Coleura kibomalandy, Goodman et al., 2012

Bonaccorso, Frank, 2019, Emballonuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 350-373 : 363

31 . Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat

Coleura kibomalandy

French: Emballonure à ventre blanc / German: Madagaskar-Freischwanzfledermaus / Spanish: Embalonuro de Madagascar

Taxonomy. Coleura kibomalandy Goodman et aL, 2012,

“ Madagascar: Province d’Antsiranana, Parc National d’Ankarana, 2.2 km ESE d’Amboandriky, Grotte d’Ambatoharanana (Crocodile Cave) , 12.9883°S, 49.0217°E, 20 m asl.”

This representative of Coleura was first found on Madagascar in 2004 and originally identified as C. afra by S. M. Goodman and colleagues in 2008. On the basis of new specimens and morphological and molecular data, the Madagascar population was shown to be distinct from C. afra and described as a new endemic species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to NW Madagascar, known only from Ankarana Special Reserve and Tsingy de Namoroka National Park.

Descriptive notes. Head—body c.63— 64 mm, tail 11-18 mm, ear 12-18 mm, hindfoot 6-9 mm, forearm 48-52 mm; weight 8-4—12-5 g. Long, shaggy dorsal fur of the Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat is blackish brown. Venter is grayish cream to pure white, often with underfur having gray bases. Wing membranes are light to medium brown, often with relatively large translucent patches. As with other species of Coleura , Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bats completely lack radio-metacarpal and gular throat pouches.

Habitat. Dry deciduous forests on lowland limestone karst at known elevations of 15—115 m.

Food and Feeding. The Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat forages for insects in open areas or close to forest edges.

Breeding. Female Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bats produce one young perhaps twice a year, as suggested by synchronous lactation in females at Ankarana in early July and late-term pregnancy in November. Adult males in this population had enlarged testes with convoluted epididymides at start of the rainy season in early November.

Activity patterns. The Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat is crepuscular. Limestone caves including those with running water are shelters for roosting by day. It produces LDC echolocation calls, with prominent QCF componentwhere most energy is concentrated in narrow frequency band of second harmonic and small FM portion. Echolocation search calls consist of sound pulse sequences, with first harmonic peak frequencies of 30-6-35-9 kHz, narrow bandwidth, and short durations of 2-5-5-3 milliseconds. Thus, search calls are designed for detection of flying insects at relatively long distances.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bats are gregarious, with colonies up to 500 individuals in Grotte d’Ambatoharanana in Ankarana National Park.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. Current known distribution of the Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat is within two national parks: Ankarana and Tsingy de Namoroka. Threats and population trends are unknown, and strict protection of known roosts is essential. Although extensive bat surveys have been conducted in the region without finding additional roosts outside the two parks, vast areas of limestone karst remain largely unstudied in western Madagascar where additional local populations might be found in the future.

Bibliography. Goodman (2017a), Goodman & Ramasindrazana (2013), Goodman, Cardiff & Ratrimomanarivo (2008), Goodman, Puechmaille, Hizem eta/. (2012).

Figures

On following pages: 22. New Guinea Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura furati); 23. Beccari's Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura beccarti); 24. Large-eared Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura dianae); 25. Seri'sSheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura sertii); 26. Pacific Sheath-tailed Bat (Emballonura semicaudata); 27. Western Sheath-tailed Bat (Paremballonura tiavato); 28. Peters's Sheath-tailed Bat (Paremballonura atrata); 29. African Sheath-tailed Bat (Coleura afra); 30. Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat (Coleura seychellensis); 31. Madagascar Sheath-tailed Bat (Coleura kibomalandy); 32. Dark Sheath-tailed Bat (Mosia nigrescens); 33. Chestnut Sac-winged Bat (Cormura brevirostris); 34. Gray Sac-winged Bat (Balantiopteryx plicata); 35. Thomas's Sac-winged Bat (Balantiopteryx io); 36. Ecuadorian Sac-winged Bat (Balantiopteryx infusca).

Distribution. Endemic to NW Madagascar, known only from Ankarana Special Reserve and Tsingy de Namoroka National Park.