The brown long-eared bat or common long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus) is a small Eurasianinsectivorousbat. It has distinctive ears, long and with a distinctive fold. It is extremely similar to the much rarer grey long-eared bat which was only validated as a distinct species in the 1960s. An adult brown long-eared bat has a body length of 4.5–4.8 cm, a tail of 4.1–4.6 cm, and a forearm length of 4–4.2 cm. The ears are 3.3–3.9 cm in length, and readily distinguish the long-eared bats from most other bat species. They are relatively slow flyers compared to other bat species.
The brown long-eared bat is found throughout Europe, with the exception of Greece, southern Italy and southern Spain. It is found to the east up to the Urals and Caucasus.[3] The UK distribution can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website and can be seen here.
Brown long-eared bats regularly utilise buildings roosting in undisturbed roof spaces either singly, in crevices and timber, or in clusters around chimneys and ridge ends. This species also roosts in treeholes, bat boxes and caves which are important as winter hibernation sites. The roosts in trees may be close to the ground. Emergence from roost sites usually only occurs in the dark, around an hour after sunset.[4]
It hunts above woodland, often by day, and mostly for moths, but its diet also consists of earwigs, flies, and beetles, gleaning these insects from leaves and bark.[5] Prey is probably detected by sight and sound using the large eyes and ears, not by echolocation. A study by Eklöf and Jones (2003)[6] demonstrated the ability of the brown long-eared bat to visually detect prey. Under experimental conditions, brown long-eared bats showed a preference for situations where sonar and visual cues were available. However, visual cues were more important than sonar cues and the bats were unable to detect prey items using only sonar cues. Brown long-eared bats have relatively large eyes and ears and it is likely that visual information and passive listening allow this species to detect prey in cluttered environments.[7]
EcholocationEdit
Echolocation is not used to find prey. The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 27–56 kHz, have most energy at 35 kHz and have an average duration of 2.5 ms. However, unlike most bats, the long-eared can hunt their prey by hearing alone. Their hearing is sensitive enough to hear a moth in flight. This hunting strategy evolved because prey items, namely certain moth species evolved the ability to hear the echolocation and take evading action.[8][9]
^Gazaryan, S.; Kruskop, S.V.; Godlevska, L. (2021) [errata version of 2020 assessment]. "Plecotus auritus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T85535522A195861341. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
^Linnæus, Carl (1758). Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I (in Latin) (10th ed.). Holmiæ: Laurentius Salvius. p. 32. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
^"Plecotus auritus", Science for Nature Foundation
^Russ, J. (1999). The Bats of Britain and Ireland. Echolocation calls, sound analysis, and species identification. Powys: Alana Books.
^Eklöf, J.; Jones, G. (2003). "Use of vision in prey detection by brown long-eared bats, Plecotus auritus". Animal Behaviour. 66 (5): 949–953. doi:10.1006/anbe.2003.2272. S2CID 53194611.
^"The Bats of Britain". www.bio.bris.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
^Parsons, S. and Jones, G. (2000). "Acoustic identification of twelve species of echolocating bat by discriminant function analysis and artificial neural networks". J Exp Biol. 203 (Pt 17): 2641–2656. doi:10.1242/jeb.203.17.2641. PMID 10934005.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Obrist, Martin K.; Boesch, Ruedi; Flückiger, Peter F. (2004). "Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergetic pattern recognition approach". Mammalia. 68 (4): 307–322. doi:10.1515/mamm.2004.030. S2CID 86180828.
Sources
Woodland Management For Bats Guide 2013-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
Gazaryan, S.; Kruskop, S.V.; Godlevska, L. (2020). "Plecotus auritus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T85535522A195861341. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T85535522A195861341.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
Stevens, Martin (2005): The role of eyespots as anti-predator mechanisms, principally demonstrated in the Lepidoptera. Biol. Rev.80(4): 573–588. doi:10.1017/S1464793105006810 (HTML abstract)
External linksEdit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plecotus auritus.
