Eastern Pipistrelle
Encyclopedia
The Tricolored Bat is a species of bat
that is widely distributed throughout the eastern parts of North America
, ranging west until Kansas
and Texas
, from Honduras
up north until southern Ontario
. It is the only member of the genus Perimyotis.
in the area around their hibernacula. The females store their mates' sperm
inside their reproductive tracts during their hibernation
in winter and ovulate in early spring. They hibernate alone or in small groups in caves or mines at temperatures from 4 to 10°C, and they usually return to the same hibernation site year after year. When they wake up from hibernation, the females form maternity colonies that are no bigger than 20 bats, whereas the males roost alone during summer. These maternity colonies roost in foliage and are usually exposed to more light than any other bat species. After a gestation period of 44 to 60 days, one to two pups are born in June. (Most other species of bats give birth to only one offspring.) Each one weighs about 20% of its mother's weight. For the first few days after birth the mother carries the blind and hairless pups between roosts. They grow quickly, are volant within 14-21 days and stop getting nursed at four weeks of age.
Male tricolored bats live for about 15 years; the females can get as old as 10 years.
, a growing body of evidence suggests that the Eastern Pipistrelle is only distantly related to the pipistrelles proper. Hoofer and Van Den Bussche (2003) found the Pipistrellini (containing Pipistrellus s.s., Nyctalus
, and Scotoecus
) sister to the Vespertillionini. Both the Eastern and Western Pipistrelle
were outside of this clade
. They suggest that the Eastern Pipistrelle be removed from the genus Pipistrellus and placed in its own genus, Perimyotis.
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
that is widely distributed throughout the eastern parts of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, ranging west until Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, from Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
up north until southern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is the only member of the genus Perimyotis.
Description
This reddish, yellowish and brownish bat is one of the smallest bats in eastern North America. The forearms are orange to red, and the wing membrane is black. Adults weigh between 4 to 10 g and reach a forearm length of 30 to 35 mm. They are easily distinguished from other similar species by their tri-colored fur.Life history
Tricolored bats mate in autumnAutumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
in the area around their hibernacula. The females store their mates' sperm
Spermatozoon
A spermatozoon is a motile sperm cell, or moving form of the haploid cell that is the male gamete. A spermatozoon joins an ovum to form a zygote...
inside their reproductive tracts during their hibernation
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
in winter and ovulate in early spring. They hibernate alone or in small groups in caves or mines at temperatures from 4 to 10°C, and they usually return to the same hibernation site year after year. When they wake up from hibernation, the females form maternity colonies that are no bigger than 20 bats, whereas the males roost alone during summer. These maternity colonies roost in foliage and are usually exposed to more light than any other bat species. After a gestation period of 44 to 60 days, one to two pups are born in June. (Most other species of bats give birth to only one offspring.) Each one weighs about 20% of its mother's weight. For the first few days after birth the mother carries the blind and hairless pups between roosts. They grow quickly, are volant within 14-21 days and stop getting nursed at four weeks of age.
Male tricolored bats live for about 15 years; the females can get as old as 10 years.
Feeding
These bats eat small insects. They hunt at the edges of forests, near streams or over open water and can achieve a speed of about 18 km/h. When the pipistrelles capture food they use the tail or wing membranes to restrain their prey. Some insects are even captured by their tail membrane. It forms a pouch and the bat bends its head in to grab the insect with its teeth. They can catch insects as much as every 2 seconds and increase their mass by 25% in only half an hour.Classification
Although traditionally considered a member of the genus PipistrellusPipistrellus
Pipistrellus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word Pipistrello, meaning "bat"....
, a growing body of evidence suggests that the Eastern Pipistrelle is only distantly related to the pipistrelles proper. Hoofer and Van Den Bussche (2003) found the Pipistrellini (containing Pipistrellus s.s., Nyctalus
Nyctalus
The bat genus Nyctalus are members of the family Vespertilionidae or sometimes Evening bats. They are distributed in the temperate and subtropical areas of Europe, Asia and North Africa.There are eight species within this genus:...
, and Scotoecus
Scotoecus
Scotoecus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae.-Species:Scotoecus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae.-Species:Scotoecus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae.-Species:...
) sister to the Vespertillionini. Both the Eastern and Western Pipistrelle
Western Pipistrelle
The canyon bat , also known as the Western Pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family. It is found in Mexico and in the western United States...
were outside of this clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
. They suggest that the Eastern Pipistrelle be removed from the genus Pipistrellus and placed in its own genus, Perimyotis.
External links
- The Eastern Pipistrelle from Texas Parks & Wildlife.
- Pipistrellus subflavus at ADW.