{{Short description|Species of bat}} {{Speciesbox | name = Parti-coloured bat | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Coroiu, I. |date=2016 |title=''Vespertilio murinus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22947A22071456 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T22947A22071456.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | image = Parti-coloured bat (Vespertilio murinus) Slovakia.jpg | genus = Vespertilio | species = murinus | authority = Linnaeus, 1758<ref>{{cite book |author=Carl Linnaeus |author-link=Carl Linnaeus |title=Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I |year=1758 |edition=10th |publisher=Laurentius Salvius |location=Stockholm |page=32 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/80764#page/42/mode/1up |language=la}}</ref> | range_map = Vespertilio murinus range map.png | range_map_caption = Range of ''V. murinus'' in Eurasia | synonyms = ''Eptesicus murinus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/scientific-resources/biodiversity/uk-biodiversity/uk-species/species/vespertilio_murinus.html |title=''Vespertilio murinus'' Linnaeus, 1758 - Parti-Coloured Bat |publisher=Natural History Museum |access-date=16 December 2014}}</ref> }}
The '''parti-coloured bat''' or '''rearmouse''' ('''''Vespertilio murinus''''') is a species of vesper bat that lives in temperate Eurasia, from Western and Southern Europe, eastwards over the Caucasus and Iran into Mongolia, north-east China, Korea, Afghanistan and northern Pakistan.<ref>[http://batslife.eu/item/vespertilio-murinus/ "Vespertilio murinus"], ''Science for Nature Foundation''</ref>
== Description == Their twittering call, similar to a bird's call, can be heard particularly in the autumn during the mating season. The parti-coloured bat has a body size of {{convert|4.8|-|6.4|cm}} with a wingspan of {{convert|26|-|33|cm|abbr=on}}, and a weight of {{convert|11|-|24|g}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/749/raritiesvagrants.pdf |title=Rarities and vagrants |publisher=Bat Conservation Trust |access-date=16 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923182650/http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/749/raritiesvagrants.pdf |archive-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref> Its name is derived from its fur, which has two colours. Its back (dorsal side) is red to dark-brown, with silver-white-frosted hair. The ventral side is white or grey. The ears, wings and face are black or dark brown. The wings are narrow. The ears are short, broad and roundish. It is known to live up to 12 years.
== Behaviour == These bats hunt for their prey, for example mosquitoes, caddis flies and moths, with a wide range of ultrasonic sounds, but especially around 25–27 kHz.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Maja Zagmajster |year=2003 |title=Display song of parti-coloured bat ''Vespertilio murinus'' Linnaeus, 1758 (Chiroptera, Mammalia) in southern Slovenia and preliminary study of its variability |journal=Natura Sloveniae |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=27–41 |doi=10.14720/ns.5.1.27-41 |url=http://web.bf.uni-lj.si/bi/NATURA-SLOVENIAE/pdf/NatSlo_5_1_3.pdf |archive-date=2022-06-18 |access-date=2014-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618042457/http://web.bf.uni-lj.si/bi/NATURA-SLOVENIAE/pdf/NatSlo_5_1_3.pdf }}</ref> They hunt after twilight at heights of around {{convert|20|-|40|m}}, for example in open landscape over streams and lakes and above forests or at street lights.<ref>{{cite web |author=S. M. Swift |title=Bat species in Scotland |url=http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/C208532.pdf |publisher=Scottish Natural Heritage |access-date=16 December 2014}}</ref> In cold weather, the bat may remain in its resting place.
There is not much known about the behaviour of parti-coloured bats, as they are quite rare. Female bats live in small groups, of about 50 animals, sometimes up to several hundred adult females. In Western Europe, male groups consist of about 250 animals and are found only during the spring and early summer. These bats migrate, and flights of up to {{convert|900|km}} were found. The furthest migration was determined at {{convert|1780|km|abbr=on}}.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" />
Between October and March, the bats hibernate. They hibernate alone, and can bear temperatures down to {{convert|-5|C|F}}.<ref name="Haarsma_Siepel">{{cite journal |author=Anne-Jifke Haarsma |author2=Henk Siepel |name-list-style=amp |year=2013 |title=Macro-evolutionary trade-offs as the basis for the distribution of European bats |journal=Animal Biology |volume=63 |issue=4 |pages=451–471 |doi=10.1163/15707563-00002424 |url=http://www.batweter.nl/index.php/component/attachments/download/35 |format=PDF |hdl=2066/123445 |hdl-access=free |archive-date=2016-03-04 |access-date=2014-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304044615/http://www.batweter.nl/index.php/component/attachments/download/35 }}</ref><!-- temperature is given in Supp. Info. -->
=== Reproduction and birth === Females form maternity roosts during May and July and generally give birth to twins.<ref name="Haarsma_Siepel"/> After the pups are weaned, which takes less than six weeks,<ref name="Haarsma_Siepel"/> females leave the maternity roost. Birth of the young is in western Europe around beginning of June.
==Distribution== The parti-coloured bat occurs in Central and Western Europe and in Asia. Its natural habitat is mountains, steppes and forested areas, but in Western Europe, they can mainly be found in cities. The species is protected, as it is threatened by insecticides and changes in their habitat.
== References == {{Reflist|32em}} ==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Vespertilio murinus|''Vespertilio murinus''}} *{{Wikispecies-inline|Vespertilio murinus|''Vespertilio murinus''}} {{Vespertilioninae nav}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q232644}}
Category:Vespertilio Category:Bats of Asia Category:Bats of Europe Category:Mammals of Russia Category:Mammals of Central Asia Category:Mammals of Turkey Category:Mammals of Azerbaijan Bat, Parti-coloured Category:Mammals of Afghanistan Category:Mammals of Pakistan Category:Mammals described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus