FIRST RECORD OF HODGSON'S BAT MYOTISFORMOSUS HODGSON, 1835 (CHIROPTERA: VESPERTILIONIDAE, MYOTINAE) FROM THE WESTERN GHATS, INDIA

摘要

Hodgson's Bat Myotisformosus Hodgson, 1835 (Order: Chiroptera, Family: Vespertilionidae, Subfamily: Myotinae) is a widespread species with its distribution ranging from Afghanistan to North India, Nepal, Tibet, East and Southeast China, Taiwan, Korea,Japan (Tsushima Island) and parts of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Laos) (Smith and Xie 2008; Wilson and Reeder 2005). In the Indian subcontinent, it is known from 19 localities (Molur et al. 2002) including the type locality, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Of the 19 localities, 15 lie in 10 states in north, east and central India (Bates and Harrison 1997; Fig. 1). Based on the recorded localities, this species mainly appears to be a temperate species with only a few published records from the tropics (Bates and Harrison 1997; Francis 2008; Molur et al. 2002). Despite its widespread distribution, it is a poorly known species (Bates and Harrison 1997). The striking pelage and wing colour of Myotis formosus are similar to those ofthe Painted Woolly Bat Kerivoula picta Pallas, 1767, which could be a reason for overlooking it, and resulting in its poor documentation. The pelage colour is known to serve the same function in both the species, that of concealment in their diurnal roosts in dry foliage (Menon 2003; Prater 1971). In Taiwan, its roosting site includes the Longan tree Dimocarpus longan and in China it was found in an unidentified bush (Bates and Harrison 1997). M. formosus is categorized as a Least Concern species by the IUCN, however, it is classified as Near Threatened in Nepal (Molur et al. 2002).