Plecotus Macrobullaris Research Articles

<i>Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus</i> subsp. nov. (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) from the Early Pleistocene of Crimea

The extinct mountain long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus subsp. nov. is described on the base of jaw remains from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida cave in central Crimea. This is the first record of the genus Plecotus in the Lower Pleistocene of Russia and the first fossil find of P. macrobullaris Kuzyakin, 1965, documenting the early stage of the evolutionary history of the species.

A multidisciplinary approach unveils the distribution of the Alpine long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris (Vespertilionidae) in Italy

Abstract Genetic techniques have allowed to identify a number of cryptic species of bats and to better define their distribution ranges and conservation status. Long-eared bats Plecotus spp. occur throughout Eurasia and Africa, with a high number of morphologically similar species, often occurring in sympatry. Therefore, disentangling the distribution of one species from another may be challenging. Italy represents a diversity hotspot for long-eared bats in Europe, hosting six species belonging to the genus Plecotus. In this study we report on both published and unpublished investigations on the Alpine long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris by integrating field and molecular methods, as well as opportunistic verified records from citizen scientists (i.e., individuals showing the diagnostic triangular chin pad in photos), to redefine the distribution of this species in Italy. We retrieved a total of 149 published records and 16 new confirmed records, namely 7 from iNaturalist, 6 from Facebook and 3 from molecular analyses. In Italy, the species occurs throughout the Alpine and Pre-Alpine chain, as well as in close proximity to the sea, and in Northeastern plains. Based on new records, we proved that it occurs also in other areas, including the Northern Apennine ridge. Our findings call for the application of an integrated approach in investigating cryptic species, that provides valuable data to support conservation assessments and the establishment of proper protection measures for poorly known species.

Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus subsp. nov. (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) from the Early Pleistocene of Crimea.

The extinct mountain long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris sarmaticus subsp. nov. is described on the base of jaw remains from the Lower Pleistocene of the Taurida cave in central Crimea. This is the first record of the genus Plecotus in the Lower Pleistocene of Russia and the first fossil find of P. macrobullaris Kuzyakin, 1965, documenting the early stage of the evolutionary history of the species.

Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi’nden (Bitlis, Türkiye) Yarasa Faunası Üzerine Yeni Veriler (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

This study was conducted between July 2014 and September 2019 in Bitlis province. The bats were caught with sweep net, special bat nets, gloves and flashlight by searching in the places such as caves, dens, empty buildings, historical inns and hammams, churches, tombs and garrets. Some bioecological and habitat characteristics, fur color, number of samples and record locations of the species were presented. As a result, Rhinolophus hipposideros belonging to the family Rhinolophidae of the suborder Microchiroptera and Myotis myotis, M. blythii, M. mystacinus, M. capaccinii, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Eptesicus serotinus, Vespertilio murinus, and Plecotus macrobullaris belonging to the family Vespertilionidae of the suborder Microchiroptera were determined. Rhinolophus hipposideros, Myotis myotis, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Eptesicus serotinus, Vespertilio murinus and Plecotus macrobullaris from the species were firstly recorded in Bitlis province.

The tale of an ice-preserved Alpine Long-Eared Bat in the Pyrenees

The Alpine Long-eared Bat Plecotus macrobullaris (Kuzjakin, 1965) is a relatively recently defined species and one of the few bats able to occupy the high-mountain environment. The phylogenetic studies of this species suggest that it originated before the Middle Pleistocene. However, it has never been reported in ancient chronologies, no fossils are known, and the older recognized specimens are those from museum collections. One of the main reasons for this lack of ancient and fossil record is that the skeletal anatomy of this species has not been described in detail yet, making difficult the correct assignation of skeletal remains. We present a Long-eared Bat individual that was ice-preserved within the perennial ice in a high-mountain ice cave, SO-01, in the Pyrenees. The bat skin was radiocarbon dated, pointing that the specimen died more likely in a timeframe between 1760 and 1800 AD. Following previously published criteria based on cranial diagnostic features the recovered specimen was assigned to P. macrobullaris, which represents the most ancient record of this species in the Pyrenees and probably worldwide. In addition, some new observations have been described on both cranial and postcranial anatomical traits.

