Felten's myotis

Felten's myotis
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Vespertilionidae
Genus:	Myotis
Species:	M. punicus
Binomial name
Myotis punicus Felten, 1977

The Felten's myotis (Myotis punicus) is a species of vesper bat.

Distribution[]

It is found in Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia, France (Corsica) and Italy (Sardinia). Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, caves, subterranean habitats (other than caves), arable land, rural gardens, and irrigated land. The habitat range extends to the border of the Sahara desert. In Tunisia, the species has been observed as far south as Ghomrassen or the Bou-Hedma National Park.^[2]

Distinctive early spring birth[]

The species - at least as far as specimens roosting in Northern Tunisia are concerned - seems able to give birth much earlier in the spring than the closely related species Myotis myotis or M. blythii in Europe or Western Asia:^[3] Individuals born that year and able to fly were observed in el Haouariya caves on May 24th 2011 (i.e. these juveniles were born between 3 to 4 weeks prior).^[2]

References[]

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