Bats hibernate or migrate11/24/2023 The little brown bat is a small species, with individuals weighing 5.5–12.5 g (0.19–0.44 oz) with a total body length of 8.0–9.5 cm (3.1–3.7 in). Anatomy and physiology External characteristics Illustration of the little brown bat However, a 1983 study by Herd and Fenton found no morphological, genetic, or ecological evidence to support the notion that the two species hybridize. The two species are morphologically different throughout most of the range, but in some regions, individuals have been documented that are intermediate in appearance between the two. The two species occur in the same area in much of the Western United States, as well as southern British Columbia. Results of one study suggested that the little brown bat can hybridize with Yuma myotis, M. In a 2018 study by Morales and Carstens, they concluded that the five subspecies are independent, paraphyletic lineages, meaning that grouping them together excludes other lineages with the same common ancestor, and therefore each warrant specific status. austroriparius), but both are now recognized as full species. austroriparius) were also considered subspecies ( M. Formerly, the Arizona myotis and southeastern myotis ( M. Īs of 2005, five subspecies of the little brown bat are recognized: M. Its sister taxon is the Arizona myotis, M. Based on a 2007 study using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, it is part of a Nearctic clade of mouse-eared bats. Within its family, the Vespertilionidae (vesper bats), the little brown bat is a member of the subfamily Myotinae, which contains only the mouse-eared bats of genus Myotis. The holotype had possibly been collected in Georgia near the Le Conte Plantation near Riceboro, but this has been disputed because the initial record lacked detail on where the specimen was collected. " Lucifugus" is from Latin " lux" (meaning "light") and " fugere" (meaning "to shun"), literally translating to "light-shunning". " Myotis" is a Neo-Latin construction, from the Greek " muós (meaning "mouse") and " oûs" (meaning ear), literally translating to "mouse-eared". It was initially in the genus Vespertilio, with a binomial of Vespertilio lucifugus, before it was re-categorized as belonging to the Myotis genus. The little brown bat was described as a new species in 1831 by American naturalist John Eatton Le Conte. Relationships of Nearctic Myotis species Some people attempt to attract little brown bats to their property, but not their houses, by installing bat houses. Little brown bats rarely test positive for rabies, however. Colonies in buildings are often considered pests because of the production of waste or the concern of rabies transmission. Humans frequently encounter the little brown bat due to its habit of roosting in buildings. In the Northeastern United States, population loss has been extreme, with surveyed hibernacula (caves used for hibernation) averaging a population loss of 90%. White-nose syndrome has been a significant cause of mortality since 2006, killing over one million little brown bats by 2011. Other sources of mortality include diseases such as rabies and white-nose syndrome. It has few natural predators, but may be killed by raptors such as owls, as well as terrestrial predators such as raccoons. It navigates and locates prey with echolocation. It is nocturnal, foraging for its insect prey at night and roosting in hollow trees or buildings during the day, among less common roost types. The little brown bat has a mean lifespan of 6.5 years, though one individual in the wild reached 34 years old. The offspring, called pups, are quickly weaned and reach adult size in some dimensions by three weeks old. Its mating system is polygynandrous, or promiscuous, and females give birth to one offspring annually. Despite its name, the little brown bat is not closely related to the big brown bat, which belongs to a different genus. ![]() It is similar in appearance to several other mouse-eared bats, including the Indiana bat, northern long-eared bat, and Arizona myotis, to which it is closely related. It has a small body size and glossy brown fur. The little brown bat or little brown myotis ( Myotis lucifugus) is an endangered species of mouse-eared microbat found in North America. Distribution of all little brown bat subspecies: M.
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