Neoromicia malagasyensis
Encyclopedia
Neoromicia malagasyensis is a vespertilionid bat of Madagascar
in the genus Neoromicia
. It is known only from the vicinity of the Isalo National Park
in the southwestern part of the island, where it has been caught in riverine habitats. After the first specimen was caught in 1967, it was described as a subspecies
of Eptesicus somalicus (now Neoromicia somalica) in 1995. After four more specimens were collected in 2002 and 2003, it was recognized as a separate species. Because of its small distribution and the threat of habitat destruction
, it is considered "Endangered
" in the IUCN Red List
.
Neoromicia malagasyensis is a relatively small species, with a forearm length of 30 to 32 mm (1.2 to 1.3 in) and a body mass of 3.9 to 9 g (0.1 to 0.3 oz). The fur is dark brown above and mixed buff and gray below. The ears are translucent and the tibia
is short. The baculum
(penis bone) resembles that of N. melckorum, but is smaller. The duration of the echolocation
call, which consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency and one showing more stable frequency, averages 4.9 ms
and the interval between calls averages 69.1 ms.
of Eptesicus somalicus (currently Neoromicia somalica). They had only a single specimen and noted that further material was needed to assess the new form's relationship with E. somalicus. Studies in 2001 and 2002 provided evidence that E. somalicus and related species are not closely related to Eptesicus (nor to Pipistrellus
, where they have also been placed), so that these species were allocated to the separate genus Neoromicia
. In 2004, Steven Goodman
and Julie Ranivo reviewed the Malagasy subspecies after collecting two more specimens and concluded that it was distinct enough to be classified as a separate species, Neoromicia malagasyensis. Two years later, Paul Bates and colleagues reported on two more specimens and showed that the bacula
(penis bones) of N. malagasyensis and N. somalica are different, providing further evidence that they are distinct species. However, they recommended that further research assess the degree of difference between N. malagasyensis and N. matroka (formerly in Eptesicus, but placed in Neoromicia by Bates and colleagues), which occurs further east in Madagascar. The IUCN Red List
currently again classifies the species in Eptesicus, as Eptesicus malagasyensis.
Neoromicia malagasyensis is one of at least six species of small vespertilionid bats ("pipistrelles") on Madagascar, in addition to N. matroka, N. melckorum, Pipistrellus hesperidus, P. raceyi
, and Hypsugo anchietae. The classification of these bats has historically been controversial, leading to many changing identifications and generic assignments. The genus Neoromicia is exclusively African and included 11 species in the 2005 third edition of Mammal Species of the World; more species, like N. malagasyensis and N. matroka, have been added since. Common name
s proposed for this species include "Isalo Serotine" and "Peterson's 'pipistrelle.
Neoromicia malagasyensis is a relatively small "pipistrelle", but larger than N. somalica. The fur on the back is long and dark brown and the underparts contain both gray and dark buff
hairs; there, the fur becomes lighter towards the tail. The fur is darker than in N. somalica, but paler than in N. matroka. The brown ears are translucent. The tragus (a projection on the inner side of the outer ear) is similar to that of N. somalica, but may be a little narrower. Relative to the two other Malagasy Neoromicia species, the tibia
is short. A single baculum
(penis bone), 2.2 mm long, has been studied. It resembles the baculum of N. melckorum, but is smaller. As in N. matroka, the distal (far) end is flat and displaced downwards, but the N. malagasyensis baculum has a smaller area and less well-developed flanges at the sides and a smaller vertical extension of the bone.
The skull is somewhat smaller than that of N. matroka and the braincase and palate
are narrower. Compared to N. somalica, the skull is broader. The ridge on the lacrimal bone
is better developed, the palate is broader, the frontal bone
s contain a depression and are swollen at the sides, the mastoid bones are smaller, and the coronoid
and angular processes of the mandible
(lower jaw) are more prominent.
