Scotophilus robustus, Milne-Edwards, 1881

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

278.

Robust Yellow Bat

Scotophilus robustus

French: Scotophile robuste / German: Robuste Hausfledermaus / Spanish: Scotofilo robusto

Taxonomy. Scotophilus robustus Milne-Edwards, 1881 ,

Madagascar .

Based on multivariate analyses of forearm and cranial measurements, S. robustus is distinct from dinganii and borbonicus . Monotypic.

Distribution. Endemic to Madagascar.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.93 98 mm, tail 55-70 mm, ear 17-20 mm, hindfoot 10-13 mm, forearm 62-65 mm; weight ¢.40- 5—49 g. Dorsum and venter are medium brown. Baculum is flat and triangular, with distinct indentation to proximal margin. Skull is large (greatest skull lengths 24-2-25- 6 mm) for Scotophilus , but rostrum is comparatively short; sagittal crest is well developed; occipital helmet is present; and profile of skull mostly slopes from front to back, with very shallow concavity in forehead region. I? is unicuspid; M' and M? have concave surfaces and indistinct ridges and appear worn; and M” is very short and has two ridges.

Habitat. All distinct biomes of Madagascar, except spiny bush and apparently humanoccupied habitats, from sea levelto elevations up to c¢. 1400 m.

Food and Feeding. Coleoptera , Lepidoptera, Homoptera , and Blattodea were found in feces of two individuals. Coleoptera comprised ¢.68% of diet by volume, but sampling in the feeding area showed that only 3% of available prey was Coleoptera , suggesting that the Robust Yellow Bat is a coleopteran specialist. Feces of three bats contained Araneae , Coleoptera , Diptera, Homoptera , Hymenoptera , Lepidoptera , and Orthoptera .

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Calls of Robust Yellow Bats were characterized by broadband steep FM,followed by QCF at LDC. Fundamental call was always most intense, with peak energy of 38-1 kHz.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Ectoparasites of Robust Yellow Bats included Basilia nov. sp. ( Diptera , Nycteribiidae ) and Basilia (Paracyclopodia) sp., the latter infected by Bartonella and Enterobacteriales.

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

Bibliography. Duron et al. (2014), Hayman & Hill (1971), Kofoky et al. (2009), Rakotondramanana etal. (2015), Rasoanoro et al. (2015), Robbins et al. (1985), Wilkinson et al. (2016).

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. Endemic to Madagascar .