Фауна и распространение млекопитающих Ставропольского края

Introduction. Mammals are of great practical importance for humans as hunting species, agricultural pests, carriers of especially dangerous infections. Only in Stavropol region, about 20 species from three orders (rodents, insectivores and hares) are known as carriers and reservoirs of such dangerous diseases for humans as plague, tularemia, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. The last generalizing publication on the mammals fauna of Stavropol region was made in 2000. It contains 89 taxa of the species rank. Since then, both qualitative and quantitative changes have taken place in the mammalian fauna of the region. In addition, the taxonomic status of a number of species has been revised. Materials and methods of research. The list of mammals of Stavropol region was compiled on the basis of our own long-term research and analysis of literary sources in accordance with modern systematic views on this group of animals. Results. In total, 90 species of mammals belonging to six orders have been reliably registered on the Stavropol region territory so far: insectivores – 9 species, bats – 19 species, lagomorphs – 1 species, rodents – 35 species, carnivores – 19 species and artiodactyls – 7 species. We did not include a number of species in the list due to the unreliability or lack of their findings in the region as such. Conclusions. In addition to the previously published list, we provide 9 new species (Myotis davidii, Plecotus macrobullaris, Pipistrellus nathusii, Sylvaemus witherbyi, Sylvaemus ponticus, Microtus rossiaemeridionalis, Procyon lotor, Neovison vison, Capreolus pygargus). Eight species are alien to the region’s fauna (Sciurus vulgaris, Ondatra zibethicus, Marmota bobac, Nyctereutes procyonoides, Procyon lotor, Neovison vison, Capreolus pygargus, Cervus nippon).

Plecotus macrobullaris (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Plecotus macrobullaris (Kuzjakin, 1965) is a medium-sized chiropteran commonly called the alpine long-eared bat, and 1 of the 11 Palearctic species recognized in the genus Plecotus. It has the characteristic long ears of plecotine bats, and externally its most conspicuous diagnostic characteristic is the inverted triangular-shaped pad most individuals exhibit in the chin. It is distributed across the mountain environments in the southwestern and central regions of the Palearctic. It is the most abundant bat species in European alpine environments, although it can be also found at lower elevations. It roosts on both natural (rock crevices, caves, and scree deposits) and artificial shelters (buildings), and it mainly feeds on moths. P. macrobullaris is currently listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, although actual population sizes and demographic trends are unknown.

First record of Alpine long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris Kuzjakin, 1965 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from east of Iran

The Alpine long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris Kuzjakin, 1965 is distributed in western half of Iran. The previous easternmost occurrence of this species was from Gandab (Semnan province), while the distribution of this species is poorly known. In the present study, P. macrobullaris is recorded from NE of Iran (Moghan cave, Khorasan-e-Razavi province) for the first time. Moreover, the presence of the Lesser Mouse-eared Myotis, Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857) in the cave is confirmed after 1999.

Ecology, biogeography and evolutionary history of the alpine longeared bat Plecotus macrobullaris

This article is a comprehensive summary of the PhD presented by Antton Alberdi at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), on december 5th, 2014, under the supervision of Dr. Inazio Garin and Dr. Joxerra Aihartza. The thesis was awarded by the Spanish Society of Mammalogist (SECEM) in 2015, as the best thesis about Iberian mammals. DOI: 10.7325/Galemys.2016.A1

Bats of Alpi Marittime Nature Park (North West Italy) and Site of Community Importance IT1160056: distribution and status

A survey of bats was carried out at Alpi Marittime Nature Park and more generally within Site of Community Importance (SIC) IT1160056 from April 1991 to January 2015, using different techniques such as: mist-netting, acoustic sampling and roost surveys. Twenty-one species of bats were detected (<em>Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus hipposideros, Myotis bechsteinii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis myotis, Myotis mystacinus, Myotis nattereri, Myotis oxygnathus, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Nyctalus leisleri, Hypsugo savii, Eptesicus nilssonii, Eptesicus serotinus, Barbastella barbastellus, Plecotus auritus, Plecotus macrobullaris, Tadarida teniotis</em>). Species diversity is higher in this area than in other Alpine protected areas of a similar size. Records of <em>E. nilssonii</em>, <em>P. pygmaeu</em>s and <em>P.</em> <em>macrobullaris</em> in the study area contribute to the knowledge of the distribution of these species in Piedmont and more generally in Italy. In particular, thanks to records of <em>E.</em> <em>nilssonii</em>, its geographic range could be extended to the western part of the Alps whereas it previously seemed to be only present in the Central-Eastern Alps.

The first record of alpine long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris in Serbia

An inventory of bat species in the Milesevka river gorge (southwestern Serbia) was conducted in July 2013. There were six bat species recorded in the cave at the Cetanica plateau using a mist-netting technique. In this paper we report the first finding of Plecotus macrobullaris in Serbia, contributing to the knowledge of its distribution area. The bat fauna of Serbia now contains 30 species.

