Escalera's bat (Myotis escalerai ) is a European bat in the genus Myotis, found in Spain (including the Balearic Islands), Portugal, and far southern France.
Although the species was first named in 1904, it was included in Natterer's bat (Myotis nattereri ) until molecular studies, first published in 2006, demonstrated that the two are distinct species. M. escalerai is most closely related to an unnamed species from Morocco. Unlike M. nattereri, which lives in small groups in tree holes, M. escalerai forms large colonies in caves. Females start to aggregate in late spring in maternity colonies, and their young are born in summer. The species spends each winter in hibernation colonies, usually in caves or basements.
M. escalerai is a medium-sized, mostly gray bat, with lighter underparts. It has a pointed muzzle, a pink face, and long ears. The wings are broad and the species is an agile flyer. Wingspan is 245 to 300 mm (9.6 to 11.8 in) and body mass is 5 to 9.5 g (0.18 to 0.34 oz). Though very similar to M. nattereri, it differs from that species in some features of the tail membrane. The conservation status of M. escalerai is assessed as "Vulnerable" or "Data Deficient" in various parts of its range.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withA medium-sized gray bat, Myotis escalerai is similar to Myotis nattereri. The fur is long and soft; with a brown tone on the back, and the brighter underparts approaching white. The feet are dark gray. Much of the face is pink, and the muzzle is pointed, with long hairs on the upper lip resembling a moustache. The long ears are brown to gray. The tragus, a projection on the inner side of the outer ear, is long and reaches to the middle of the ear and colored gray to yellow, becoming darker from the base towards the tip. According to several authors, it differs from M. nattereri in showing a distinct fringe of hairs on the tail membrane, but bat specialist A.M. Hutson writes that this feature does not distinguish the two species. In addition, the presence of an S-shaped spur on the uropatagium (membrane between the hind legs), which approaches the middle of the membrane, is a distinctive feature of this species. With its broad wings, low flight, and rapid wingbeats, the species is capable of precise, agile flight.
The head body length is 42 to 50 mm (1.7 to 2.0 in), tail length is 38 to 47 mm (1.5 to 1.9 in), forearm length is 35 to 43 mm (1.4 to 1.7 in), ear length is 14 to 18 mm (0.55 to 0.71 in), wingspan is 245 to 300 mm (9.6 to 11.8 in), and body mass is 5 to 9.5 g (0.18 to 0.34 oz).
The range of Myotis escalerai remains poorly constrained and may turn out to be larger than currently known. M. escalerai is widespread in Spain and Portugal. For example, it occurs widely, though localized, in Aragón, where Myotis sp. A (the only other species in the M. nattereri complex to occur there) is known from a single locality only. Similarly, in Catalonia, M. escalerai is widespread and occurs from sea level up to an altitude of 1,500 m (4,900 ft). The species also occurs on the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza. The sole French record is from a cave in Valmanya, Pyrénées-Orientales.
Relatively little is known of the biology of M. escalerai. Females begin to form reproductive colonies in April and May, either small ones or larger aggregations that may also contain males. However, most males remain solitary in this period, although some also form colonies. The single young is born in June or July and becomes independent after some six weeks. Mating usually takes place in fall, but sometimes in winter. The formation of large reproductive colonies in caves, which may consist of several hundreds of individuals, distinguishes M. escalerai from M. nattereri as well as M. sp. A, which roost in smaller groups in tree holes. In Aragón, colonies contain 50 to 880 individuals, and Catalan colonies are known to contain over a hundred bats. Reproductive colonies may be formed in a variety of structures, including caves, mines, tree holes, and human-made structures such as bridges and houses. However, hibernation colonies need constant temperatures between 0 and 5 °C (32 and 41 °F), and are usually located in caves or basements. M. escalerai is considered a sedentary species, and does not usually migrate over long distances, although it does move between reproduction and hibernation colonies. Rabies has been identified in a Spanish specimen of M. escalerai.
The IUCN Red List classifies Myotis escalerai as "least concern". M. nattereri and M. escalerai are also listed separately on the Annex to the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats. Portugal lists M. escalerai as "vulnerable", though noting that populations may be increasing. Because of its restriction to caves, it is considered vulnerable in Aragón. In Catalonia, the species appears tolerant of different habitats and of human disturbance, but it is listed as "data deficient". In France, where the species was only discovered in 2009, it is also listed as "data deficient".
