Mouse-tailed bat

Abstract: The greater mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum) possesses a large geographical range, covering most of the arid and warm areas of the Old World. We studied the genetic variability of this species using two mitochondrial markers (the cytochrome b gene and the control region), from several Israeli colonies and from over most of the species' range. Our results show that the cytochrome b sequences, unlike those of the control region, are too conserved to separate among R. microphyllum populations. Based on the control region sequences, a high level of sequence similarity was found within the Israeli population. Three clades were observed over the species' range: Oriental, Intermediate and Palaearctic. This division supports most of the traditional taxonomy of the species. The Israeli population, which belongs to the Palaearctic clade, was found to be isolated from the Oriental and Intermediate clades. We suggest that the colonization of the greater mouse-tailed bat in the Levant occurred from African populations during the late Pleistocene, when many Saharan plants and animals penetrated the northern part of the Great Rift Valley.

Abstract: The lesser mouse-tailed bat Rhinopoma hardwickii Gray, 1831 has not been recorded from Pakistan except from northern Punjab (Rohtas) and southern Sindh (Karachi, Landhi and Karchat Hills near Hyderabad). These records date back to 1927. Here after 84 years, we provide an account of the third country and first record of this species from southern Punjab. Rhinopomatid bats (n =5) were captured from this region of which two were euthanized to describe their external body, cranial and bacular measurements. This paper compares various morphometeric measurements of these bats to those already mentioned in literatures and documents habitat and new distribution map of this species in Pakistan.

Abstract: The diet of Rhinopoma microphyllum was investigated through the analysis of droppings collected from two summer roosts in the temperate mid-Zagros Range, and was compared with a similar study made on the closest known maternity roost in the arid zone of the Persian Gulf Littoral. The results show that this bat remains primarily a Coleoptera feeder in both maternity and summer quarters, although a more diverse feeding habit is found in the summer roosts. Data indicate that in the summer roosts a high dominance of beetles (Coleoptera) accounted for 77 and 89% of the recovered items by volume, while in the maternity roost 86% of the volume belongs to the beetles. Prey types recovered in the summer quarters which were not represented in the maternity roost included small numbers of Diptera, Neuroptera and Hymenoptera.