# Isalo serotine > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Isalo_serotine > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Isalo_serotine.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isalo_serotine > Source revision: 1351324295 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Species of bat in the genus Neoromicia}} {{Speciesbox | image = | status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = {{cite iucn|last1=Monadjem| first1= A.| last2= Andriafidison| first2= D.| last3= Cardiff| first3= S.G.| last4= Hutson| first4= A.M.| last5= Jenkins| first5= R.K.B.| last6= Kofoky| first6= A.| last7= Racey| first7= P.A.| last8= Ranivo| first8= J.| last9= Ratrimomanarivo| first9= F.H.| last10= Razafimanahaka| first10= J.| year= 2019| title= ''Neoromicia malagasyensis''| volume= 2019| article-number= e.T136820A22044073| doi= 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T136820A22044073.en}} | genus = Laephotis | species = malagasyensis | authority = (Peterson, Eger, and Mitchell, 1995) | synonyms = *''Eptesicus somalicus malagasyensis'' Peterson et al., 1995{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=100}} *''Neoromicia malagasyensis'': Goodman and Ranivo, 2004{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=438}} *''Eptesicus malagasyensis'': Andriafidison et al., 2008 | range_map = Neoromicia malagasyensis range.svg | range_map_caption = Collection localities of ''Laephotis malagasyensis'' }} The '''Isalo serotine''' ('''''Laephotis malagasyensis''''') is a [vesper bat](/source/vesper_bat) of [Madagascar](/source/Madagascar) in the genus ''[Laephotis](/source/Laephotis)''. It is known only from the vicinity of the [Isalo National Park](/source/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](/source/subspecies) of ''Eptesicus somalicus'' (now ''[Neoromicia somalica](/source/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](/source/habitat_destruction), it is considered "[vulnerable](/source/vulnerable_species)" in the [IUCN Red List](/source/IUCN_Red_List). ''Laephotis 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](/source/tibia) is short. The [baculum](/source/baculum) (penis bone) resembles that of ''[N. melckorum](/source/Neoromicia_melckorum)'', but is smaller.{{cite journal|author=Goodman, Steven M.|display-authors= et al. |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236211222 |title=The genus ''Neoromicia'' (Family Vespertilionidae) in Madagascar, with the description of a new species|journal= Zootaxa |volume=3250|issue=1 |year=2012|page= 25 |doi= 10.11646/zootaxa.3250.1.1 }} The duration of the [echolocation](/source/animal_echolocation) call, which consists of a component with rapidly falling frequency and one showing more stable frequency, averages 4.9 [ms](/source/Millisecond) 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 [subspecies](/source/subspecies) of ''Eptesicus somalicus''{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=100}} (currently ''[Neoromicia somalica](/source/Neoromicia_somalica)'').{{#tag:ref|''Neoromicia somalicus'' in Simmons (2005, p. 495). However, Ricucci and Lanza (2008) indicated that the [gender](/source/grammatical_gender) of the name ''[Neoromicia](/source/Neoromicia)'' is feminine, and therefore the correct form is ''somalica''|group=Note}}{{sfn|Ricucci|Lanza|2008|p=176}} They had only a single specimen and noted that further material was needed to assess the new form's relationship with ''E. somalicus''.{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=101}} Studies in 2001 and 2002 provided evidence that ''E. somalicus'' and related species are not closely related to ''Eptesicus'' (nor to ''[Pipistrellus](/source/Pipistrellus)'', where they have also been placed), so that these species were allocated to the separate genus ''[Neoromicia](/source/Neoromicia)''.{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=434}} In 2004, [Steven Goodman](/source/Steven_M._Goodman) and Julie Ranivo reviewed the Malagasy subspecies after collecting two more specimens{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=435}} and concluded that it was distinct enough to be classified as a separate species, ''Neoromicia malagasyensis''.{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=438}} Two years later, Paul Bates and colleagues reported on two more specimens{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=313}} and showed that the [bacula](/source/baculum) (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](/source/Neoromicia_matroka)'' (formerly in ''Eptesicus'', but placed in ''Neoromicia'' by Bates and colleagues, and later placed in ''Laephotis''), which occurs further east in Madagascar.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} The [IUCN Red List](/source/IUCN_Red_List) currently again classifies the species in ''Eptesicus'', as ''Eptesicus malagasyensis''. In 2020, a phylogenetic analysis found it to belong to ''[Laephotis](/source/Laephotis)'' as opposed to ''Neoromicia'', and classified it as such.