Miniopterus petersoni Goodman 2008

36.

Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat

Miniopterus petersoni

French: Minioptére de Peterson / German: Peterson-Langflligelfledermaus / Spanish: Miniéptero de Peterson

Other common names: Peterson's Bent-winged Bat

Taxonomy. Miniopterus petersoni Goodman et al., 2008,

“ Madagascar: Province de Toliara, Cascade de Manantantely, 5.2 km NW of Tolagnaro, 24°59.343S, 46°55.370E, 65 m. ”

Miniopterus peterson was formerly included within M. sororculus. Taxonomic status of specimens from northern Madagascar remains unresolved. Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Madagascar from Kianjavato to Tolagnaro.

Descriptive notes. Head-body c¢.46-49 mm, tail 39-50 mm, ear 10-13 mm, hindfoot 6:-5-11 mm, forearm 38-43 mm; weight 4-2-8-2 g. Dorsal and ventral pelage is slightly long, dense, and a mix of medium brown and dark brown. Wing membranes and uropatagium are dark brownish black and have no noticeable change in color across their surfaces. Tragus has relatively long-curved projection, is 5—7 mm in length, and has notable constriction on lower distal surface. Distal one-third of tragus of Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat has pronounced downward deflection and lower surface has distinct notch, while the Sororcula Long-fingered Bat (M. sororculus) lacks notch and tends not to be as deflected.

Habitat. Humid lowland forests,littoral forests, and transitional dry and humid formations from near sea level up to elevations of ¢. 550 m. Some individuals were caught in gallery forest and at the edge of ecotone between forest and secondary habitats, with local conditions being more mesic than is typical of this bioclimatic zone of Madagascar.

Food and Feeding. Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat is expected to mainly eat soft insects captured in flight as do other long-fingered bats.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Peterson’s Long-fingered Bat is nocturnal. It uses caves as daytime roosts. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals, with maximum frequencies of 95-115 kHz, minimum frequencies of 48-50 kHz, peak frequencies of 52-53-9 kHz, durations of 2:5-3-3 milliseconds, and intervals of 63-8-76-7 milliseconds.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Goodman, Bradman et al. (2008), Jenkins & Rakotoarivelo (2008), Ramasindrazana et al. (2011).