Myzopoda schliemanni, Goodman, Rakotondraparany & Kofoky, 2007

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Myzopodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 388-393 : 393

1.

Western Sucker-footed Bat

Myzopoda schliemanni

French: Myzopode de Schliemann / German: Schliemann-Haftscheibenfledermaus / Spanish: Mizopoda de Schliemann

Other common names: Schliemann's Suckerfooted Bat

Taxonomy. Myzopoda schliemanni Goodman, Rakotondraparany & Kofoky, 2007 ,

“Province de Mahajanga [Parc National d’Ankarafantsika], SF [Station Forestiere] d’Ampijoroa , Jardin Botanique A , 16°19.4’S, 46°48.4’E, 160 m,” Madagascar.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. NW Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Total length 92-107 mm, tail 44-47 mm, ear 30-32 mm, hindfoot (without claw) 5-6 mm, forearm 45-49 mm; weight 7-8-10-3 g. The Western Sucker-footed Bat is characterized by sucker-like structures on wrists and ankles. Dorsal fur is slightly long, uniformlylight brown, and unicolored; venter is mouse-gray. Wings and interfemoral membrane are dark brown. Ears are notably long and pointed, with odd-shaped mushroom-likestructure at bases. Tail protrudes beyond hind margin oftail membrane. Upper lips extend beyond limit of mandible and areflexible.

Habitat. Lowland dry deciduous forests, often heavily degraded with remnant vegetation and stands of Bismarck palms ( Bismarckia nobilis, Arecaceae ), foraging in open grasslands, particularly zones with marshland and open water, fromsealevel to ¢. 200 m.

Food and Feeding. Feces from 18 Western Sucker-footed Bats contained 65% Lepidoptera, 23% Coleoptera, and 11% Hymenoptera; no evidence of Hemiptera and Homoptera were found, and females tended to eat more lepidopterans than males. Another study foundthat Blattodea was widely consumed.

Breeding. During transition between dry and wet seasons in late October to mid-December, more than 50%offemale Western Sucker-footed Bats captured were pregnant.

Activity patterns. Western Sucker-footed Bats are nocturnal. Vast majority of known roost sites of Western Sucker-footed Bats are in furled fronds of Bismarck palms, although it roosted on the wall of a limestone cave on one occasion. They emit distinct complex FM echolocationcalls that have four elements with decreasing frequency and maximum energy at ¢.46-5 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Radio-tagged Western Suckerfooted Bats regularly changed their day roost sites. No sexual segregation based on knownsites forthis species is documented, and both sexes are represented at a given locality. Dayroost sites in Bismarck palms contained 1-32 individuals, and these roosting groups included breeding/maternity colonies of pregnant or lactating females or male bachelor colonies that group together during austral winter.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Because the Western Suckerfooted Bat can be common in secondary habitats with stands of Bismarck palms, it seems adaptable to human degradation of natural dry deciduous forest formations.

Bibliography. Goodman (2011), Goodman, Rakotondraparany & Kofoky (2007), Kofoky (2009), Kofoky et al. (2006), Rajemison & Goodman (2007), Rakotoarivelo & Randrianandrianina (2007).

Figures

Plate 29 Species Accounts

Distribution. NW Madagascar .