Arielulus societatis [Hill, 1972]

Pipistrellus societatis Hill, 1972: 34; Base Camp, Gunong Benom, Pahang, MALAYSIA, 3˚ 51’N, 102˚11’E, 800ft (Boo-Liat Lim and Hoi-Sen Yong, collector; BM(NH) 1967.1605) [140].

Arielulus societatis [98].

Common English name: Benom Gilded Pipistrelle

Barcode Index Number: There are no DNA barcodes recorded under this name on BOLD.

Remarks: The species closely resembles Arielulus circumdatus Temminck, 1840 but has smaller forearms, post-palatal extension, toothrows and rostrum [140]. Heller and Volleth [53] considered A. societatis and A. circumdatus to be conspecific with the former being the lowland subspecies of the latter but this was refuted by Hill and Francis [173] on the basis of morphological characteristics (see remarks on the genus Arielulus). Both are recognised as distinct species by Simmons [98].

IUCN status: Vulnerable

Recorded at: Selangor: Ulu Gombak [53]; Pahang: Fraser Hill Forest Reserve [56], Gunong Benom [140].

A. societatis has been recorded in primary lowland and hill forests, and secondary forests, and found roosting in a hole of a tree trunk beside a forest stream [11, 14].