Myotis fimbriatus (Peters, 1871)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Vespertilionidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 716-981 : 974

477.

Fringed Long-footed Myotis

Myotis fimbriatus

French: Murin de Swinhoe / German: Haarige Wasserfledermaus / Spanish: Ratonero de Swinhoe

Other common names: Hairy-legged Myotis

Taxonomy. Vespertilio fimbriatus Peters in Swinhoe, 1871,

“Amoy,” Fujian, China.

Subgenus Myotis ; macrodactylus species group. See M. petax . Specimens from Yunnan did not cluster with the rest of M. fimbriatus (being sister to M. pilosus and true M. fimbriatus ) but are similar in general morphology, except for their larger size. These specimens likely represent an undescribed species (M. cf. fimbriatus ), although further studies are needed, and these populations are tentatively included here. Myotis taiwanensis was recently recognized as a distinct species, but later studies found it to be a subspecies of M. fimbriatus . ‘Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution. M.f.fimbriatusPeters,1871—E&SEChina(Shandong,Jiangsu,Anhui,Zhejiang,Jiangxi,Fujian,andGuangdong).

M. f. taiwanensis Arnback-Christie-Linde, 1908 — Taiwan.

Specimens from Yunnan, SC China and possibly specimens from Sichuan and Guizhou represent an undescribed species.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 35- 7-52 mm,tail 33- 2-48 mm, hindfoot 8-12- 4 mm, ear 10:6-17- 2 mm, forearm 37-42- 7 mm. Dorsal pelage of the Fringed Long-footed Myotis is grayish brown; venteris taupe or off-white, becoming almost pure white toward anal region; hairs have dark slate-gray bases and much lighter tips. Ears are relatively long; tragus is nearly parallel, long, and pointed, reaching one-half the ear length. Wings attach to ankle or base of metatarsus; calcar is very long and unkeeled, extending four-fifths the rear margin of uropatagium. Feet are large, and uropatagium has fringe of comb-shaped hairs along its rear border. Skull has inflated, globose braincase (especially subspecies taiwanensis ); C' is robust and taller than P* P? is small and in tooth row orslightly leaning inward; C, is weaker but still taller than P; and lower molars are strong, with high cusps, and are all myotodont. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FNa = 50 (Guizhou, Henan, and Taiwan).

Habitat. Lowland and montane forest habitats, generally near water.

Food and Feeding. The Fringed Long-footed Myotis forages by catching insects above the water surface and in open grasslands and farmlands. It flies slowly and is maneuverable. It feeds mostly on Diptera by aerial hawking but also occasionally gleans prey off surfaces.

Breeding. Newborn Fringed Long-footed Myotis have been reported in November— June in Taiwan, suggesting a very long breeding season.

Activity patterns. Fringed Long-footed Myotis primarily roost in caves. Calls are steep FM sweeps, with frequencies of 29-93 kHz on first harmonic and 70-122 kHz on second harmonic and mean duration of 10-6 milliseconds recorded in China.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Fringed Long-footed Myotis roost in large colonies; maternity colonies can be up to 1000 individuals in Taiwan.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Findley (1972), Han Naijian et al. (2010), Lin Liangkong, Motokawa & Harada (2002a), Liu Ying et al. (2003), Niu Hongxing, Yu Yan & Wang Yanmei (2007), Ruedi, Csorba et al. (2015), Ruedi, Stadelmann et al. (2013), Smith & Xie Yan (2008), Smith, Johnston, Jones & Rossiter (2008g), Wang Hui et al. (2009), Zhang Zhenzhen et al. (2009).

Figures

475. Russian Myotis (Myotis petax), 476. Big-footed Myotis (Myotis macrodactylus), 477. Fringed Long-footed Myotis (Myotis fimbriatus), 478. Ricketts Big-footed Myotis (Myotis pilosus), 479. Mandelli’s Myotis (Myotis sicarius), 480. Bechstein’s Myotis (Myotis bechsteinii), 481. Long-tailed Myotis (Myotis longicaudatus), 482. Daubenton’s Myotis (Myotis daubentonii), 483. Reddish Myotis (Myotis soror), 484. Fraternal Myotis (Myotis frater), 485. Bokhara Myotis (Myotis bucharensis), 486. Lesser Myotis (Myotis blythii), 487. Greater Myotis (Myotis myotis), 488. Maghreb Myotis (Myotis punicus), 489. Natterer’s Myotis (Myotis nattereri), 490. Cryptic Myotis (Myotis crypticus), 491. Schaub’s Myotis (Myotis schaubi), 492. Escalera’s Myotis (Myotis escalerar), 493. Zenati Myotis (Myotis zenatius), 494. Peking Myotis (Myotis pequinius), 495. Far Eastern Myotis (Myotis bombinus), 496. Large Myotis (Myotis chinensis)

Subspecies and Distribution. M.f.fimbriatusPeters,1871—E&SEChina(Shandong,Jiangsu,Anhui,Zhejiang,Jiangxi,Fujian,andGuangdong). M. f. taiwanensis Arnback-Christie-Linde, 1908 — Taiwan . Specimens from Yunnan, SC China and possibly specimens from Sichuan and Guizhou represent an undescribed species.