collected at Diégo-Suarez (now Antsiranana
) in northernmost Madagascar. In his 1939 list of African mammals, Glover Morris Allen placed the species as a synonym
of Triaenops furcula (now Paratriaenops furculus) of western Madagascar, and in his 1948 review of the genus Triaenops
, Jean Dorst concurred, as did John Edwards Hill, who reviewed the genus in 1982. In their 1995 study of Madagascar bats, however, R.L. Peterson and colleagues reinstated it as a species. They also changed the specific name to auritus, presumably for gender agreement with the generic name Triaenops.
Julie Ranivo and Steven Goodman
revised Madagascar Triaenops in 2006 and clarified the distinction between T. auritus of northern Madagascar and the closely related T. furculus of western Madagascar, which have non-overlapping ranges. Their paper reported the first new material of the species since its original description. They described a third species of this group in 2008—Triaenops pauliani (now Paratriaenops pauliani) from Aldabra
in the nearby Seychelles. In 2007 and 2008, Amy Russell and colleagues investigated the relationships among Triaenops species using DNA sequence
data; they confirmed the relationship between T. auritus and T. furculus and their status as distinct species. In view of the significant differences between the T. furculus group and other species of Triaenops, Petr Benda and Peter Villa removed the former in 2009 to a separate genus, Paratriaenops. Triaenops still includes the Malagasy species Triaenops menamena
(formerly Triaenops rufus), which is widespread in western Madagascar and overlaps with P. auritus and P. furculus in range, and Triaenops goodmani
, an extinct species described in 2007 that may also be related to Paratriaenops.
lists Paratriaenops auritus (as Triaenops auritus) as "Vulnerable
" because of its small, fragmented, and declining range
. Agricultural activities in particular are causing habitat destruction
and fragmentation
, and disturbance of its cave roosts may pose another threat. However, it occurs in three protected area
s—Réserve Spéciale d'Ankarana, Réserve Spéciale d'Analamerana and a forest at Daraina
. The IUCN recommends that conservation efforts be focused on monitoring and protecting the known cave roosts.
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
in the family Hipposideridae. It is endemic to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. It was formerly assigned to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Triaenops
Triaenops
Triaenops is a genus of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is classified in the tribe Triaenopini, along with the closely related genus Paratriaenops and perhaps the poorly known Cloeotis. The species of Paratriaenops, which occur on Madagascar and the Seychelles, were placed in Triaenops until...
, but is now placed in the separate genus Paratriaenops.
Taxonomy
Guillaume GrandidierGuillaume Grandidier
Guillaume Grandidier was a French geographer , ethnologist , zoologist who studied the island of Madagascar.He was the son of the wealthy industrialist Alfred Grandidier also a zoologist and expert on Madagascar...
first described the species in 1912, as Triaenops aurita, on the basis of a single poorly preserved specimen collected at Diégo-Suarez (now Antsiranana
Antsiranana
Antsiranana , named Diego-Suarez prior to 1975, is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar.Antsiranana is the capital of Diana Region.-Transports:...
) in northernmost Madagascar. In his 1939 list of African mammals, Glover Morris Allen placed the species as a synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of Triaenops furcula (now Paratriaenops furculus) of western Madagascar, and in his 1948 review of the genus Triaenops
Triaenops
Triaenops is a genus of bat in the family Hipposideridae. It is classified in the tribe Triaenopini, along with the closely related genus Paratriaenops and perhaps the poorly known Cloeotis. The species of Paratriaenops, which occur on Madagascar and the Seychelles, were placed in Triaenops until...
, Jean Dorst concurred, as did John Edwards Hill, who reviewed the genus in 1982. In their 1995 study of Madagascar bats, however, R.L. Peterson and colleagues reinstated it as a species. They also changed the specific name to auritus, presumably for gender agreement with the generic name Triaenops.
Julie Ranivo and Steven Goodman
Steven Goodman
Steven Goodman is an American Conservation Biologist, and field biologist on staff in the Department of Zoology at the Field Museum of Natural History....
revised Madagascar Triaenops in 2006 and clarified the distinction between T. auritus of northern Madagascar and the closely related T. furculus of western Madagascar, which have non-overlapping ranges. Their paper reported the first new material of the species since its original description. They described a third species of this group in 2008—Triaenops pauliani (now Paratriaenops pauliani) from Aldabra
Aldabra
Aldabra, the world's second largest coral atoll, is in the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that form part of the Seychelles. Uninhabited and extremely isolated, Aldabra is virtually untouched by humans, has distinctive island fauna including the Aldabra Giant Tortoise, and is...
in the nearby Seychelles. In 2007 and 2008, Amy Russell and colleagues investigated the relationships among Triaenops species using DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data; they confirmed the relationship between T. auritus and T. furculus and their status as distinct species. In view of the significant differences between the T. furculus group and other species of Triaenops, Petr Benda and Peter Villa removed the former in 2009 to a separate genus, Paratriaenops. Triaenops still includes the Malagasy species Triaenops menamena
Triaenops menamena
Triaenops menamena is a bat in the genus Triaenops found on Madagascar, mainly in the drier regions. It was known as Triaenops rufus until 2009, when it was discovered that that name had been incorrectly applied to the species...
