A new subspecies of Barbastella barbastellus (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from the Canary islands

Abstract

A new subspecies of the Western barbastelle, Barbastella barbastellus, is described herein from the Canary islands. This new taxon, found so far only in the islands of Tenerife and La Gomera, is morphologically distinguishable by a blackish chestnut dorsal fur, which is uniformly coloured with no grizzling shades, and by a whitish U-shaped hairy line on the lower border of the ventral side. The new subspecies seems ecologically linked to pine forest habitats and to areas that were originally occupied by the laurel forest. The endemic taxon is considered among the rarest and most endangered bat of the Canary islands and a specific programme to determine precisely population trends and habitat requirements is urgently required to establish an effective conservation strategy of the remaining populations.