Mops sarasinorum (A. B. Meyer, 1899)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Molossidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 598-672 : 657

93.

Sulawesian Free-tailed Bat

Mops sarasinorum

French: Tadaride des Célébes / German: Sulawesi-Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Mops de Célebes

Other common names: Sulawesi Free-tailed Bat

Taxonomy. Nyctinomus sarasinorum A. B. Meyer, 1899 ,

“Batulappa, nordlich vom See von Tempe [= north of Lake Tempe], SW Central Celébes [= Sulawesi],” Indonesia.

Mops sarasinorum may be conspecific with M. mops . Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

M.s.sarasinorumA.B.Meyer,1899—SulawesiandadjacentIs(Peleng,Buton).

M. s. lane: E. H. Taylor, 1934 — Palawan and Mindanao Is, Philippines.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 67-72 mm, tail 30-38 mm, ear 18-23 mm, hindfoot 11-13 mm, forearm 37-5—-45 mm; weight 16-35 g. Furis short and dark brown to chestnut dorsally, and slightly paler ventrally. Head is broad, and large ears are joined over nose by a band of thick skin; this band can be everted and has a tuft of hairs on the underside. Ears open laterally but project anteriorly, and posterior margin of ear has several deep folds. Lips are much wrinkled, and nose projects far over lower jaw presenting an “overbite.”

Habitat. Probably found in lowland forest; known from mixed forest and agricultural areas.

Food and Feeding. Like all molossids, the Sulawesian Free-tailed Bat is an aerial insectivore, adapted to foraging in open spaces over forests, agricultural fields, and rivers. On Buton Island, off south-eastern Sulawesi, it was regularly captured in mist nets while foraging over a slow-moving tidal river. Skull morphology suggests it can eat hard-bodied prey, e.g. beetles.

Breeding. On Buton Island, lactating females were captured in July-August.

Activity patterns. Individuals foraging over water on Buton Island were captured within the first 1-2 hours after dusk. Echolocation calls are low-frequency narrowband, in which an initial shallow FM sweep leads to a longer QCF component. Duration is 4-16 milliseconds, and frequency of maximum energy is 20-24 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Sulawesian Free-tailed Bat has a heavy body and long narrow wings, generating a high wing loading and aspect ratio typical of bats that forage in open spaces. These parameters facilitate fast efficient flight, and it is likely that the species forages several kilometers from roosts. Nothing is known of social organization, although the species is probably gregarious, and the tuft of hairs on the reverse of the interaural band may serve a role in olfactory social communication.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Sulawesian Free-tailed Bat is likely to be threatened by deforestation, mining, and encroachment of industrial development.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Freeman (1981), Heaney et al. (2010), Rosell-Ambal et al. (2016).

Figures

14. Bonda Mastiff Bat (Molossus currentium), 15. Fenton’s Masuft Bat (Molossus fentoni), 17. Pallas’s Mastiff Bat (Molossus molossus), 18. Miller’s Mastiff Bat (Molossus pretiosus), 19. Black Mastiff Bat (Molossus rufus)

Subspecies and Distribution. M.s.sarasinorumA.B.Meyer,1899—SulawesiandadjacentIs(Peleng,Buton). M. s. lane: E. H. Taylor, 1934 — Palawan and Mindanao Is, Philippines .