(formerly Triaenops rufus), which is widespread in western Madagascar and overlaps with P. auritus and P. furculus in range, and Triaenops goodmani
Triaenops goodmani
Triaenops goodmani is an extinct bat from Madagascar in the genus Triaenops. It is known from three lower jaws collected in a cave at Anjohibe in 1996, and described as a new species in 2007. The material is at most 10,000 years old. A bat humerus from the same site could not be identified as...
, an extinct species described in 2007 that may also be related to Paratriaenops.
Description
Paratriaenops auritus is a large-eared, short-tailed bat. The fur is reddish gold and is darker above than below. Both males and females are significantly larger than individuals of P. furculus. On its face are the three lancets at the back of the noseleaf that are characteristic of Triaenops and Paratriaenops. As in P. furculus, the three lancets are straight and about equal in length; in Triaenops, the middle lancet is longer and the outer two are curved.Distribution and ecology
Paratriaenops auritus has a small range in far northern Madagascar, perhaps south to the Andrafiamena Mountains. It is relatively abundant in its range and occurs in dry forests. It roosts in caves, and the largest colony contains an estimated 2000 bats.Conservation status
The IUCN Red ListIUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
lists Paratriaenops auritus (as Triaenops auritus) as "Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
" because of its small, fragmented, and declining range
Range (biology)
In biology, the range or distribution of a species is the geographical area within which that species can be found. Within that range, dispersion is variation in local density.The term is often qualified:...
. Agricultural activities in particular are causing habitat destruction
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
and fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
, and disturbance of its cave roosts may pose another threat. However, it occurs in three protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
s—Réserve Spéciale d'Ankarana, Réserve Spéciale d'Analamerana and a forest at Daraina
Daraina
Daraina is a town and commune in northern Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Vohemar, which is a part of Sava Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 10,000 in 2001 commune census....
. The IUCN recommends that conservation efforts be focused on monitoring and protecting the known cave roosts.
Literature cited
- Andriafidison, D., Cardiff, S.G., Goodman, S.M., Hutson, A.M., Jenkins, R.K.B., Kofoky, A.F., Racey, P.A., Ranivo, J., Ratrimomanarivo, F.H. and Razafimanahaka, H.J. 2008o. . In IUCN. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on June 2, 2010.
- Benda, P. and Vallo, P. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the genus Triaenops (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) with description of a new species from southern Arabia and definitions of a new genus and tribe. Folia Zoologica 58(Monograph 1):1–45.
- Garbutt, N. 2007. Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide. London: A & C Black, 304 pp. ISBN 978-0-7136-7043-1
- Goodman, S.M. and Ranivo, J. 2008. A new species of Triaenops (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Hipposideridae) from Aldabra Atoll, Picard Island (Seychelles). Zoosystema 30(3):681–693.
- Goodman, S.M. and Ranivo, J. 2009. The geographical origin of the type specimens of Triaenops rufus and T. humbloti (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) reputed to be from Madagascar and the description of a replacement species name (subscription required). Mammalia 73:47–55.
- Ranivo, J. and Goodman S.M. 2006. Révision taxinomique des Triaenops malgaches (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Hipposideridae). Zoosystema 28(4):963–985.
- Russell, A.L., Ranivo, J., Palkovacs, E.P., Goodman, S.M. and Yoder, A.D. 2007. Working at the interface of phylogenetics and population genetics: a biogeographical analysis of Triaenops spp. (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae). Molecular Ecology 16:839–851.
- Russell, A.L., Goodman, S.M. and Cox, M.P. 2008. Coalescent analyses support multiple mainland-to-island dispersals in the evolution of Malagasy Triaenops bats (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae). Journal of Biogeography 35:995–1003.
- Samonds, K.E. 2007. Late Pleistocene bat fossils from Anjohibe Cave, northwestern Madagascar. Acta Chiropterologica 9(1):39–65.
- Simmons, N.B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. Pp. 312–529 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp. ISBN 9780801882210