Setirostris eleryi, Reardon & McKenzie, 2008

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Molossidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 598-672 : 668

116.

Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat

Setirostris eleryi

French: Tadaride d'Elery / German: Nasenhaar-Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago rabudo de Elery

Other common names: Bristle-faced Freetail Bat, Bristle-faced Free-tailed Bat, Hairy-nosed Freetail Bat, Hairy-rostrum Freetail Bat

Taxonomy. Mormopterus eleryi Reardon & McKenzie, 2008 ,

“ 1.1 km ESE of Eringa, South Australia 26.29184°S 134.739030°E [ Australia], approximate elevation 240m.” Setirostris eleryi was informally separated as a distinct taxon from Micronomus norfolken-sis by M. Adams and colleagues in 1988. It was known as “ Mormopterus species 6 ” until 2008. Recognized as sole member of Setirostris , newly proposed as a subgenus of Mormopterus by T. B. Reardon and colleagues in 2014, and elevated to genus level by S. M.Jackson and C. P. Groves in 2015. Monotypic. Distribution. Sparse and patchy distribution in arid and semiarid regions of Australia, extending E from C Australia to Great Dividing Range in Queensland and N New South Wales.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 41-49 mm, tail 27-38 mm, ear 12-13 mm, forearm 31-36 mm; weight 4:5-7- 5 g. The Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat can be distinguished from other Australian free-tailed bats by its relatively small size and gracile features, possession of stout bristles on muzzle, and fleshy projections on genitalia of both males and females, this last characteristic also shared with the East Coast Free-tailed Bat ( M:- cronomus norfolkensis ). Glans penis is remarkable and completely unlike any other Australasian free-tailed bat: glans not obviously differentiated from penis shaft, and with a serrated lateral edge. Skull is small and variable, sometimes with pronounced upward inflection in rostrum. M' and M* have distinct “crochet hook-shaped” hypocone. Dental formulais11/2,C1/1,P2/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 30. This species also differs from other Australasian free-tailed bats by fixed allelic differences at a minimum of 15 independent allozyme loci and highly divergent mtDNA haplotypes (average ND2 sequence divergence of 14%).

Habitat. Mainly arid and semiarid woodland habitats fringing riparian areas, such as large ephemeral creeks, waterholes and floodplains, and sometimes farm dams and ground tanks.

Food and Feeding. The Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat has been observed feeding on the wing, taking small flying insects, such as freshwater midges ( Chironomidae , Diptera ), which may occur in vast numbers in the species’ preferred habitat.

Breeding. In New South Wales, lactating females have been captured in late November, and presumably give birth through November and December. A maternity roost containing up to 15 adults has been observed, adults appeared to leave young in creche and return to the roost regularly during the night.

Activity patterns. The Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat is nocturnal and has been seen emerging after dusk from tree-cavity roosts where it spends the day, and foraging below canopy height along dry creek beds. It flies in relatively loose circles around vegetation openings, making occasional rapid changes in direction in pursuit of prey, and moving every ten minutes or so to a new foraging area. The species roosts by day in tree hollows, often in dead wood with very small entrances, only slightly larger than the bat’s width (c. 13 mm diameter).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bats roost communally and have been observed roosting in groups of 4-34 individuals. They sometimes share roosts with the Little Broad-nosed Bat ( Scotorepens greyir ). Adult bats have been tracked flying up to 10 km per night between roost trees.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List (as Mormopterus eleryi ), because the number of mature individualsis estimated to be small (c.10,000 individuals), and populations are severely fragmented and subject to extreme fluctuations. Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bats appear to be rare, even at locations where they are well known; they typically comprise less than 2% of bats captured, and are absent from vast areas of apparently suitable habitat, despite survey efforts to find the species. The speciesis likely to be undergoing continuing decline due to habitat loss caused by widespread land clearing in the eastern part of its range, in Queensland and New South Wales.

Bibliography. Adams et al. (1988), Jackson & Groves (2015), Pennay (2006), Reardon & Pennay (2008), Rear don, Adams et al. (2008), Reardon, McKenzie et al. (2014), Woinarski et al. (2014).

Figures

On following pages: 105. Roberts's Flat-headed Bat (Sauromys petrophilus); 106. Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis); 107. European Free-tailed Bat (7adarida teniotis); 108. Egyptian Free-tailed Bat (7adarida aegyptiaca); 109. Kenyan Big-eared Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida lobata); 110. African Giant Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida ventralis); 111. Malagasy Free-tailed Bat (7adarida fulminans); 112. East Asian Free-tailed Bat (7adarida insignis); 113. La Touche's Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida latouchei); 114. New Guinea Free-tailed Bat (Austronomus kuboriensis); 115. White-striped Free-tailed Bat (Austronomus australis); 116. East Coast Free-tailed Bat (Micronomus norfolkensis); 117. Beccari's Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops beccaril); 118. Northern Coastal Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops cobourgianus); 119. Cape York Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops hall); 120. South-western Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops kitchener); 121. Loria’s Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops loriae); 122. Lumsden'’s Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops lumsdenae); 123. Inland Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops petersi); 124. Southern Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops planiceps); 125. Ride's Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops ride); 126. Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat (Setirostris eleryi).

“ 1.1 km ESE of Eringa, South Australia 26.29184°S 134.739030°E [ Australia ], approximate elevation 240m.” Setirostris eleryi was informally separated as a distinct taxon from Micronomus norfolken-sis by M. Adams and colleagues in 1988. It was known as “ Mormopterus species 6 ” until 2008. Recognized as sole member of Setirostris , newly proposed as a subgenus of Mormopterus by T. B. Reardon and colleagues in 2014, and elevated to genus level by S. M.Jackson and C. P. Groves in 2015. Monotypic. Distribution. Sparse and patchy distribution in arid and semiarid regions of Australia , extending E from C Australia to Great Dividing Range in Queensland and N New South Wales.