{{cite mdd |title=''Laephotis malagasyensis''|id=1005733|date=2021-08-10|access-date=2021-09-19}}{{Cite journal|last1=Monadjem|first1=Ara|last2=Demos|first2=Terrence C|last3=Dalton|first3=Desire L|last4=Webala|first4=Paul W|last5=Musila|first5=Simon|last6=Kerbis Peterhans|first6=Julian C|last7=Patterson|first7=Bruce D|date=2020-09-10|title=A revision of pipistrelle-like bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in East Africa with the description of new genera and species|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa087|journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=191|issue=4|pages=1114–1146|doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa087|issn=0024-4082|hdl=2263/84301|hdl-access=free|url-access=subscription}} ''Laephotis malagasyensis'' is one of at least six species of small [vespertilionid](/source/Vespertilionidae) bats ("pipistrelles") on Madagascar, in addition to ''L. matroka'', ''[L. robertsi](/source/Roberts's_serotine)'', ''[Pipistrellus hesperidus](/source/Pipistrellus_hesperidus)'', ''[P. raceyi](/source/Pipistrellus_raceyi)'', and ''[Nycticeinops anchietae](/source/Hypsugo_anchietae)''. The classification of these bats has historically been controversial, leading to many changing identifications and generic assignments.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=299–300}} The genus ''Laephotis'' is exclusively African and included 4 species in the 2005 third edition of ''Mammal Species of the World'';{{MSW3 |heading=''Chiroptera'' |id=13802243 |p=493–495}} more species, like ''L. malagasyensis'' and ''L. matroka'', have been added since. [Common name](/source/Common_name)s proposed for this species include "Isalo Serotine" and "Peterson's 'pipistrelle{{'"}}.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} ==Description== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-top: 0em; margin-left: 0.5em" align=left |+ Measurements |- ! Specimen !! Sex !! Forearm !! Tail !! Hindfoot !! Ear !! Mass |- | [ROM](/source/Royal_Ontario_Museum) 42713[Holotype](/source/Holotype){{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=table 1}} || Female || 32 || 27 || 6Including the claw. || 12 || 9 |- | [FMNH](/source/Field_Museum_of_Natural_History) 175988{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=table 1}} || Male || 30 || 37 || 4Excluding the claw. || 11 || 3.9 |- | FMNH 175989{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=table 1}} || Female || 32 || 35 || 5 || 12 || 6.0 |- | [UA](/source/University_of_Antananarivo), uncatalogued{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=table 1}} || Male || 30.1 || 30.4 || 5.3 || 9.8 || – |- | UA, uncatalogued{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=table 1}} || Female || 32.0 || 29.3 || 6.9 || 11.4 || – |- | colspan="7" | All measurements are in millimeters, except mass in grams. |} ''Laephotis malagasyensis'' is a relatively small "pipistrelle",{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=313}} but larger than ''Neoromicia somalica''.{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=436}} The fur on the back is long and dark brown and the underparts contain both gray and dark [buff](/source/buff_(colour)) hairs; there, the fur becomes lighter towards the tail.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} The fur is darker than in ''N. somalica'',{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=101}} but paler than in ''L. matroka''{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=321}} The brown ears are translucent.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} The [tragus](/source/tragus_(ear)) (a projection on the inner side of the outer ear) is similar to that of ''N. somalica'', but may be a little narrower.{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=436}} Relative to the two other Malagasy ''Laephotis'' species, the [tibia](/source/tibia) is short. A single [baculum](/source/baculum) (penis bone), 2.2 mm long, has been studied. It resembles the baculum of ''L. robertsi'', but is smaller. As in ''L. matroka'', the distal (far) end is flat and displaced downwards, but the ''L. malagasyensis'' baculum has a smaller area and less well-developed flanges at the sides and a smaller vertical extension of the bone.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} The skull is somewhat smaller than that of ''L. matroka''{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} and the [braincase](/source/braincase) and [palate](/source/palate) are narrower.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=321}} Compared to ''N. somalica'', the skull is broader.