Western small-footed bat

Myotis ciliolabrum

Myotis ciliolabrum is a bat species from the family of Myotis bats ( Vespertilionidae ), which is native to North America.

The species name is composed of the Latin word " cilium " ( = eyelid ) and " labrum " ( = lip ). Myotis ciliolabrum was led by 2005 leibii as a subspecies of Myotis.

Description

Myotis ciliolabrum is a small mouse ear with a forearm length of < 34 mm and an average weight of 4.5 g. The females are slightly larger than males. A characteristic feature is the black mask around the eyes, which is in contrast to the otherwise bright coat color. Such a mask is missing from the sympatric California mouse-eared bat (Myotis californicus ), which generally has a darker coat color. Flight skin, face and ears of Myotis ciliolabrum are also dark. The type has small feet (< 9 mm) which are less than half as long as the tibia, but larger than that of the Kanifornischen mouse ear. The ears of Myotis ciliolabrum are relatively long (11-16 mm), the tragus slender and about half as long as the ear. The wingspan is on average 242 mm

Way of life

Myotis ciliolabrum is a common bat in desert habitats, but also occurs in forests. The style is like most bats nocturnal and feeds on insects, which they seem to prefer very small moths, but also captures Fly, Schnabelkerfen, caddis flies and beetles. Myotis ciliolabrum is a relatively slow, agile fliers. Where Myotis ciliolabrum occurs together with the California mouse ear, go the species in different areas in search of food: Myotis ciliolabrum preferably rocky regions, while the California mouse ear hunts over water. To avoid the two bat species competition for food. The echolocation calls move regionally varying 40-62 kHz and are therefore unsuitable for human audible. During the day, Myotis ciliolabrum depends in rock crevices, caves and tunnels, the species was but occasionally found already in abandoned swallow nests in buildings and under loose bark of a pine tree. The animals are individually or found in small groups. During the cold season Myotis holds ciliolabrum hibernating in caves, crevices, and abandoned mines. Here, too, are usually only found a few animals and no large groups. In the same winter sleeping places you sometimes find other bat species as Corynorhinus townsendii and the Big Brown Bat ( Eptesicus fuscus ). The females give birth each of Myotis ciliolabrum a single cub in the spring. Newborns have a forearm length of about 12.4 mm and a weight of 1.1 g

Distribution and habitat

Myotis ciliolabrum occurs in Canada in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and south in the United States to Kansas and New Mexico. Your stock is classified by the IUCN due to the widespread use be stable and the species as safely, but is available in various states under protection.