Myotis cf. montivagus (Dobson, 1874)

Kharkongor, Ilona Jacinta, Saikia, Uttam, Khynriam, Dimos & Saikia, Bhaskar, 2023, Current status of faunal diversity of Siju Cave, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 123 (3), pp. 283-303 : 288-289

6. Myotis cf. montivagus (Dobson, 1874) [ Figure 8C ]

1874. Vespertilio montivagus Dobson, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal , 43(2): 237.

Material examined: 1 ♂, cave entrance, Siju cave ,

21.03.2018, U. Saikia & party V /M/ERS/457

Remarks: An adult male specimen was collected in a mist net from near the entrance of Siju Cave on the 21 st of March

2018. This individual had a forearm length of 42.9mm. It had a dark brown dorsum with a lighter venter which was quite discernible in flight. The individual dorsal hairs were dark throughout while ventral hairs were beige or copper brown at the tip and dark brown at the base. The wing membranes were dark brown and attached to the base of the toes. Ears were relatively short with a rounded tip and the tragus was less than half the length of the ear. The tragus was moderately curved and the posterior edge was mildly serrated.

The braincase of the Meghalaya specimen was distinctly domed with well-developed frontal depression. This is in contrast to the more flattened cranial profile of My. annectans which has similar external morphology and overlapping measurements with My. federates ( Görföl et al., 2013) .

The present specimen from Siju cave constitutes the first report of this species from Meghalaya State and only the second record from India.

Figures

Figure 8. Fauna of Siju Cave. A. Hipposideros cf. larvatus, B. Rhinolophus lepidus C. Myotis cf. montivagus D. Miniopterus magnater E. Megophrys megacephala F. Amolops siju.