Scotophilus borbonicus (E. Geoffroy, 1803)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Vespertilionidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 716-981 : 888

279.

Lesser Yellow Bat

Scotophilus borbonicus

French: Scotophile de Bourbon / German: Kleine Hausfledermaus / Spanish: Scotofilo de la Isla de Reunion

Other common names: Lesser Yellow House Bat, Bourbon Bat

Taxonomy. Vespertilio borbonicus E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1803 ,

Ile Bourbon [= Réunion Island], Réunion.

See S. robustus . The name borbonicus is restricted to the Réunion Island form. Monotypic.

Distribution. Confirmed from Réunion I; in Madagascar, known only from a single specimen collected in the SW, butthis record cannot be confirmed; records from Mauritius are erroneous.

Descriptive notes. Forearm 51 mm (one specimen). The Lesser Yellow Bat is known from only one individual in very poor condition. Dorsum of the specimen is apparently reddish brown, and venteris whitish, which matches original description by E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1803.

Habitat. No information.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Some echolocation calls of two unidentified bats were recorded during fieldwork on Réunion. Signals of one call from “ Chiroptera spl” (QFC = 60 kHz and FM = 61 kHz) were very similar to those of Madagascan and African continental species of Scotophilus , suggesting that it might have been the Lesser Yellow Bat.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red Last.

Bibliography. ACR (2017), Barataud & Giosa (2013a), Dorst (1947), Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1803), Goodman, Jenkins & Ratrimomanarivo (2005), Jentink (1888), Hill (1980b), ICZN (2002b), Koopman (1986), Robbins et al. (1985), Simmons (2005).

Figures

269. Lesser Asiatic Yellow Bat (Scotophilus kuhlii), 270. Sody’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus collinus), 271. Greater Asiatic Yellow Bat (Scotophilus heathii), 272. Sulawesi Yellow Bat (Scotophilus celebensis), 273. Nut-colored Yellow Bat (Scotophilus nux), 274. Malagasy Yellow Bat (Scotophilus tandrefana), 275. Marovaza Yellow Bat (Scotophilus marovaza), 276. White-bellied Yellow Bat (Scotophilus leucogaster), 277. East African Yellow Bat (Scotophilus altilis), 278. Robust Yellow Bat (Scotophilus robustus), 279. Lesser Yellow Bat (Scotophilus borbonicus), 280. Eastern Greenish Yellow Bat (Scotophilus viridis), 281. Ejeta’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus ejetai), 282. Schreber’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus nigrita), 283. Robbins’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus nucella), 284. Andrew Rebori’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus andrewreborii), 285. Western Greenish Yellow Bat (Scotophilus nigritellus), 286. Livingstone’s Yellow Bat (Scotophilus livingstonii), 287. Trujillo's Yellow Bat (Scotophilus trujilloi), 288. African Yellow Bat (Scotophilus dinganii), 289. Eritrean Yellow Bat (Scotophilus colias), 290. North American Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis), 291. Cuban Evening Bat (Nycticeius cubanus), 292. Temminck’s Mysterious Bat (Nycticetus aenobarbus)

Distribution. Confirmed from Réunion I; in Madagascar , known only from a single specimen collected in the SW, butthis record cannot be confirmed; records from Mauritius are erroneous.