Contrasting population‐level responses to Pleistocene climatic oscillations in an alpine bat revealed by complete mitochondrial genomes and evolutionary history inference

AbstractAimWe used an integrative approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the alpine long‐eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris, to test whether the variable effects of Pleistocene climatic oscillations across geographical regions led to contrasting population‐level demographic histories within a single species.LocationThe Western Palaearctic.MethodsWe sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 57 individuals from across the distribution of the species. The analysis integrated ecological niche modelling (ENM), approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), measures of genetic diversity and Bayesian phylogenetic methods.ResultsWe identified two deep lineages: a western lineage, restricted to the Pyrenees and the Alps, and an eastern lineage, which expanded across the mountain ranges east of the Dinarides (Croatia). ENM projections of past conditions predicted that climatic suitability was reduced during cold stages in the areas inhabited by the western lineage, while the opposite trend was observed in the mountains inhabited by the eastern lineage. The palaeodemographic scenario that best fitted our data is consistent with the western lineage population size having shrunk repeatedly because of the extensive glaciation events that occurred in the Alps and Pyrenees during the Pleistocene. In contrast, the eastern lineage maintained a constant population size as is consistent with more limited glaciation in the mountains of south‐eastern Europe and the Middle East.Main conclusionsThis study shows that the demographic response of populations to Pleistocene climatic oscillations depended on their geographical location, offering an example of population‐level variations in the effects and long‐term consequences of climate change.

Unveiling the factors shaping the distribution of widely distributed alpine vertebrates, using multi-scale ecological niche modelling of the bat Plecotus macrobullaris.

Several alpine vertebrates share a distribution pattern that extends across the South-western Palearctic but is limited to the main mountain massifs. Although they are usually regarded as cold-adapted species, the range of many alpine vertebrates also includes relatively warm areas, suggesting that factors beyond climatic conditions may be driving their distribution. In this work we first recognize the species belonging to the mentioned biogeographic group and, based on the environmental niche analysis of Plecotus macrobullaris, we identify and characterize the environmental factors constraining their ranges. Distribution overlap analysis of 504 European vertebrates was done using the Sorensen Similarity Index, and we identified four birds and one mammal that share the distribution with P. macrobullaris. We generated 135 environmental niche models including different variable combinations and regularization values for P. macrobullaris at two different scales and resolutions. After selecting the best models, we observed that topographic variables outperformed climatic predictors, and the abruptness of the landscape showed better predictive ability than elevation. The best explanatory climatic variable was mean summer temperature, which showed that P. macrobullaris is able to cope with mean temperature ranges spanning up to 16°C. The models showed that the distribution of P. macrobullaris is mainly shaped by topographic factors that provide rock-abundant and open-space habitats rather than climatic determinants, and that the species is not a cold-adapted, but rather a cold-tolerant eurithermic organism. P. macrobullaris shares its distribution pattern as well as several ecological features with five other alpine vertebrates, suggesting that the conclusions obtained from this study might be extensible to them. We concluded that rock-dwelling and open-space foraging vertebrates with broad temperature tolerance are the best candidates to show wide alpine distribution in the Western Palearctic.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12983-014-0077-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Living above the treeline: roosting ecology of the alpine bat Plecotus macrobullaris

Littleis known about the alpinebat community, but recent studies suggest that the alpine long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris, commonly forages in alpine habitats, although most of its known roosting records are from locations situated below the treeline. Aiming to contribute to resolving this seemingly contradictory pattern of ecological preferences of P. macrobullaris, we carried out a radio-tracking study to (1) identify its roosts and unveil its roosting habitat preferences, (2) determine whether bats found foraging in alpine habitats do actually roost and breed in such high-mountain environ- ments, and (3) test if any elevation-related sexual segregation occurs. We captured 117 alpine long-eared bats and radio- tracked 37 individuals to 54 roosts located at elevations be- tween 1,450 and 2,430 m, 46 of them above the treeline. Bats used rock crevices (30 roosts), scree deposits (21) and build- ings (3) for roosting, and most lactating and pregnant females relied on crevices. Bats selected areas with high meadow availability near the roost, while avoiding densely forested areas. Foraging areas and roosting sites were located at the same elevation, indicating that alpine long-eared bats use alpine areas for both roosting and foraging in the Pyrenees. Breeding females roosted at lower elevations than nulliparous females and males, though they remained above the treeline. Although being considerably different to the ecological pref- erencesdescribedsofar intheAlps,theroostingbehaviour we observed was consistent with some ecological traits, namely foragingand trophic behaviour, ofP. macrobullaris, as well as its distribution pattern linked to mountain regions.