Photographs
October 15, 2023
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The brown long eared bat or common long eared bat Plecotus auritus is a small Eurasian insectivorous bat It has distinctive ears long and with a distinctive fold It is extremely similar to the much rarer grey long eared bat which was only validated as a distinct species in the 1960s An adult brown long eared bat has a body length of 4 5 4 8 cm a tail of 4 1 4 6 cm and a forearm length of 4 4 2 cm The ears are 3 3 3 9 cm in length and readily distinguish the long eared bats from most other bat species They are relatively slow flyers compared to other bat species Brown long eared batConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ChiropteraFamily VespertilionidaeGenus PlecotusSpecies P auritusBinomial namePlecotus auritus Linnaeus 1758 2 SynonymsVespertilio auritus Linnaeus 1758 The Brown Long Eared bat outstretches it s ears before takeoffContents 1 Habitat 2 Echolocation 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksHabitat EditThe brown long eared bat is found throughout Europe with the exception of Greece southern Italy and southern Spain It is found to the east up to the Urals and Caucasus 3 The UK distribution can be found on the National Biodiversity Network website and can be seen here Brown long eared bats regularly utilise buildings roosting in undisturbed roof spaces either singly in crevices and timber or in clusters around chimneys and ridge ends This species also roosts in treeholes bat boxes and caves which are important as winter hibernation sites The roosts in trees may be close to the ground Emergence from roost sites usually only occurs in the dark around an hour after sunset 4 It hunts above woodland often by day and mostly for moths but its diet also consists of earwigs flies and beetles gleaning these insects from leaves and bark 5 Prey is probably detected by sight and sound using the large eyes and ears not by echolocation A study by Eklof and Jones 2003 6 demonstrated the ability of the brown long eared bat to visually detect prey Under experimental conditions brown long eared bats showed a preference for situations where sonar and visual cues were available However visual cues were more important than sonar cues and the bats were unable to detect prey items using only sonar cues Brown long eared bats have relatively large eyes and ears and it is likely that visual information and passive listening allow this species to detect prey in cluttered environments 7 Echolocation EditEcholocation is not used to find prey The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 27 56 kHz have most energy at 35 kHz and have an average duration of 2 5 ms However unlike most bats the long eared can hunt their prey by hearing alone Their hearing is sensitive enough to hear a moth in flight This hunting strategy evolved because prey items namely certain moth species evolved the ability to hear the echolocation and take evading action 8 9 Gallery Edit nbsp Drawing by Ernst Haeckel nbsp Detail of head nbsp Woodcut from R A Sterndale 1884 nbsp Exemplar in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History nbsp Romanian stamp nbsp References Edit Gazaryan S Kruskop S V Godlevska L 2021 errata version of 2020 assessment Plecotus auritus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T85535522A195861341 Retrieved 18 April 2021 Linnaeus Carl 1758 Systema naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis Tomus I in Latin 10th ed Holmiae Laurentius Salvius p 32 Retrieved 22 November 2012 Plecotus auritus Science for Nature Foundation Russ J 1999 The Bats of Britain and Ireland Echolocation calls sound analysis and species identification Powys Alana Books Brown long eared bat Eklof J Jones G 2003 Use of vision in prey detection by brown long eared bats Plecotus auritus Animal Behaviour 66 5 949 953 doi 10 1006 anbe 2003 2272 S2CID 53194611 The Bats of Britain www bio bris ac uk Retrieved 2017 03 16 Parsons S and Jones G 2000 Acoustic identification of twelve species of echolocating bat by discriminant function analysis and artificial neural networks J Exp Biol 203 Pt 17 2641 2656 doi 10 1242 jeb 203 17 2641 PMID 10934005 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Obrist Martin K Boesch Ruedi Fluckiger Peter F 2004 Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species consequences limits and options for automated field identification with a synergetic pattern recognition approach Mammalia 68 4 307 322 doi 10 1515 mamm 2004 030 S2CID 86180828 SourcesWoodland Management For Bats Guide Archived 2013 03 19 at the Wayback Machine Gazaryan S Kruskop S V Godlevska L 2020 Plecotus auritus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T85535522A195861341 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 2 RLTS T85535522A195861341 en Retrieved 11 November 2021 Stevens Martin 2005 The role of eyespots as anti predator mechanisms principally demonstrated in the Lepidoptera Biol Rev 80 4 573 588 doi 10 1017 S1464793105006810 HTML abstract External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Plecotus auritus ARKive Photographs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Brown long eared bat amp oldid 1175817129, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