The echolocation
call of this species was reported in a 2007 study that consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency followed by one with more slowly changing frequency. The call takes 3.6 to 6.3 ms, averaging 4.9 ms, and the period between two calls is 34.2 to 94.4 ms, averaging 69.1 ms. The maximum frequency averages 79.8 kHz, the minimum frequency averages 40.5 kHz, and the call emits the most energy at a frequency of 45.7 kHz.
, an area of about 2000 km2 (800 sq mi), in interior southwestern Madagascar. The holotype
was caught in 1967 in a mistnet set in a row of palms along a river in dry savannah habitat. Peterson and colleagues reported that it had been collected near the village of Marinday, but Goodman and Ranivo suggested that it may instead have come from near Ilakaka
. Two specimens, a male and a female, were collected at different localities in Isalo National Park in early December 2002, both in mistnets near rivers. The male had enlarged testes
and the female had recently stopped lactating
and had large mammae. Two others followed in 2003, also from the national park, and caught in woodland near rivers. A 2009 study on echolocation described the call of six individuals of N. malagasyensis from an unspecified site within the national park. In view of its small known range and the threat of habitat destruction
, the IUCN Red List
assesses the species as "Endangered
"; further research is recommended on its roosting and dietary habits.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
in the genus Neoromicia
Neoromicia
Neoromicia is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae.It contains the following species:* Dark-Brown Serotine * Cape Serotine * Yellow Serotine...
. It is known only from the vicinity of the Isalo National Park
Isalo National Park
Isalo National Park is a National Park in the Ihorombe Region of Madagascar. The park is known for its wide variety of terrain, including sandstone formations, deep canyons, palm-lined oases, and grassland. The closest town is Ranohira, and the closest city is Toliara. A local guide is required...
in the southwestern part of the island, where it has been caught in riverine habitats. After the first specimen was caught in 1967, it was described as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of Eptesicus somalicus (now Neoromicia somalica) in 1995. After four more specimens were collected in 2002 and 2003, it was recognized as a separate species. Because of its small distribution and the threat of 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...
, it is considered "Endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
" in the IUCN Red List
IUCN 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...
.
Neoromicia malagasyensis is a relatively small species, with a forearm length of 30 to 32 mm (1.2 to 1.3 in) and a body mass of 3.9 to 9 g (0.1 to 0.3 oz). The fur is dark brown above and mixed buff and gray below. The ears are translucent and the tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
is short. The baculum
Baculum
The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, but present in other primates, such as the gorilla and chimpanzee.The bone aids in sexual intercourse.-Purpose:...
(penis bone) resembles that of N. melckorum, but is smaller. The duration of the echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
call, which consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency and one showing more stable frequency, averages 4.9 ms
Millisecond
A millisecond is a thousandth of a second.10 milliseconds are called a centisecond....
and the interval between calls averages 69.1 ms.
Taxonomy
In their 1995 review of Malagasy bats, Randolph Peterson and colleagues established Eptesicus somalicus malagasyensis, a new subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of Eptesicus somalicus (currently Neoromicia somalica). They had only a single specimen and noted that further material was needed to assess the new form's relationship with E. somalicus. Studies in 2001 and 2002 provided evidence that E. somalicus and related species are not closely related to Eptesicus (nor to Pipistrellus
Pipistrellus
Pipistrellus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word Pipistrello, meaning "bat"....
, where they have also been placed), so that these species were allocated to the separate genus Neoromicia
Neoromicia
Neoromicia is a genus of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae.It contains the following species:* Dark-Brown Serotine * Cape Serotine * Yellow Serotine...
. In 2004, 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....
and Julie Ranivo reviewed the Malagasy subspecies after collecting two more specimens and concluded that it was distinct enough to be classified as a separate species, Neoromicia malagasyensis. Two years later, Paul Bates and colleagues reported on two more specimens and showed that the bacula
Baculum
The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, but present in other primates, such as the gorilla and chimpanzee.The bone aids in sexual intercourse.-Purpose:...
