5.

Reunion Little Masuft Bat

Mormopterus francoismoutoui

French: Molosse de La Réunion / German: Réunion-Mastino-Fledermaus / Spanish: Morméptero de la Reunién

Other common names: Moutou's Free-tailed Bat, Reunion Free-tailed Bat

Taxonomy. Mormopterus francoismoutoui Goodman et al, 2008,

“ La Réunion, Commune de La Possession, Pont de Balthazar, 2.2 km SSW La Possession, 20° 56.732’ S, 55° 19.484 E 40m.”

Mormopterusfrancoismoutour has been recently split from M. acetabulosus based on subtle ear shape differences, smaller body and cranial sizes, and molecular (cytochrome-b sequence) characteristics. Monotypic.

Distribution. Restricted to Réunion I; there is an isolated record from S Ethiopia, some several hundred kilometers from the coast. This record represents a vagrant or introduced individual, and the species does not normally occur in Africa.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 51-52 mm, tail 38-45 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 5-6-5 mm, forearm 38-42 mm; weight 5-7-2 g. The Reunion Little Mastiff Bat has slightly flattened head, no facial ornamentation, and tail protruding beyond hind margin of uropatagium. Dorsal fur is short, uniformly dark brown and unicolored above, similar below becoming paler on abdomen. Wings and uropatagium are dark brown. Ears are small, erect, subtriangular, without complex folds, and conjoined by narrow flap of skin, with slight sickle-shaped emargination below tips. Tragus is small but not concealed by antitragus. Adult males have distinct throat gland that is absent in females. Upperlips have several wrinkles, a few spoon-hairs, and many fine hairs. Hindclaws have fine hairs and many stout bristles. Braincase is slightly flattened, palatal emargination is wide, and basisphenoid pits are poorly developed. M* has third ridge longer than second. Dental formulais 11/3, C 1/1, P 1/2. M 3/3 (x2) = 30.

Habitat. Various non-forested natural and anthropogenic habitats from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 2500 m.

Food and Feeding. The Reunion Little Mastiff Bat is insectivorous.

Breeding. The Reunion Little Mastiff Bat forms colonies in November. Births occur in mid-December, and young stay in colonies until the end of May.

Activity patterns. Reunion Little Mastiff Bats are nocturnal and roost during the day in natural caves, expansion joints of bridges, and human dwellings.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Colonies of Reunion Little Mastiff Bats can have up to 66,500 individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Reunion Little Mastiff Bat is known from numeroussites on Réunion Island. No obvious threats are known.

Bibliography. Goodman (2017h), Goodman, Jansen van Vuuren et al. (2008), Moutou (1982), Ramasindrazana et al. (2014), Sanchez & Probst (2013).