Miniopterus magnater, Sanborn, 1931

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Miniopteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 674-709 : 693-694

2.

Large Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus magnater

French: Grand Minioptere / German: Malaiische Langfligelfledermaus / Spanish: Miniéptero grande

Other common names: Large Bent-winged Bat, Western Bent-winged Bat, Western Long-fingered Bat

Taxonomy. Miniopterus schreibersii magnater Sanborn, 1931 ,

“Marienberg, forty miles up the Sepik River, Territory of New Guinea,” Papua New Guinea .

Miniopterus magnater is somewhat larger than species in the schreibersii complex, and preliminary genetic studies have confirmed that it is well differentiated from other Asian forms previously included in that complex, but they also seem to indicate that populations assigned to M. magnater from South-east Asia are very different from those in New Guinea. Detailed genetic study is necessary to clarify taxonomyin this lineage. Monotypic.

Distribution. NE India (Meghalaya), S China (including Hong Kong and Hainan I), most of mainland SE Asia, Sunda Is (Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Nusa Penida, and Timor), and C Moluccas (Seram and Ambon Is) to New Guinea; it may occur in Bangladesh.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 58-75 mm, tail 52-64 mm, ear 11-17 mm, hindfoot 9-13 mm, forearm 48-54 mm; weight 11-3-21-3 g. Pelage of the Large Long-fingered Bat 1s thick, soft, almost uniform black to dark brown, and unicolored on dorsum; hairs on chest have pale tips becoming uniform pale gray-brown on abdomen. Pelage occasionally has reddish patches or is even completely reddish. Ears are small, and tragus is short (5-7 mm), blunt, and curved slightly forward. All exposed skin including membranesis black-brown to black. Diploid numberis 2n = 46 (Sabah, Borneo).

Habitat. Major habitats include human settlements; open land; disturbed secondary woodlands with bamboo; cocoa, coffee, and banana plantations; and pristine forests from sea level to elevations of ¢. 1500 m in Borneo and ¢. 2100 m in New Guinea.

Food and Feeding. The Large Long-fingered Bat generally forages on insects captured in flight above canopies and also low over streams and small water bodies. It forages for insects around streetlights. No details on diet are available.

Breeding. In New Guinea, ten female Large Long-fingered Bats captured in July were reproductively inactive, but six females captured in mid-August each carried one halfdeveloped fetus.

Activity patterns. The Large Long-fingered Bat is thought to be mainly nocturnal. It is cave dwelling. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals. Mean call characteristics in Thailand are start frequency 85-3 kHz, end frequency 42-3 kHz, peak frequency 47-4 kHz, duration 4-3 milliseconds, and interval 65-2 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Colonies in caves usually have a few hundred individuals but can reach up to several thousand. Large Long-fingered Bats usually share roosts with other cave-dwelling bats (Taphozous, Hipposideros, Rhinolophus, Miniopterus , etc.).

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

Bibliography. Akmali et al. (2015), Bates et al. (2000), Blood & McFarlane (1988), Bonaccorso (1998), Bonaccorso & Reardon (2008d), Borisenko & Kruskop (2003), Bumrungsri et al. (2006), Corbet & Hill (1992), Francis (2008), Francis et al. (2010), Harada & Kobayashi (1980), Hendrichsen, Bates, Hayes & Walston (2001), Huang, J.C.C. et al. (2014), Hughes et al. (2011), Li Shi et al. (2015), Maeda (1982), Payne et al. (2007), Phillipps & Phillipps (2016), Robinson & Smith (1997), Saikia (2018), Sanborn (1931), Srinivasulu, C. et al. (2010), Suyanto & Struebig (2007).

Figures

1. Asian Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus), 2. Large Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus magnater), 3. Small Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus pusillus), 4. Intermediate Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus meduius), 5. Ryukyu Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus fuscus), 6. Eschscholtz’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus eschscholtzii), 7. Philippine Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus paululus), 8. Great Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus tristis), 9. Shortridge’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus shortridgei), 10. Javanese Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus blepotis), 11. Little Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus australis), 12. Small Melanesian Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus macrocneme), 13. Loyalty Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus robustior), 14. Australian Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus orianae), 15. Pallid Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus pallidus), 16. Schreibers’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus schreibersu), 17. Neghrohion Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus maghrebensis)

Distribution. NE India (Meghalaya), S China (including Hong Kong and Hainan I), most of mainland SE Asia, Sunda Is (Sumatra, Borneo, Java, Nusa Penida, and Timor), and C Moluccas (Seram and Ambon Is) to New Guinea ; it may occur in Bangladesh .