Craseonycteris thonglongyai, Hill, 1974

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Craseonycteridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 178-181 : 181

Kitti’'s Hog-nosed Bat

Craseonycteris thonglongyai

French: Craséonyctere / German: Hummelfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago abejorro

Other common names: Bumblebee Bat, Hog-nosed Bat, Kitti's Bat

Taxonomy. Craseonycteris thonglongya: Hill, 1974 ,

“Cave nearForestry Station, Ban Sai Yoke [= Yok], Kanchanaburi, Thailand, 14°26' N, 98°51’ E."

Thai and Myanmar populations of C. thonglongya: are genetically and geographicallyisolated and differ in frequencies of their echolocation calls, suggesting they represent distinct taxa; additional taxonomic study 1s needed to clarify their relationships. Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Myanmar (Kayin and Monstates) and WC Thailand (Kanchanaburi Province).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 28-34 mm (no external tail), ear 9-12 mm, hindfoot 5-8-6-8 mm (without claw 4-1-5-5 mm), forearm 22-28 mm; weight 2-3-2 g. Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat is very small, with distinct bulbous hog-like muzzle withslight ridgeat the front. Ear is large, with well-developed tragus. There is distinct glandular swelling at base ofthroat of males. Pelageis grayish or reddish brown. Skull is very small, with greatest lengths of 10-8-11-1 mm. Rostral part and postorbital region are relatively flattened. In contrast, braincaseis highly inflated and bulbous.

Habitat. [Limestone caves near rivers or floodplains in mixed deciduous forests, dry evergreen forests, and modified landscapes that feature giant bamboo, teak andfruit orchards, seasonal farmlands, and rice paddies at elevations up to 500 m.

Food and Feeding. Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bats forage within 1 km ofcave roosts for small insects byaerial-hawking in small forest clearings or at edges ofvegetation. Diets contain mostly insects in the orders Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, with smaller amounts of Diptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera.

Breeding. A female Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat has one young born late in the dry season (late April).

Activity patterns. Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat roosts in caves during the day. There is a short foraging bout of 30-45 minutes beginning at dusk and a shorter bout at dawn. They use short (3—4 milliseconds), multiharmonic, CF echolocation calls, with high source level and high repetition rate.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Kitti’'s Hog-nosed Bats roost in colonies of 4-100 individuals that are well spaced and not clustered. Foraging is verylocalized, usually within 1 km ofthe cave roost. Some individuals might migrate or at least switch caves in winter. Dispersal inferred from genetic structure ofthe population is estimated to be no more than 2-5 km.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCNRed List. Overall population ofKitti’s Hog-nosed Bat was estimated to be less than 10,000 individuals, and declines at caves in Thailand were projected to reach 10% in the tenyear period following the 2008 assessment. Since that classification, cumulative surveys found 6487 individuals in Thailand and at least 3770 in Myanmar. The Thai population is estimated to be greater than 40,000 individuals, although this is based on extrapolation of the potential occupation ofsuitable caves. Currently, the total known population is restricted to 44 caves in Thailand and eight caves in Myanmar, and most roosts are not in legally protected areas. In Thailand, Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat has been affected bydisturbance at roosts during religious visits by pilgrims, guano collection, and tourist activities. In Myanmar, it is at greater risk because ofits small population size in a very limited area. Although monks protect some roost caves, other caves are under threat from limestone quarrying. There is a need for protection ofcave roosts that are disturbed by human activities. Clarification of taxonomic status of the Thai and Myanmar populations ofKitti’s Hog-nosed Bat has implications for conservation status and future management.

Bibliography. Bates, Bumrungsri & Francis (2008a), Bates, Nwe Tin et al. (2001), Duangkhae (1990), Foley et al. (2015), Hill (1974b), Hill & Smith (1981), Hutson et al. (2001), Pereira et al. (2006), Puechmaille, Gouilh et al. (2011), Puechmaille, Soisook et al. (2009), Surlykke et al. (1993).

Figures

Kitti’'s Hog-nosed Bat

Distribution. SE Myanmar (Kayin and Monstates) and WC Thailand (Kanchanaburi Province).