Ozimops beccarii, Peters, 1881

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Molossidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 598-672 : 669

119.

Beccari’s Free-tailed Bat

Ozimops beccarii

French: Tadaride de Beccari / German: Beccari-Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago rabudo de Beccari

Other common names: Beccari's Mastiff Bat

Taxonomy. Mormopterus beccarii Peters, 1881 ,

“ Amboina [= Ambon, Indonesia].”

Ozimops beccarii was recently redefined by T. B. Reardon and colleagues in 2014, who included it in the new subgenus Ozimops , subsequently elevated to genus level by S. M. Jackson and C. P. Groves in 2015. Populations of Australia formerly included in O. beccarii are now treated as O. lumsdenae . Internal taxonomy is uncertain, and considerable morphological variation apparent in museum specimens supposedly of this species suggests it may actually be a species complex that includes cryptic species. Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

O.b.beccariiPeters,1881—Moluccas(Hal-mahera,Seram,andAmbonIs)andSENewGuinea.

O. b. astrolabiensis A. B. Meyer, 1899 — NE New Guinea (including Kairiru and Kadovar Is) and Bismarck Archipelago (Mussau and New Britain Is).

Also present in D’Entrecasteaux Is (Fergusson), but race involved is not known.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 54-66 mm, tail 27-38 mm, ear 11-18 mm, hindfoot 7-10 mm, forearm 33-36 mm; weight 13-17 g. Fur is short and velvety, varying from pale gray to dark red brown, paler on underside. Ears are triangular with smooth margins. Eye is relatively large. Wings are long, narrow, and tapered. Skin on wings, ears, face, and flight membranesis blackish brown. Dental formula for all members of the genusisl 1/2, C1/1,P 2/2. M 3/3 (»2) = 30.

Habitat. Associated with a wide range of lowland habitats from sea level up to ¢. 300 m in elevation, including rivers, mangroves, Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) wetlands, rainforest, and villages.

Food and Feeding. Beccari’s Free-tailed Bats forage for food over water, in open areas or above the forest canopy. Flight is direct and fast, with limited maneuverability.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Beccari’s Free-tailed Bats have mostly been reported roosting in hollow trees, but there are also records of roosts in houses and a cave. Echolocation call is low (22-27 kHz).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. In 2011, T. Leary and M. Pennay found a Beccari’s Free-tailed Bat roost in a tree hollow at Akwam in south-western Papua New Guinea. The roost contained at least nine individuals of both sexes. Social calls may be audible to humans.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as Mormopterus beccarii ), because its range is extensive and its preferred habitat types are widespread. Despite a lack of population information,it is inferred that Beccari’s Freetailed Bat is widespread and not facing major threats across its distribution.

Bibliography. Armstrong, Novera & Aplin (2015), Bonaccorso (1998), Jackson & Groves (2015), Koopman & Gordon (1992), Leary & Pennay (2011), Reardon et al. (2014).

Figures

On following pages: 105. Roberts's Flat-headed Bat (Sauromys petrophilus); 106. Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis); 107. European Free-tailed Bat (7adarida teniotis); 108. Egyptian Free-tailed Bat (7adarida aegyptiaca); 109. Kenyan Big-eared Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida lobata); 110. African Giant Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida ventralis); 111. Malagasy Free-tailed Bat (7adarida fulminans); 112. East Asian Free-tailed Bat (7adarida insignis); 113. La Touche's Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida latouchei); 114. New Guinea Free-tailed Bat (Austronomus kuboriensis); 115. White-striped Free-tailed Bat (Austronomus australis); 116. East Coast Free-tailed Bat (Micronomus norfolkensis); 117. Beccari's Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops beccaril); 118. Northern Coastal Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops cobourgianus); 119. Cape York Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops hall); 120. South-western Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops kitchener); 121. Loria’s Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops loriae); 122. Lumsden'’s Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops lumsdenae); 123. Inland Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops petersi); 124. Southern Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops planiceps); 125. Ride's Free-tailed Bat (Ozimops ride); 126. Hairy-nosed Free-tailed Bat (Setirostris eleryi).

Subspecies and Distribution. O.b.beccariiPeters,1881—Moluccas(Hal-mahera,Seram,andAmbonIs)andSENewGuinea. O. b. astrolabiensis A. B. Meyer, 1899 — NE New Guinea (including Kairiru and Kadovar Is) and Bismarck Archipelago (Mussau and New Britain Is). Also present in D’Entrecasteaux Is (Fergusson), but race involved is not known.