Long-legged myotis

Myotis volans

Myotis volans is a bat species from the family of Myotis bats ( Vespertilionidae ), which is native to North America. The species name is derived from the Latin " volans " ( = fly ).

Description

The total length of Myotis volans is 83-106 mm, the forearm length from 37 to 41.2 mm and the wingspan on average 267.4 mm. The tragus is 6-8 mm long and pointed. The coat color is variable gray - brown with reddish or black tint on the back and a lighter belly. Flight skin and ears are black. Myotis volans differs from all other North American bats by the short round ears that moved forward not reaching to the nostrils, the small feet ( about 41 % of the tibia length ) and a strongly curved calcar. Other species with a curved calcar (M. leibii and M. californicus ), which occur in the same area as Myotis volans, are much smaller. On the underside of the wing membrane, the hair extends to an imaginary line between the elbow and knee. Although other mouse ears can have a hairy flight skin, is the volans particularly long, dense and strong from Myotis. The Little Brown Bat (M. lucifugus ), M. and M. velifer yumanensis do not have a curved calcar and no dense pubescence of the wing underside.

Way of life

Myotis volans is like most bats nocturnal and feeds on insects. The preferred prey animals include moths, flies (Diptera ), termites ( Isoptera ), lacewings ( Neuroptera ), wasps ( Hymenoptera), Schnabelkerfen ( Hemiptera) Gleichflügler ( Homoptera ) and small beetles ( Coleoptera). On foraging flights Myotis volans reached a speed of 15-17 km / h The case ejected echolocation calls move 89-40 kHz and thus are not perceptible to the human ear.

One finds Myotis volans mainly in coniferous forests, but also in river landscapes and even in desert-like areas. During the day, the kind tucked away in abandoned buildings, in rock crevices and under loose bark. For hibernation caves and mines are used. Myotis volans is active until a minimum temperature of 12 ° C and therefore relatively cold tolerant.

Mating takes place in August and September, with the female intercalates the sperm over the winter. After ovulation in the spring from March to May, the egg is then fertilized. The young are born between May and August. From ringing data, we know that members of this type may be over 21 years old.

Distribution and habitat

Myotis volans occurs in eastern Canada, the United States and in Mexico. In the West, its spread to North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado undTexas enough. Your stock is classified by the IUCN due to the wide distribution range as safely.