Spinturnicid mites of bats in Albania – host spectrum and morphometrics as a tool of species separation

We recorded 10 species of parasitic spinturnicids on bats in Albania. Eyndhovenia euryalis euryalis was collected on Rhinolophus euryale and R. ferrumequinum; Spinturnix acuminata on Nyctalus noctula; S. emarginata on Myotis emarginatus; S. helvetiae on N. leisleri; S. kolenatii on Eptesicus serotinus; S. myoti on M. capaccinii, M. nattereri, M. myotis and M. oxygnathus; S. mystacina on M. mystacinus; S. nobleti on Hypsugo savii; S. plecotina on Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus and P. macrobullaris; and S. psi on Miniopterus schreibersii and M. capaccinii. All mite species recorded are new for the Albanian fauna and three are new for the Balkans. Plecotus macrobullaris is a new host species for S. plecotina. We confirmed low levels of mite species co-occurrence on the same bat hosts. All mite species included in the present study were separable based on their measurements, with idiosoma length and width and dorsal shield length as the most important characters.

Review on the Geographic and Elevational Distribution of the Mountain Long-Eared Bat Plecotus Macrobullaris, Completed by Utilising a Specific Mist-Netting Technique

The mountain long-eared bat, Plecotus macrobullaris, is a recently described species, and characterisation of its geographic and elevational distribution is still in progress. Captures in various environments led to a controversial ecological perception, with P. macrobullaris initially defined as an alpine species but subsequently found in the Mediterranean seashore and other lowland areas. Sampling efforts hitherto were uneven; this bat has been studied more thoroughly in Western Europe than in the eastern portion of its range, and in lowlands more than highlands or alpine environments. For greater insight into its distribution pattern, we conducted a field survey in several mountain areas of its known range, using a novel mist-netting technique (described herein) that has proven very useful for targeting and capturing low-flying open-space bats in alpine environments. We also gathered all available distribution data on this species from published resources and by contacting researchers, obtaining records at 351 total localities (including 113 from other authors' unpublished reports and 45 from our own fieldwork). We concluded that P. macrobullaris is present in the main Western Palearctic mountain ranges, extending from the Pyrenees to the Middle East, and has an elevational distribution from sea level up to 2,800 m. The high number of these bats captured foraging above the timberline, in addition to the exclusively mountainous distribution, indicate that the species is indeed alpine, showing a pattern similar to other highly mobile vertebrates restricted to mountain areas and absent from flatlands. Nevertheless, its apparent elevational distribution may still be biased toward lower areas, due to the scarcity of surveys in high mountain habitats.

Habitat selection of three cryptic Plecotus bat species in the European Alps reveals contrasting implications for conservation

Assessing the ecological requirements of species coexisting within a community is an essential requisite for developing sound conservation action. A particularly interesting question is what mechanisms govern the stable coexistence of cryptic species within a community, i.e. species that are almost impossible to distinguish. Resource partitioning theory predicts that cryptic species, like other sympatric taxa, will occupy distinct ecological niches. This prediction is widely inferred from eco-morphological studies. A new cryptic long-eared bat species, Plecotus macrobullaris, has been recently discovered in the complex of two other species present in the European Alps, with even evidence for a few mixed colonies. This discovery poses challenges to bat ecologists concerned with planning conservation measures beyond roost protection. We therefore tested whether foraging habitat segregation occurred among the three cryptic Plecotus bat species in Switzerland by radiotracking 24 breeding female bats (8 of each species). We compared habitat features at locations visited by a bat versus random locations within individual home ranges, applying mixed effects logistic regression. Distinct, species-specific habitat preferences were revealed. P. auritus foraged mostly within traditional orchards in roost vicinity, with a marked preference for habitat heterogeneity. P. austriacus foraged up to 4.7 km from the roost, selecting mostly fruit tree plantations, hedges and tree lines. P. macrobullaris preferred patchy deciduous and mixed forests with high vertical heterogeneity in a grassland dominated-matrix. These species-specific habitat preferences should inform future conservation programmes. They highlight the possible need of distinct conservation measures for species that look very much alike.

The foraging ecology of the mountain long-eared bat Plecotus macrobullaris revealed with DNA mini-barcodes.

