Kachin woolly bat explained

The Kachin woolly bat (Kerivoula kachinensis) is a species of bat found in Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy and etymology

It was initially described as a new species in 2004.Its species name "kachinensis" is derived from Kachin State - the state in Myanmar where it was first documented.[1]

Description

It is a relatively large member of its genus, with a forearm length of 41.3mm.Individuals weigh approximately 7g.Its fur is grayish-brown.Its ears are large and hairless.The tragus is long and narrow, at 9.5mm.Its tail is 54mm long.Its skull has a flattened appearance.Its dental formula is for a total of 38 teeth.[1]

Biology and ecology

It is nocturnal, roosting during the day and foraging at night.The state of its flattened skull led some researchers to hypothesize that during the day it roosts in small, constricted spaces.[1]

Range and habitat

It was first documented in Myanmar in 2004, but its range was quickly expanded to Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand after documentation in 2006.[2] [3]

Conservation

It is currently assessed as least concern by the IUCN - its lowest conservation priority.It meets the criteria for this assessment because it has a large range, no major threats to this species have been identified, and it is not likely to be declining quickly.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Bates. P. J.. Struebig. M. J.. Rossiter. S. J.. Kingston. T.. Oo. S. S. L.. Mya. K. M.. 2004. A new species of Kerivoula (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Myanmar (Burma). Acta Chiropterologica. 6. 2. 219–226. 10.3161/001.006.0203. 83904066. free.
  2. Soisook. P.. Bumrungsri. S.. Dejtaradol. A.. Francis. C. M.. Csorba. G.. Guillén-Servent. A.. Bates. P. J.. 2007. First records of Kerivoula kachinensis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand. Acta Chiropterologica. 9. 2. 339–345. 10.3161/1733-5329(2007)9[339:FROKKC]2.0.CO;2. 86524144.
  3. Thong. V. D.. Bumrungsri. S.. Harrison. D. L.. Pearch. M. J.. Helgen. K. M.. Bates. P. J.. 2006. New records of Microchiroptera (Rhinolophidae and Kerivoulinae) from Vietnam and Thailand. Acta Chiropterologica. 8. 1. 83–93. 10.3161/1733-5329(2006)8[83:NROMRA]2.0.CO;2. 55280684.