Savi's pipistrelle (''Hypsugo savii'' sometimes classified as ''Pipistrellus savii'') 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 ...

found across North West Africa, the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. It feeds at night on flying insects. In the summer it roosts under bark, in holes in trees, in old buildings and in rock crevices but in winter it prefers roosts where the temperature is more even such as caves, underground vaults and deep rock cracks.

Taxonomy

Based on mitochondrial DNA, specifically the regions that encode

cytochrome c oxidase The enzyme cytochrome c oxidase or Complex IV, (was , now reclassified as a translocasEC 7.1.1.9 is a large transmembrane protein complex found in bacteria, archaea, and mitochondria of eukaryotes. It is the last enzyme in the respiratory elect ...

and

cytochrome b Cytochrome b within both molecular and cell biology, is a protein found in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. It functions as part of the electron transport chain and is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. F ...

, Savi's pipistrelle is most closely related to '' Hypsugo alaschanicus''.

Description

Savi's pipistrelle is a small species of bat with a head and body length of between and a forearm (elbow to wrist) length between . It weighs between . It has broad, rounded ears each with a short tragus that is widest in the middle and narrows towards the rounded tip. The face, ears and wing membranes are black. The short fur on the upperside of the head and body is dark brown and that on the underside is pale, with the chin, throat and chest contrasting sharply with the animal's back. The tail is rounded and is rather longer than is the case in other closely related species.

Distribution

Savi's pipistrelle is native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, North West Africa, the Middle East, central Asia, Mongolia and northern Japan. It also occurs in the Canary Islands, Switzerland and Austria and has been recorded from Slovakia. It mainly occurs in mountainous regions where it is found at altitudes of up to . It favours bushy slopes with clumps of trees, scrubland, cliffs, gorges and ruins. In the summer it hides by day under the bark of trees, in rock clefts, in hollow trees, in holes in walls, in buildings under rafters and roof tiles. In winter it seeks more protected places to roost such as near the entrances of caves, in underground vaults and in deep rock crevices, where it normally hides alone.

Biology

Savi's pipistrelle feeds on flying

insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three ...

s which it catches on the wing using echolocation to locate its

prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

. It has been found that it synchronises the emittance of the ultrasonic sounds used for this purpose with its wing beats, in order to maximise detection distances. It drinks by making repeated low flights over water, raising its wings and scooping up water with its tongue. It may forage over pastureland, in villages and round streetlights. Savi's pipistrelle breeds in the summer, and up to 70 female bats may roost together in "maternity" communities.

Status

Savi's pipistrelle is listed as being of "

Least Concern A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...

" in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is because its population is believed to be stable and there are no particular threats that affect it. Many nations protect all their bats, and Savi's pipistrelle is also protected through the

Bonn Convention The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention, is an international agreement that aims to conserve migratory species throughout their r ...

(Eurobats) in the countries that have ratified that treaty. It is also protected in Europe by its inclusion in Annex IV of the EU Habitats and Species Directive.

References

External links

Hypsugo savii - Science for Nature Foundation
{{Taxonbar, from=Q660139 Hypsugo Mammals of Cape Verde Mammals described in 1837 Cave mammals Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte