{{Short description|Species of bat}} {{Use British English|date=September 2025}} {{Speciesbox | name = Whiskered bat | image = Whiskered bat (Myotis mystacinus) Rochovce.jpg | image_caption = in Slovakia | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Coroiu, I. |date=2016 |title=''Myotis mystacinus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T14134A22052250 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T14134A22052250.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Myotis | species = mystacinus | authority = (Kuhl, 1817) | range_map = Mapa Myotis mystacinus.png | range_map_caption = | range_map_alt = }}

The '''whiskered bat''' ('''''Myotis mystacinus''''') is a small European bat with long fur. Although uncommon, ''M. mystacinus'' is often found around human habitation and around water; it is similar to Brandt's bat (''Myotis brandtii''), from which it was distinguished as a separate species only in 1970.

==Taxonomy== The taxonomy of the genus ''Myotis'' is "considered to be one of the most challenging topics in European bat systematics", and the species count within the genus and the ''M. mystacinus'' group has varied considerably over the years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Budinski |first1=Ivana |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-44029-9_53 |title=Chiroptera |last2=López-Baucells |first2=Adrià |date=2023 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=978-3-030-44028-2 |publication-place=Cham |chapter=Myotis mystacinus Species Complex (M. mystacinus, M. brandtii, M. alcathoe, M. davidii) |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-44029-9_53 |access-date=23 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Benda |first1=Petr |last2=Tsytsulina |first2=Katerina A. |date=29 December 2000 |title=Taxonomic revision of ''Myotis mystacinus'' group (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in the western Palearctic |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284651995 |journal=Acta Societas Zoologicae Bohemicae |volume=64}}</ref> The analysis of morphological, behavioural, and especially genetic characters have since identified further cryptic species of whiskered bats in the genus ''Myotis'', including ''Myotis alcathoe'' (described in 2001 from Europe). ''Myotis aurascens'' and ''Myotis ikonnikovi'' are other similar species.<ref>[https://batslife.eu/item/myotis-aurascens/ "Myotis aurascens"], ''Science for Nature Foundation''</ref> ''Myotis hajastanicus'' was also included in ''M. mystacinus'' until recently, but it was differentiated on the base of morphological comparison.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" />

As of 2016, three subspecies are accepted:<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" /> * ''M. m. mystacinus'', found over most of its range, * ''M. m. occidentalis'', found in Iberia and Morocco, * ''M. m. caucasicus'', found in the Caucasus.

== Description == It is a small bat, 3.5-4.8&nbsp;cm long and with a wingspan of 21-24&nbsp;cm, and weighing 4-8&nbsp;g.<ref name="WT">{{cite web |title=Whiskered bat |url=https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/whiskered-bat |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=The Wildlife Trusts}}</ref> It has long fur that varies in colour from dark brown to golden on the back and greyish on the front.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Myotis mystacinus (Leisler, 1819) |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/2432401 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.gbif.org |language=en}}</ref>

The frequencies used by ''M. mystacinus'' for echolocation are 34–102&nbsp;kHz, have most energy at 53&nbsp;kHz, and have an average duration of 3.0 ms.<ref>Parsons, S. and Jones, G. (2000) 'Acoustic identification of twelve species of echolocating bat by discriminant function analysis and artificial neural networks.' ''J Exp Biol''., '''203''': 2641-2656.</ref><ref>Obrist, M.K., Boesch, R. and Flückiger, P.F. (2004) 'Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: Consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergic pattern recognition approach.' ''Mammalia'' '''68''' (4): 307-32.</ref>

== Range, habitat and ecology == The whiskered bat is a primarily European species, found over large parts of mainland Europe, the United Kingdom, and extending into the Urals. It has also been found in Morocco in northern Africa. It can be found over a wide variety of habitats, including forest, meadows, and semi-desert. It is often found living in urban areas.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" />

It is an insectivore.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" />

== Conservation status == The whiskered bat is assessed as a species of least concern by the IUCN due to its wide distribution and lack of significant threats. It is among the most common bat species within its range in Europe.<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://archive.today/20160426231847/http://www.arkive.org/ ARKive] Stills, Video

{{Myotinae nav}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q508013}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Mouse-eared bats Category:Bats of Europe Category:Mammals of Asia Category:Mammals of Russia Category:Mammals of Azerbaijan Category:Mammals of Turkey Category:Mammals described in 1817 Category:Taxa named by Heinrich Kuhl Category:Bats of Asia Category:Bats of Africa