Molecular analysis of diet overcomes the considerable limitations of traditional techniques for identifying prey remains in bat faeces. We collected faeces from individual Mountain Long-eared Bats Plecotus macrobullaris trapped using mist nets during the summers of 2009 and 2010 in the Pyrenees. We analysed their diet using DNA mini-barcodes to identify prey species. In addition, we inferred some basic features of the bat's foraging ecology that had not yet been addressed. P. macrobullaris fed almost exclusively on moths (97.8%). As prey we detected one dipteran genus (Tipulidae) and 29 moth taxa: 28 were identified at species level (23 Noctuidae, 1 Crambidae, 1 Geometridae, 1 Pyralidae, 1 Sphingidae, 1 Tortricidae), and one at genus level (Rhyacia sp., Noctuidae). Known ecological information about the prey species allowed us to determine that bats had foraged at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 m amsl (above mean sea level), mostly in subalpine meadows, followed by other open habitats such as orophilous grasslands and alpine meadows. No forest prey species were identified in the diet. As 96.4% of identified prey species were tympanate moths and no evidence of gleaning behaviour was revealed, we suggest P. macrobullaris probably forages by aerial hawking using faint echolocation pulses to avoid detection by hearing moths. As we could identify 87.8% of the analysed sequences (64.1% of the MOTUs, Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units) at species level, we conclude that DNA mini-barcodes are a very useful tool to analyse the diet of moth-specialist bats.

The challenge posed by newly discovered cryptic species: disentangling the environmental niches of long‐eared bats

AbstractAimThe discovery of cryptic species poses new challenges for species conservation. Species distributions and conservation status have to be re‐evaluated, and the ecological requirements within the species complex have to be re‐assessed to recommend adequate conservation guidelines. The recent discovery in Central Europe of the cryptic bat species Plecotus macrobullaris (Kuzjakin 1965) calls for a new appraisal of all three Plecotus species in that area.LocationSwitzerland.MethodsUsing mostly DNA‐identified records, we investigated the environmental niches (ecological niche factor analysis) of the three long‐eared bat species at the landscape scale and modelled their potential distributions. Discriminant analysis was used for interspecific niche comparisons.ResultsThe occurrence of all three species was best explained by proximity to rural settlements and warm summer temperature. Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) was positively associated with transition zones from forests to other habitats within heterogeneous landscapes; Plecotus austriacus (J. Fischer, 1829) was more frequently found in orchards and vineyards. Plecotus macrobullaris was linked mostly with deciduous forests. P. auritus had the broadest niche, with occurrence predicted in most forested regions throughout Switzerland. The slightly narrower niche of P. macrobullaris mainly encompassed areas in the Central and Southern Alps. P. austriacus showed a very narrow niche and was predicted mainly in the lowlands, with its habitat requirements overlapping those of P. macrobullaris. Although a range overlap was predicted between P. austriacus and P. macrobullaris, current observations suggest a mostly parapatric distribution in Switzerland.Main conclusionsThe projected distributions confirm previous knowledge for P. auritus, but shed new light on the other two species. In contrast to the newly discovered P. macrobullaris, which is actually widespread in the Southern Alps of Switzerland, P. austriacus is restricted to warmer cultivated lowlands and thus may have suffered from recent major land use changes. We suggest reclassifying P. austriacus to a higher conservation status.

Habitat use in the Female Alpine Long-Eared Bat (Plecotus macrobullaris): Does Breeding Make the Difference?

Recent discoveries of several new cryptic bat species in Europe, as well as the growing concerns on bat conservation, have resulted in increased efforts to study roost site selection, habitat use and spacing/foraging behaviour. For many of these cryptic species, management is problematic due to the lack of information. We present data on space and habitat use of 14 radio-tagged Plecotus macrobullaris females from a nursery in the central part of the species' distribution. They used home ranges larger than 10 km2, and the behavioural pattern was typically a first foraging bout soon after emergence from the nursery, followed by fast non-foraging flight towards selected habitat types. Habitat selection, as evaluated by K-select analysis, is non-random with preference for ecotones at woodland borders and rural areas, whereas woods are avoided. Body condition differentially affects habitat use for breeding and non-breeding females: breeding females in good condition showed a strong preference for ecotones. Among non-breeding females, the preference for ecotones varied with body condition. Being the sibling species of P. auritus, which is considered a woodland bat, the selection pattern observed for P. macrobullaris raises some questions about the possible niche partition in cases of sympatry.