Miniopterus arenarius, 1912

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Miniopteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 674-709 : 704

22.

Sandy Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus arenarius

French: Minioptére des sables / German: Sandfarbene Langfligelfledermaus / Spanish: Miniéptero de las arenas

Other common names: Sandy Bent-winged Bat

Taxonomy. Miniopterus natalensis arenarius Heller, 1912 ,

“Guaso Nyuki (= Nanyuki), Northern Guaso Nyiro [= Ewaso Ng’iro] River, British East Africa [= Kenya].”

Previously a subspecies of M. schreibersii or M. natalensis , but recent genetic studies have shown that specimens from the Arabian Peninsula and Ethiopia (which were assigned provisionally to M. arenarius) are quite differentiated from M. schreibersii and M. natalensis . Taxonomy is still unsolved until material from the type locality is studied genetically. Monotypic.

Distribution. SW Arabian Peninsula in SW Saudi Arabia and W Yemen and E Africa in Ethiopia, E South Sudan, Somalia, and Kenya. This distribution is temporary although and pending of genetic studies including a complete representation of the species in the analysis.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 55 mm, tail 47 mm, ear 11 mm, hindfoot 9 mm, forearm 45 mm (42-46 mm in South Sudan; larger than 45 mm in Ethiopia). Size of the Sandy Long-fingered Bat is similar to the Natal Long-fingered Bat ( M. natalensis ), but itis paler, with shorter pelage, and its skull has broader braincase, with I* greatly exceeding I’ in size. Dorsal pelage is seal-brown, with darker clove-brown head and lighter walnut-brown rump. Hairs are only slightly darker (dark slate) at bases, underparts are washed drab gray, and ears and wing membranes are blackish, the latter narrowly bordered in white.

Habitat. Mainly Acacia (Fabaceae) — Commiphora (Burseraceae) brushlands and thickets ( Kenya), possibly forest-savanna mosaics and Afromontane vegetation, up to elevations of ¢. 1400 m. The type specimen of the Sandy Long-fingered Bat was caught in a large crevice among granite boulders on the summit of a small hill; another specimen was shot at dusk among some acacia trees in the same vicinity. In Ethiopia,it was found at ¢. 1300 m in a cave on the steep, rocky side of a river gorge covered by dense mixed Acacia and broadleaved scrubs and a narrow zone of more luxuriant vegetation on the riverbanks and also in an area dominated by Acacia scrub but near a river with welldeveloped riverine forest with large Ficus (Moraceae) trees at 1400 m.

Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but other long-fingered bats mainly eat soft insects captured in flight.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Sandy Long-fingered Bats are thought to be nocturnal. They roost in caves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List. The Sandy Long-fingered Bat was recently separated from Schreibers’s Long-fingered Bat ( M. schreibersii ), which is classified as Near Threatened.

Bibliography. Benda, Al-Jumaily et al. (2011), Heller (1912), Koopman (1975), Largen et al. (1974), Lavrenchenko et al. (2004), Musila et al. (2019), Nader & Kock (1987), Sramek et al. (2013).

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. SW Arabian Peninsula in SW Saudi Arabia and W Yemen and E Africa in Ethiopia , E South Sudan , Somalia , and Kenya . This distribution is temporary although and pending of genetic studies including a complete representation of the species in the analysis.