(penis bones) of N. malagasyensis and N. somalica are different, providing further evidence that they are distinct species. However, they recommended that further research assess the degree of difference between N. malagasyensis and N. matroka (formerly in Eptesicus, but placed in Neoromicia by Bates and colleagues), which occurs further east in Madagascar. The IUCN Red List
IUCN 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...
currently again classifies the species in Eptesicus, as Eptesicus malagasyensis.
Neoromicia malagasyensis is one of at least six species of small vespertilionid bats ("pipistrelles") on Madagascar, in addition to N. matroka, N. melckorum, Pipistrellus hesperidus, P. raceyi
Pipistrellus raceyi
Pipistrellus raceyi, also known as Racey's pipistrelle bat, is a bat from Madagascar, in the genus Pipistrellus. Although unidentified species of Pipistrellus had been previously reported from Madagascar since the 1990s, P. raceyi was not formally named until 2006...
, and Hypsugo anchietae. The classification of these bats has historically been controversial, leading to many changing identifications and generic assignments. The genus Neoromicia is exclusively African and included 11 species in the 2005 third edition of Mammal Species of the World; more species, like N. malagasyensis and N. matroka, have been added since. Common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
s proposed for this species include "Isalo Serotine" and "Peterson's 'pipistrelle.
Description
| Specimen | Sex | Forearm | Tail | Hindfoot | Ear | Mass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROM Royal Ontario Museum The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto... 42713Holotype Holotype A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype... . |
Female | 32 | 27 | 6Including the claw. | 12 | 9 |
| FMNH Field Museum of Natural History The Field Museum of Natural History is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex known as the Museum Campus Chicago... 175988 |
Male | 30 | 37 | 4Excluding the claw. | 11 | 3.9 |
| FMNH 175989 | Female | 32 | 35 | 5 | 12 | 6.0 |
| UA University of Antananarivo University of Antananarivo is the primary public university of Madagascar, located in the capital Antananarivo.The school traces its founding to 16 December 1955 and the formation of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Antananarivo. It quickly established itself as the main center for higher... , uncatalogued |
Male | 30.1 | 30.4 | 5.3 | 9.8 | – |
| UA, uncatalogued | Female | 32.0 | 29.3 | 6.9 | 11.4 | – |
| All measurements are in millimeters, except mass in grams. | ||||||
Neoromicia malagasyensis is a relatively small "pipistrelle", but larger than N. somalica. The fur on the back is long and dark brown and the underparts contain both gray and dark buff
Buff (colour)
Buff is a pale yellow-brown colour that got its name from the colour of buff leather.Displayed on the right is the colour buff.EtymologyAccording to the Oxford English Dictionary, buff as a descriptor of a colour was first used in the London Gazette of 1686, describing a uniform to be "A Red Coat...
hairs; there, the fur becomes lighter towards the tail. The fur is darker than in N. somalica, but paler than in N. matroka. The brown ears are translucent. The tragus (a projection on the inner side of the outer ear) is similar to that of N. somalica, but may be a little narrower. Relative to the two other Malagasy Neoromicia species, the tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
is short. A single baculum
Baculum
The baculum is a bone found in the penis of most mammals. It is absent in humans, but present in other primates, such as the gorilla and chimpanzee.The bone aids in sexual intercourse.-Purpose:...
(penis bone), 2.2 mm long, has been studied. It resembles the baculum of N. melckorum, but is smaller. As in N. matroka, the distal (far) end is flat and displaced downwards, but the N. malagasyensis baculum has a smaller area and less well-developed flanges at the sides and a smaller vertical extension of the bone.
