Lyroderma lyra (É.Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Megadermatidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 182-192 : 192

4.

Greater Asian False-vampire

Lyroderma lyra

French: Mégaderme lyre / German: Grolier Falscher Vampir / Spanish: Megaderma lyra

Other common names: Greater False Vampire, Greater False Vampire Bat, Indian False-vampire

Taxonomy. Megaderma lyra E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810 ,

“Indes [= India].”

Lyrodermais neuter, so widely used adjectival subspecific name sinensis has been changed for gender agreement. Several synonyms or subspecies of L. lyra have been proposed, but only two are currently considered valid, with Indian populations averaging slightly smaller than eastern populations.

Subspecies and Distribution.

L. l. lyra E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810 - extreme E Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, SW China (Tibet [= Xizang]), and W Myanmar; this subspecies may also occur in Bhutan.

L. l. sinense K. Andersen & Wroughton, 1907 — S China, S Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Peninsular Malaysia

Descriptive notes. Head—body 70-95 mm (tailless), ear 31-45 mm, hindfoot 14-20 mm, forearm 56-72 mm; weight 40-60 g. Females average slightly larger than males (c.4% in forearm length). The Greater Asian False-vampire has long oval ears that are joined over forehead for 30-50% oflength oftheir inner margins. Tragus is forked, with long tapered posterior branch and short bluntly pointed anterior fork. Posterior noseleaf is taller than wide and shapedlike a lyre, with convex sides and usually three blunt points on top. Thickened median ridge connects to small oval median noseleaf that is quite different from heart-shaped area in other Asian species of megadermatids. Anterior noseleat is relatively small and does not cover muzzle. Front of muzzle lacks fur, and lower jaw protrudes beyond upperjaw. Eyes are large and well developed. Wing and tail membranes are broad, and there is no visible external tail. Fur is generally dark gray to brownish gray above, paler gray underneath. Flight membranes and ears are dark gray, except for pinker bones and middle of ear. Noseleaf varies from pinkish to gray. Baculum consists of two short peg-like bones. Rostrum of skull slopes evenly from braincase without any frontal depression or shield and has small preorbital and postorbital processes. C' has small to medium anterolingual cusp; P? is minute and intruded; M' has greatly reduced mesostyle on lingualside; and coronoid process of mandible is equal in height or shorter than C,. Dental formula is I 0/2,C1/1,P2/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 28. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 54 and FN = 104.

Habitat. Variety of habitats including lowland rainforests and dry forests. In India, mainly lowlands, avoiding hilly areas, but in Pakistan,it occurs up to ¢. 950 m. It seemsto be fairly tolerant of disturbance and often occurs near human disturbed areas.

Food and Feeding. The Greater Asian False-vampire feeds on various prey including large insects (e.g. cockroaches, beetles, and termites) and small vertebrates (e.g. lizards, frogs, small fish, mice, birds, and other species of bats). Prey composition varies from mostly insects to mostly vertebrates in different seasons and regions, presumably depending on availability. Individuals typically hunt by flying low (0-5-1 m aboveground) and slow, while listening for sounds generated by prey. In some areas, they apparently hunt by searching for prey on cliffs or within caves. After capturing a prey item, bats return to a perch to eat it, although they also capture smaller prey that they consume on the wing.

Breeding. In India, mating peaks in November-December. Gestation is estimated at c.145 days, with most young born in March—-May. In some colonies, most births are highly synchronized, but in other colonies, they can be spread over a few months. At one site in central India, births in one year were spread from as early as January to as late as May. Typically, one young is born, but twins have been reported. Young are naked at birth and cling to their mothers, using the mouth to grasp one ofthe false nipples. In captive studies of growth, eyes start to open by three days of age, and pinnae are expanded byfive days. Fur starts to be visible by seven days, and it covers young by eleven days. Forearm reaches c.95% of full length at ¢.28 days old, at which time young arestarting to fly, although body weight continues to increase for another month. In the wild, females carry very small young with them while foraging. Larger young are left in diurnal roosts or carried to nocturnal foraging areas where they are left hanging from perches while mothers hunt. In both cases, females return frequently during the night to feed young. Females continue to suckle young for 60-75 days butstart feeding them prey as early as 30-40 days.

Activity patterns. The Greater Asian False-vampire remains in a diurnal roost during the day, becoming active at dusk. It spends the night foraging or hanging from a perch in the foraging area and returns to the diurnal roost at dawn. Natural daytime roosts are mainly caves; various human structures are also used. Most roostsites are not in total darkness, and they remain alert during the day. Echolocation calls consist of short (less than 2 milliseconds), low-intensity FM broadband pulses, with up to six harmonics. Frequency of second harmonic descends from c.54 kHz to ¢.38 kHz. In search-phase calls, most energy is in second and third harmonics; additional harmonics are emphasized while hovering over prey. During commuting flights, most energy is in the second harmonic and the fundamental.

Figures

1. Yellow-winged False-vampire (Lavia frons), 2. Heart-nosed False-vampire (Cardioderma cor), 3. Lesser Asian False-vampire (Megaderma spasma), 4. Greater Asian False-vampire (Lyroderma lyra)

Subspecies and Distribution. L. l. lyra E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810 - extreme E Afghanistan , Pakistan , India , Sri Lanka , Nepal , Bangladesh , SW China (Tibet [= Xizang]), and W Myanmar ; this subspecies may also occur in Bhutan . L. l. sinense K. Andersen & Wroughton, 1907 — S China , S Myanmar , Thailand , Laos , Vietnam , Cambodia , and Peninsular Malaysia