Submyotodon latirostris (Kishida, 1932)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Vespertilionidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 716-981 : 923-924

367.

Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bat

Submyotodon latirostris

French: Murin de Kishida / German: Taiwan-Breitmaulfledermaus / Spanish: Ratonero de Taiwan

Other common names: Broad-muzzled Bat, Taiwan Broad-muzzled Myotis

Taxonomy. Myotis latirostris Kishida, 1932 ,

central Taiwan.

Submyotodon was originally described based on fossil material. After comparing molars of the extinct type species, S. petersbuchensis, and S. latirostris (then included under Myotis muricola as a subspecies), S. latirostris and two taxa previously considered subspecies of M. muricola ( caliginosus and moupinensis ) were moved to Submyotodon . The genus issister to the rest of Myotinae , except for Fudiscopus (somewhat tentatively in Myotinae ). Relationships among S. latirostris , S. caliginosus , and S. moupinensis have not yet been thoroughly examined. Monotypic.

Distribution. Taiwan I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 35-40- 5 mm, tail 31-3-40- 2 mm, ear 9-5-14- 2 mm, hindfoot 5-7- 4 mm, forearm 31- 7-35 mm. The Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bat is similar to the Nepalese Whiskered Myotis ( M. muricola ). Its pelage is long and shaggy. Dorsal hairs are dark slate-brown, with lighter brown tips; venter is also dark brown but with lighter, golden-tipped hairs (particularly long in posterior region). Face is dark and comparatively hairy, with bare flesh-colored skin around eyes. Ears are long and pointed, with distinctive sharp notch near rear edge of concha (unique to Submyotodon relative to Myotis ); tragus is relatively short and bent forward, with spatulated tip and parallel-sided base. Membranes are dark and sparsely covered in hair ventrally and close to body but with short whitish hairs near tibia on uropatagium. Wings are attached to bases of outer toes; uropatagium attaches to calcar that has keeled lobe and extends along one-half the hind edge of uropatagium. Penisis short and slightly club-shaped. Skull is delicate and smooth, with no visible crests; rostrum is elongated, relegating foramen lacrimal to level offirst molars rather than premolars as in Myotis ; zygomatic arches are thin; tooth row has clear diastema between second incisor and canine; premolars are not crowded and all visible in lateral view; there are three upper and lower premolars and well-developed paraconule to P* C! is relatively large and conspicuously taller than P* C, is weaker and onlyslightly taller than P,; lower molars are highly distinctive compared to Myotis (in which nearly all have all myotodont molars with one group of species having all nyctalodont molars) because M, and M, are nyctalodont and M, is uniquely submyotodont. Dental formula for all species of Submyotodon is12/3,C1/1,P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 38

Habitat. Commonly broadleaf and mixed coniferous forests and urban areas at elevations of 1000-3000 m (marginally down to 200 m possibly only in winter).

Food and Feeding. Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bats are insectivorous.

Breeding. Births are mostly observed in May-June, depending on elevation. Lactating females were caught in April-June and males with enlarged testis in August— March.

Activity patterns. Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bats are nocturnal and active throughout the year. Maternity colonies occur in buildings, but natural day roosts are still uncertain.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List. The Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bat is often the most common species of bat caught in forests in its distribution. It does not seem to face any major threats.

Bibliography. Benda (2010a), Cheng Hsichi et al. (2017), Francis et al. (2010), Kruskop & Borisenko (2013), Lack et al. (2010), Ruedi & Mayer (2001), Ruedi, Csorba et al. (2015, 2017¢), Ruedi, Stadelmann et al. (2013), Stadelmann et al. (2007), Wiantoro et al. (2012), Zhang Zhenzhen et al. (2009).

Figures

366. Disk-footed Bat (Eudiscopus denticulus), 367. Taiwan Broad-muzzled Bat (Submyotodon latirostris), 368. HimalayanBroad-muzzled Bat (Submyotodon caliginosus), 369. Moupin Broad-muzzled Bat (Submyotodon moupinensis), 370. Northern Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis), 371. South-western Myotis (Myotis auriculus), 372. Western Small-footed Myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum), 373. Dark-nosed Small-footed Myotis (Myotis melanorhinus), 374. Eastern Small-footed Myotis (Myotis leibii), 375. California Myotis (Myotis californicus), 376. Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), 377. Keen’s Myotis (Myotis keenii), 378. Long-eared Myotis (Myotis evotis), 379. Fringed Myotis (Myotis thysanodes), 380. Arizona Myotis (Myotis occultus), 381. Long-legged Myotis (Myotis volans), 382. Flat-headed Myotis (Myotis planiceps), 383. Indiana Myotis (Myotis sodalis), 384. Cinnamon Myotis (Myotis fortidens), 385. Findley’s Myotis (Myotis findleyi), 386. Northern Hairy-legged Myotis (Myotis pilosatibialis), 387. Southern Hairy-legged Myotis (Myotis keaysi), 388. Red Myotis (Myotis ruber), 389. Riparian Myotis (Myotis riparius), 390. Velvety Myotis (Myotis simus), 391. Golden Myous (Myotis midastactus), 392. Elegant Myotis (Myotis elegans), 393. Fish-eating Myotis (Myotis vivesi)

Distribution. Taiwan I.