The skull is somewhat smaller than that of N. matroka and the braincase and palate
Palate
The palate is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals. It separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. A similar structure is found in crocodilians, but, in most other tetrapods, the oral and nasal cavities are not truly separate. The palate is divided into two parts, the anterior...
are narrower. Compared to N. somalica, the skull is broader. The ridge on the lacrimal bone
Lacrimal bone
The lacrimal bone, the smallest and most fragile bone of the face, is situated at the front part of the medial wall of the orbit. It has two surfaces and four borders.-Lateral or orbital surface:...
is better developed, the palate is broader, the frontal bone
Frontal bone
The frontal bone is a bone in the human skull that resembles a cockleshell in form, and consists of two portions:* a vertical portion, the squama frontalis, corresponding with the region of the forehead....
s contain a depression and are swollen at the sides, the mastoid bones are smaller, and the coronoid
Coronoid process of the mandible
The mandible's coronoid process is a thin, triangular eminence, which is flattened from side to side and varies in shape and size....
and angular processes of the mandible
Mandible
The mandible pronunciation or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place...
(lower jaw) are more prominent.
The echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
call of this species was reported in a 2007 study that consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency followed by one with more slowly changing frequency. The call takes 3.6 to 6.3 ms, averaging 4.9 ms, and the period between two calls is 34.2 to 94.4 ms, averaging 69.1 ms. The maximum frequency averages 79.8 kHz, the minimum frequency averages 40.5 kHz, and the call emits the most energy at a frequency of 45.7 kHz.
Distribution and ecology
Neoromicia malagasyensis is known only from the vicinity of Isalo National ParkIsalo National Park
Isalo National Park is a National Park in the Ihorombe Region of Madagascar. The park is known for its wide variety of terrain, including sandstone formations, deep canyons, palm-lined oases, and grassland. The closest town is Ranohira, and the closest city is Toliara. A local guide is required...
, an area of about 2000 km2 (800 sq mi), in interior southwestern Madagascar. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
was caught in 1967 in a mistnet set in a row of palms along a river in dry savannah habitat. Peterson and colleagues reported that it had been collected near the village of Marinday, but Goodman and Ranivo suggested that it may instead have come from near Ilakaka
Ilakaka
Ilakaka is a small town in Ihorombe Region in the south western part of Madagascar. In the early 1990s there were only about 40 residents in the area. However, since the discovery of world class alluvial sapphire deposits in the valley in 1998 the population had boomed to near 60,000 by 2005...
. Two specimens, a male and a female, were collected at different localities in Isalo National Park in early December 2002, both in mistnets near rivers. The male had enlarged testes
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
and the female had recently stopped lactating
Lactation
Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process occurs in all female mammals, however it predates mammals. In humans the process of feeding milk is called breastfeeding or nursing...
and had large mammae. Two others followed in 2003, also from the national park, and caught in woodland near rivers. A 2009 study on echolocation described the call of six individuals of N. malagasyensis from an unspecified site within the national park. In view of its small known range and the threat of 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...
, the IUCN Red List
IUCN 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...
assesses the species as "Endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
"; further research is recommended on its roosting and dietary habits.
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. 2008. . In IUCN. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on July 4, 2010.
- Bates, P.J.J., Ratrimomanarivo, F.H., Harrison, D.L. and Goodman, S.M. 2006. A description of a new species of Pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Madagascar with a review of related Vespertilioninae from the island (subscription required). Acta Chiropterologica 8(2):299–324.
- Goodman, S.M. and Ranivo, J. 2004. The taxonomic status of Neoromicia somalicus malagasyensis. Mammalian Biology 69(6):434–438.
- Kofoky, A.F., Randrianandrianina, F., Russ, J., Raharinantenaina, I., Cardiff, S.G., Jenkins, R.K.B. and Racey, P.A. 2009. Forest bats of Madagascar: results of acoustic surveys (subscription required). Acta Chiropterologica 11(2):375–392.
- Peterson, R.L., Eger, J.L. and Mitchell, L. 1995. Chiroptères. Faune de Madagascar 84:1–204 (in French).
- Ricucci, M. and Lanza, B. 2008. Neoromicia Roberts, 1926 (Mammalia Vespertilionidae): correction of gender and etymology. Hystrix Italian Journal of Mammalogy 19(2):175–177.
- 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 978-0-8018-8221-0