Tylonycteris robustula Thomas, 1915

Voon-Ching Lim, Rosli Ramli, Subha Bhassu & John-James Wilson, 2017, A checklist of the bats of Peninsular Malaysia and progress towards a DNA barcode reference library, PLoS ONE 12 (7), pp. 1-65 : 51

Tylonycteris robustula Thomas, 1915

Tylonycteris robustula Thomas, 1915: 227 ; Upper Sarawak, Borneo, MALAYSIA (Cecil J. Brooks, collector; BM(NH) 1911.1.18.8) [ 211].

Tylonycteris malayana Chasen, 1940: 52 ; Jor , Batang Padang Dist., Perak, MALAYSIA (Frederick N. Chasen, collector; BM(NH) 47.1433) [ 8].

Tylonycteris robustula malayana [ 98].

Common English name: Greater Bamboo Bat

Barcode Index Number: DNA barcodes recorded as T. robustula are associated with three BINs, BOLD:AAB3205, BOLD:AAB3206 and BOLD: AAC 1210, but there are no DNA barcodes from Peninsular Malaysia (S9 Fig).

IUCN status: Least Concern

Remarks: The BIN, BOLD:AAC1210 contains a single DNA barcode of T. robustula (ABBSI217-10) and seven DNA barcodes of T. pachypus . We suspect the DNA barcode, ABBSI217-10 is a case of mis-identification as T. pachypus and T. robustula are differ in body size and coloration. Simmons [ 98] recognised two subspecies under T. robustula : T. r. robustula (type locality: Borneo) and T. r. malayana (type locality: Peninsular Malaysia).

Recorded at: Pahang: Krau Wildlife Reserve [ 11, 41], Tasik Chini [ 43], Tasik Bera Forest Reserve and Fraser Hill Forest Reserve [ 56]; Selangor: Ulu Gombak [ 23, 52, 53, 54], Bukit Lanjan [ 40], Bukit Kutu Wildlife Reserve [ 51], Air Hitam Forest Reserve [ 55], Semangkok Forest Reserve [ 101]; Perak: Temengor Forest Reserve [ 46, 47], Royal Belum State Park [ 66]; Kedah: Ulu Muda Forest Reserve [ 57]; Kelantan: Gunung Reng [ 62], Gunung Stong State Park, [ 67].

T. robustula roosts in internodes of large, often dead bamboo stems by entering the internodes through slits made by chrysomelid beetles and has been reported roosting in small harem groups, with one adult male and up to six females in one group [ 11, 14, 23]. Solitary males have also been reported [ 23].