Miniopterus mahafaliensis, Goodman, 2009

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Miniopteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 674-709 : 709

37.

Mahafaly Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus mahafaliensis

French: Minioptere du Mahafaly / German: Mahafaly-Langfligelfledermaus / Spanish: Minioptero de Mahafaly

Other common names: Mahafaly Bent-winged Bat

Taxonomy. Miniopterus mahafaliensis Goodman et al, 2009 ,

“ Madagascar: Province de Toliara, Parc National de Tsimanampetsotsa, 6.5 km NE Efoetse , near Mitoho Cave , 24°03.0’S, 43°45.0’E, at 50 m above sea level.”

Miniopterus mahafaliensis was formerly included in M. manavi . Monotypic.

Distribution. Dry S Madagascar, S of Kirindy Mitea, Isalo, and Ihosy.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.48-49 mm, tail 38-48 mm, ear 9-11 mm, hindfoot 6-7 mm, forearm 35-40 mm; weight 3-8-7-3 g. Pelage of the Mahafaly Long-fingered Batis relatively long and dense; dorsum is medium brown, and venter has light gray-tipped hairs, giving it a notably lighter appearance than dorsum. Wing membranes are medium brown, grading into slightly lighter brown on uropatagium. Uropatagium has relatively dense fur on dorsal surface and sparser fur on ventral surface. Tragus (5—6 mm) is moderately wide and has parallel margins along most ofits length; distal part curves medially into slightly expanded and rounded tip.

Habitat. Within or adjacent to dry deciduous forests or spiny bush from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 950 m. The Mahafaly LLong-fingered Bat is not believed to be forest dependent and presumably forages in open areas or those close to forest edges.

Food and Feeding. The Mahafaly L.ong-fingered Bat is expected to mainly eat soft insects captured in flight as do other long-fingered bats.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Mahafaly Long-fingered Bat is nocturnal. It uses caves as daytime roosts, and in several cases, these caves are in close vicinity to native dry spiny forest-thicket. It might use hollow trees for day roosts. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals, with maximum frequencies of 95-123 kHz, minimum frequencies of 53-57 kHz, peak frequencies of 57-3-62-2 kHz, durations of 2-9-3-8 milliseconds, and intervals of 43-5-95-3 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Goodman (2017g), Goodman, Maminirina, Bradman et al. (2009), Ramasindrazana et al. (2011).

Figures

18. Villiers’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus villiersi), 19. Greater Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus inflatus), 20. Newton's Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus newtoni), 21. Least Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus minor), 22. Sandy Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus arenarius), 23. African Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus africanus), 24. Natal Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus natalensis), 25. Mozambican Long-fingered Bat (Muniopterus mossambicus), 26. Lesser Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus fraterculus), 27. Aellen’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus aelleni), 28. Griveaud’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus griveaudi), 29. Glen’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus gleni), 30. Madagascar Long-fingered Bat (Manaopterus brachytragos), 31. Montagne d’Ambre Long-fingered Bat (Minaiopterus ambohitrenss), 32. Major’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus majori), 33. Eger’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus egent), 34. Manavil Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus manai), 35. Sororcula Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus sororculus), 36. Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus petersoni), 37. Mahafaly Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus mahafaliensis), 38. Griffiths’s Long-fingered Bat (Miniopterus griffiths)

Distribution. Dry S Madagascar , S of Kirindy Mitea, Isalo, and Ihosy.