Ozimops planiceps, Peters, 1866

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Molossidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 598-672 : 670-671

123.

Southern Free-tailed Bat

Ozimops planiceps

French: Tadaride de Sydney / German: Sudliche Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago rabudo de Sydney

Other common names: South-eastern Free-tailed Bat

Taxonomy. Nyctinomus planiceps Peters, 1866 ,

“ Australien [= Australia].” Restrict ed by T. Iredale and E. L.. G. Troughton in 1934 to “probably Sydney.”

In1877, G. E. Dobson considered planiceps a junior synonym of Micronomus norfolkensis , but the specific status of planiceps was reinstated by O. Thomas in 1907, and it has continued to be treated as a valid species since. The taxon equates to “species 4 (populations P, QQ, R)” from M. Adams and colleagues in 1988 and was informally known widely as Mormopterus “species 4” or Mormopterus “large penis form” between 1988 and 2014. These were attributed to planiceps by T. B. Reardon and colleagues in 2014 and placed in Mormopterus under the novel subgenus Ozimops , which was later elevated to genus level by S. M. Jackson and C. P. Groves in 2015. Monotypic.

Distribution. W slopes of Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, extending through most of Victoria and into S South Australia to Flinders and Gawler ranges, roughly following the 300-700 mm rainfall zone; also Kangaroo I.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 50-56 mm, tail 27-35 mm, ear 7- 5-12 mm, forearm 32-36 mm; weight 6- 5-12 g. Dorsal fur is gray brown to light brown, and ventral fur usually a lighter pale brown. Males can be most readily distinguished from other Australian free-tailed bats by their exceptionally long penises, always exceeding 7- 5 mm and typically ¢. 9 mm or longer. The Southern Free-tailed Bat is almost identical in most aspects, except for penis length, to Ride’s Free-tailed Bat (O. rider) and can be very difficult to distinguish where their ranges overlap. It is smaller than Lumsden’s Free-tailed Bat ( O. lumsdenae ) and its fur is usually longer and darker than in the Inland Free-tailed Bat ( O. petersi ). Skull is flat. The species can be distinguished from other Ozimops by having a unique combination of allozyme alleles with number of fixed differences ranging from two to ten.

Habitat. Associated with a wide range of habitats, including eucalypt forests and woodlands, mallee, and chenopod shrublands. Southern Free-tailed Bats have adapted to utilize farmland and urban areas, and large colonies have been found in buildings.

Food and Feeding. Southern Free-tailed Bats typically forage above the canopy or in open spaces, or forest gaps with little vegetation; they are regularly seen foraging for insects around streetlights in urban areas. Diet in farmland consists mainly of bugs ( Hemiptera ), with body sizes of 2-4 mm, and beetles ( Coleoptera ) with body sizes of 4-14 mm, as well as smaller quantities of flies, ants, and termites. In contrast to many other species, they consume relatively few moths.

Breeding. Southern Free-tailed Bats are unusual as both males and females store sperm. Males store sperm generated throughout spring and summer in the epididymides, with mating from autumn throughout winter and into early spring (March-September). Females store sperm in the uterus or oviduct tract until ovulation in late winter to early spring (August-September). Single young are born in mid-summer (December—January). Females reach sexual maturity in the first year.

Activity patterns. Southern Free-tailed Bats emerge after dark from their roosts in tree hollows and buildings.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Southern Free-tailed Bats roost in large groups of up to several hundred individuals. Roosts are sometimes shared with other species including the Inland Broad-nosed Bat ( Scotorepens balstoni ), the Chocolate Wattled Bat ( Chalinolobus morio ), and forest bats ( Vespadelus spp. ). They forage up to 12 km from the roost.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as Mormopterus planiceps ). The status of the Southern Free-tailed Bat is thought to be fairly stable, in view ofits extensive range and expected large population size. It is frequently recorded throughout its range, and appears to be relatively tolerant of disturbance and adapted to a broad range of habitats, including urban areas and agricultural land.

Bibliography. Adams et al. (1988), Dobson (1877), Iredale & Troughton (1934), Jackson & Groves (2015), Lumsden & Bennett (2005), Lumsden, Reardon & Pennay. (2008a), Reardon, Adams et al. (2008), Reardon, McKenzie et al. (2014), Thomas (1907a).

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).

Distribution. W slopes of Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, extending through most of Victoria and into S South Australia to Flinders and Gawler ranges, roughly following the 300-700 mm rainfall zone; also Kangaroo I.