The Dhofar pipistrelle (''Pipistrellus dhofarensis'') is a species of

vesper bat Vespertilionidae is a family of microbats, of the order Chiroptera, flying, insect-eating mammals variously described as the common, vesper, or simple nosed bats. The vespertilionid family is the most diverse and widely distributed of bat famili ...

in the genus ''

Pipistrellus ''Pipistrellus'' is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word , meaning "bat" (from Latin "bird of evening, bat"). The size of the genus has been cons ...

''. It is found in Southern Arabia, including Oman and Yemen.

Taxonomy

''Pipistrellus dhofarensis'' was described as a new species in 2016. The

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of sever ...

was collected at Ain Tabruq spring in the

Dhofar Governorate The Dhofar Governorate ( ar, مُحَافَظَة ظُفَار, Muḥāfaẓat Ẓufār) is the largest of the 11 Governorates in the Sultanate of Oman in terms of area. It lies in Southern Oman, on the eastern border with Yemen's Al Mahrah Go ...

of Oman, which is reflected in its

species name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

"''dhofarensis''".

Description

''Pipistrellus dhofarensis'' is considered a medium- or large-bodied bat relative to other ''Pipistrellus'' species. It has a forearm length of . It has a robust skull with a long and broad snout; the braincase is broad and very high. Two color variations are known: some individuals are grayish-brown with a silvery tint, while others are reddish-brown. Both color morphs have belly fur that is paler than their back fur. Its face, ears, and wing membranes are all dark grayish-brown.

Range and habitat

The species occurs in a very limited area situated between easternmost Yemen and south-western Oman. Its habitat is humid

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

. It has been documented at elevations of above sea level. It is one of four bat species that are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to Southern Arabia, the other three being the Yemeni mouse-tailed bat, Yemeni trident leaf-nosed bat, and the

Arabian trident bat The Arabian trident bat (''Asellia arabica'') is a species of Old World leaf-nosed bat found in the Middle East. Taxonomy and etymology The Arabian trident bat was described as a new species in 2011. It was distinguished as a result of a taxo ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q30895438 dhofarensis Mammals described in 2016 Bats of Asia