237.

Taiwan Long-eared Bat

Plecotus taivanus

French: Oreillard de Taiwan / German: Taiwan-Langohr / Spanish: Orejudo de Taiwan

Other common names: Formosan Long-eared Bat, Taiwan Big-eared Bat, Taiwanese Long-eared Bat

Taxonomy. Plecotus taivanus Yoshiyuki, 1991,

“Mt. An-ma Shan, at alt. 2,250 m, Hoping, Tai-chung Hsien,” central Taiwan.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Taiwan I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 48-50 mm, tail 47-49 mm, ear 36-39 mm, hindfoot 9-11 mm, forearm 35-38 mm. One of the smallest species of Plecotus . Fur is long, with shorter hairs in mid-dorsal part of pelage, generally dark or blackish with pale brownish tips that provides a golden aspectto fur. Tragus generally long and broad, with remarkably big basal protuberance. Wings large and wide, adapted for slow flight, with unkeeled calcar, and tail completely enclosed in uropatagium. Thumb 6-1-6- 5 mm long. Skull more delicate than in congeners, with long, narrow rostrum, weak zygomatic arches, moderately broad braincase, short condylo-basal length (14-1-14- 7 mm), and small bullae (4:1-4- 3 mm). Chromosomal complement has 2n = 32 and FNa = 50.

Habitat. Holotype is from forest at elevation of 2250 m,in central mountains of Taiwan.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Roosts in rock crevices, caves, mines, tunnels, buildings, and trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Mainly found in pristine forests, which are being destroyed. Habitat loss, together with limited range, makes the species very vulnerable.

Bibliography. Hsu (1997), Lin Liangkong, Lee Lingling & Cheng Hsichi (1997), Lin Liangkong, Motokawa & Harada (2002a), Simmons (2005), Smith & Xie Yan (2008), Smith, Johnston, Jones & Rossiter (2008d), Spitzenberger et al. (2006), Wang Sung & Xie Yan (2004), Yoshiyuki (1989, 1991b).