Miniopterus griffithsi, Goodman, Maminirina, Bradman, Christidis & Appleton, 2010

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Miniopteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 674-709 : 709

38.

Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus griffithsi

French: Minioptére de Griffiths / German: Griffiths-Landfligelfledermaus / Spanish: Miniéptero de Griffiths

Other common names: Griffiths’'s Bent-winged Bat

Taxonomy. Miniopterus griffithst Goodman et al., 2010 ,

“ Madagascar: Province de Toliara, Grotte d’Androimpano, 4.2 km NE Itampolo (village), on old road to Ejeda , 24°39.012°S, 45°57.797°E, at 110 m above sea-level.”

Miniopterus griffithsi was formerly included in M. glen: and now considered as its sister species. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Madagascar, known only from three localities in the former Toliara Province S of the Onilahy River.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.65-68 mm, tail 54-63 mm, ear 13-14 mm, hindfoot 8 mm, forearm 48-50 mm; weight 12-15-5 g. Griffiths’s Long-fingered Batis large, being among the largest species of Miniopterus in Madagascar together with Glen’s Long-fingered Bat (M. glen?) Anterior part of dorsum is distinctly lighter brown than middle and posterior parts that approach medium brown. Ventrum is a mix of predominantly lighter brown (particularly toward wing membrane), with interspersed medium brown fur. Wing membrane and uropatagium are dark brown, with notable light spotting on uropatagium. Tragusis relatively long, consistently 8 mm in type series, and thickset, with distinct flange on distal one-half of external surface and slightly tapered downward deflection on inner edge; distal end is not particularly rounded, giving a slightly squarish terminal edge.

Habitat. Presumably open habitats or close to forest edges at elevations below 110 m. It is unclear if Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat is at least partially forest dependent.

Food and Feeding. Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat is expected to feed mainly on soft insects captured in flight as do other long-fingered bats.

Breeding. A male Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat captured in late February had scrotal testes. A single female captured in late February had no signs of reproduction.

Activity patterns. Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat is nocturnal. Two individuals, caught in May at start of the long dry season, had considerable subcutaneous fat and weighed 15-5 g and 16-5 g. Accumulation offat deposits is presumably an adaptation to survive long dry seasons when food resources are reduced and with probably associated daily torpors. All known individuals were captured in caves or their surroundings. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals, with maximum frequencies of 61-99 kHz, minimum frequency of 40 kHz, peak frequencies of 43-5—45-3 kHz, durations of 2-9-3-6 milliseconds, and intervals of 56-4—128-5 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. All localities where Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat was found have degraded habitats by human activities such forest logging for charcoal production or livestock (goats and sheep) grazing.

Bibliography. Goodman (2017f), Goodman, Maminirina et al. (2010), Ramasindrazana et al. (2011).

Figures

18. Villiers’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus villiersi), 19. Greater Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus inflatus), 20. Newton's Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus newtoni), 21. Least Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus minor), 22. Sandy Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus arenarius), 23. African Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus africanus), 24. Natal Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus natalensis), 25. Mozambican Long-fingered Bat (Muniopterus mossambicus), 26. Lesser Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus fraterculus), 27. Aellen’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus aelleni), 28. Griveaud’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus griveaudi), 29. Glen’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus gleni), 30. Madagascar Long-fingered Bat (Manaopterus brachytragos), 31. Montagne d’Ambre Long-fingered Bat (Minaiopterus ambohitrenss), 32. Major’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus majori), 33. Eger’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus egent), 34. Manavil Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus manai), 35. Sororcula Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus sororculus), 36. Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus petersoni), 37. Mahafaly Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus mahafaliensis), 38. Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus griffiths)

Distribution. S Madagascar , known only from three localities in the former Toliara Province S of the Onilahy River.