{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=101}} The ridge on the [lacrimal bone](/source/lacrimal_bone) is better developed, the palate is broader, the [frontal bone](/source/frontal_bone)s contain a depression and are swollen at the sides, the [mastoid bone](/source/mastoid_bone)s are smaller,{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=436}} and the [coronoid](/source/coronoid_process_of_the_mandible) and [angular process](/source/angular_process)es of the [mandible](/source/mandible) (lower jaw) are more prominent.{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=438}} The [echolocation](/source/animal_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.{{sfn|Kofoky|Randrianandrianina|Russ|Raharinantenaina|2009|p=382, fig. 7a}} 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.{{sfn|Kofoky|Randrianandrianina|Russ|Raharinantenaina|2009|p=table 1}} ==Distribution and ecology== ''Laephotis malagasyensis'' is known only from the vicinity of [Isalo National Park](/source/Isalo_National_Park), an area of about {{cvt|2000|km2|sqmi|0}}, in interior southwestern Madagascar. The [holotype](/source/holotype) was caught in 1967 in a [mistnet](/source/mistnet) set in a row of palms along a river in dry savannah habitat.{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=100, 102}}{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=315}} Peterson and colleagues reported that it had been collected near the village of [Marinday](/source/Marinday),{{sfn|Peterson|Eger|Mitchell|1995|p=100}} but Goodman and Ranivo suggested that it may instead have come from near [Ilakaka](/source/Ilakaka).{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=435}} 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](/source/testicle) and the female had recently stopped [lactating](/source/lactation) and had large [mammae](/source/mammae).{{sfn|Goodman|Ranivo|2004|p=435}} Two others followed in 2003, also from the national park, and caught in woodland near rivers.{{sfn|Bates|Ratrimomanarivo|Harrison|Goodman|2006|p=313, 315}} A 2009 study on echolocation described the call of six individuals of ''L. malagasyensis'' from an unspecified site within the national park.{{sfn|Kofoky|Randrianandrianina|Russ|Raharinantenaina|2009|p=382}} In view of its small known range and the threat of [habitat destruction](/source/habitat_destruction), the [IUCN Red List](/source/IUCN_Red_List) assesses the species as "[vulnerable](/source/vulnerable_species)"; further research is recommended on its roosting and dietary habits. ==Notes== {{Reflist|group=Note}} ==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}} ==Literature cited== *{{cite journal|last1=Bates|first1= P.J.J.|last2= Ratrimomanarivo|first2= F.H.|last3= Harrison|first3= D.L. |name-list-style=and |last4=Goodman|first4= S.M. |year=2006|url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3161/1733-5329(2006)8%5B299:ADOANS%5D2.0.CO%3B2 |title=A description of a new species of ''Pipistrellus'' (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Madagascar with a review of related Vespertilioninae from the island|journal= Acta Chiropterologica |volume=8|issue=2 |pages=299–324|doi= 10.3161/1733-5329(2006)8[299:ADOANS]2.0.CO;2|url-access=subscription}} *{{cite journal|last1=Goodman|first1= S.M. |name-list-style=and |last2=Ranivo|first2= J. |year=2004|title= The taxonomic status of ''Neoromicia somalicus malagasyensis''|journal= Mammalian Biology |volume=69|issue=6 |pages=434–438 |doi= 10.1078/1616-5047-00166 |bibcode= 2004MamBi..69..434G }} *{{cite journal|last1=Kofoky|first1= A.F.|last2= Randrianandrianina|first2= F.|last3= Russ|first3= J. |last4=Raharinantenaina|first4= I.|last5= Cardiff|first5= S.G.|last6= Jenkins|first6= R.K.B. |name-list-style=and |last7=Racey|first7= P.A. |year=2009|doi=10.3161/150811009X485602 |title=Forest bats of Madagascar: results of acoustic surveys|journal= Acta Chiropterologica |volume=11|issue=2|pages=375–392}} *{{cite journal|last1=Peterson|first1= R.L.|last2= Eger|first2= J.L. |name-list-style=and |last3=Mitchell|first3= L. |year=1995|title= Chiroptères|journal= Faune de Madagascar |volume=84|pages=1–204|lang=fr}} *{{cite journal|last1=Ricucci|first1= M. |name-list-style=and |last2=Lanza|first2= B. |year=2008 |url=http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/download/4427/4363 |title=''Neoromicia'' Roberts, 1926 (Mammalia Vespertilionidae): correction of gender and etymology|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074925/http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/download/4427/4363 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |journal= Hystrix Italian Journal of Mammalogy |volume=19|issue=2|pages=175–177}} *{{MSW3 Chiroptera}} {{Vespertilionidae|V.|V.}} {{Madagascar bats nav}} {{Taxonbar|from1=Q20906767|from2=Q626679}} {{Good article}} Category:Laephotis Category:Bats of Africa Category:Endemic fauna of Madagascar --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Isalo serotine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isalo_serotine) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isalo_serotine?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.