Ozimops kitcheneri, the south-western free-tailed bat, is a species of molossid bat found in Southwest Australia. A small flying mammal, it forages in forests and woodlands for insects.
The description as a new species was published in 2014 by McKenzie, Reardon, & Adams, separating them from a poorly understood population known as the planiceps group. This was the result of a revision of the uncertain diversity of several Mormopterus populations, previously recognised by their affinity to species Mormopterus planiceps.[3] Before its publication as a new species, the group were identified as "south-western freetail bat Mormopterus planiceps (long penis form, in part)" (eg Menkhurst, 2011) to separate them from populations in the east and distinguish the short penis form of another group with overlapping range.[3]
The species has been placed with an arrangement of allied taxa as subgenus Mormopterus (Ozimops) Reardon, McKenzie & Adams, 2014.[4] Acknowledgement by the Australian Faunal Directory as a full species of a new genus cites its recognition by taxonomic authorities in 2015.[5]
The holotype was collected near Balladonia with a mist net over a dam at a roadside. This specimen, a male adult, and was placed at the Western Australian Museum by the collectors.[6] The paratypes cited in the description are a female adult caught on the same day at the site, and adult male collected at Jaurdi and female at Credo.[2]
The eponym for the species name "kitcheneri" is Darrell Kitchener "for his prolific contribution to elucidating the systematics of Indo-Australian mammals, especially bats".[2]
DescriptionEdit
Mormopterus kitcheneri has an "unusually flattened skull", similar to the southern species M. planiceps and M. petersi, the inland free-tailed bat.[2] The fur is dark and long, the coloration at the upper side is grey-brown and slightly darker than the ventral side. The colour of bare skin is grey or pinkish.[3] It is a small species, with a forearm length of 32.6 to 35.4 millimetres and a body mass of 7.5 to 10.5 grams.[2]
Distribution and habitatEdit
The species is only recorded in Western Australia, at regions in the southwest of the continent.[1][2] The habitat is dry sclerophyll forest or heath, and Mallee woodland. They occur in many areas of the semi-arid wheatbelt, partly overlapping in range with the inland species Ozimops petersi.[7]
The area of occupancy has not been determined, but reasonable assumed to have been greatly reduced by the extensive removal of habitat during the British colonisation of Southwest Australia. The population trends or trajectory are largely unknown due to the absence of historical data. The species is recorded at remnant bushland and roosting in urban structures, and regularly appears in surveys within its distribution range.[1]
EcologyEdit
It is an endemic species of Australia. It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places during the day such as hollow trees and human structures.[8] It forages for its insect prey in uncluttered air spaces, open or semi-open woodlands; the climate of the recorded locations is mesic or semiarid habitat.[2] The species was recorded in sympatry with Mormopterus petersi at the Coolgardie and Avon regions.[2]
Ozimops kitcheneri, like the species Austronomus australis, forages above the canopy of forest and woodland.[9]
ConservationEdit
As of 2020, it is assessed as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range, it tolerates a variety of habitats, its range includes protected areas, and it is frequently documented. Its population size is estimated at 35,000 individuals, which is likely an underestimation.[1]
ReferencesEdit
^ abcdReardon, T.B.; Armstrong, K.D. (2020) [amended version of 2017 assessment]. "Mormopterus kitcheneri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T71532724A166524878. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T71532724A166524878.en. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
^ abcdefghReardon, T. B.; McKenzie, N. L.; Cooper, S. J. B.; Appleton, B.; Carthew, S.; Adams, M. (2014). "A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free-tailed bats Mormopterus (Chiroptera : Molossidae)". Australian Journal of Zoology. 62 (2): 109–136. doi:10.1071/ZO13082. ISSN 1446-5698.
^"ITIS Standard Report Page: Mormopterus (Ozimops)". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Jackson, S.; Groves, C. (2015). Taxonomy of Australian Mammals. CSIRO Publishing. p. 594. ISBN9781486300143.
^Terry Reardon, Michael Pennay, April Reside and Annette Scanlon.
^Andrew, D. (2015). The Complete Guide to Finding the Mammals of Australia. CSIRO Publishing. p. 324. ISBN9780643098152.
^Reardon, T.; Armstrong, K. (2017). "Mormopterus kitcheneri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T71532724A71532749. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T71532724A71532749.en.
ozimops, kitcheneri, south, western, free, tailed, species, molossid, found, southwest, australia, small, flying, mammal, forages, forests, woodlands, insects, conservation, statusleast, concern, iucn, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, animal. Ozimops kitcheneri the south western free tailed bat is a species of molossid bat found in Southwest Australia A small flying mammal it forages in forests and woodlands for insects Ozimops kitcheneriConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ChiropteraFamily MolossidaeGenus OzimopsSpecies O kitcheneriBinomial nameOzimops kitcheneriMcKenzie et al 2014 2 SynonymsMormopterus Ozimops kitcheneri McKenzie et al 2014 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Ecology 5 Conservation 6 ReferencesTaxonomy EditThe description as a new species was published in 2014 by McKenzie Reardon amp Adams separating them from a poorly understood population known as the planiceps group This was the result of a revision of the uncertain diversity of several Mormopterus populations previously recognised by their affinity to species Mormopterus planiceps 3 Before its publication as a new species the group were identified as south western freetail bat Mormopterus planiceps long penis form in part eg Menkhurst 2011 to separate them from populations in the east and distinguish the short penis form of another group with overlapping range 3 The species has been placed with an arrangement of allied taxa as subgenus Mormopterus Ozimops Reardon McKenzie amp Adams 2014 4 Acknowledgement by the Australian Faunal Directory as a full species of a new genus cites its recognition by taxonomic authorities in 2015 5 The holotype was collected near Balladonia with a mist net over a dam at a roadside This specimen a male adult and was placed at the Western Australian Museum by the collectors 6 The paratypes cited in the description are a female adult caught on the same day at the site and adult male collected at Jaurdi and female at Credo 2 The eponym for the species name kitcheneri is Darrell Kitchener for his prolific contribution to elucidating the systematics of Indo Australian mammals especially bats 2 Description EditMormopterus kitcheneri has an unusually flattened skull similar to the southern species M planiceps and M petersi the inland free tailed bat 2 The fur is dark and long the coloration at the upper side is grey brown and slightly darker than the ventral side The colour of bare skin is grey or pinkish 3 It is a small species with a forearm length of 32 6 to 35 4 millimetres and a body mass of 7 5 to 10 5 grams 2 Distribution and habitat EditThe species is only recorded in Western Australia at regions in the southwest of the continent 1 2 The habitat is dry sclerophyll forest or heath and Mallee woodland They occur in many areas of the semi arid wheatbelt partly overlapping in range with the inland species Ozimops petersi 7 The area of occupancy has not been determined but reasonable assumed to have been greatly reduced by the extensive removal of habitat during the British colonisation of Southwest Australia The population trends or trajectory are largely unknown due to the absence of historical data The species is recorded at remnant bushland and roosting in urban structures and regularly appears in surveys within its distribution range 1 Ecology EditIt is an endemic species of Australia It is nocturnal roosting in sheltered places during the day such as hollow trees and human structures 8 It forages for its insect prey in uncluttered air spaces open or semi open woodlands the climate of the recorded locations is mesic or semiarid habitat 2 The species was recorded in sympatry with Mormopterus petersi at the Coolgardie and Avon regions 2 Ozimops kitcheneri like the species Austronomus australis forages above the canopy of forest and woodland 9 Conservation EditAs of 2020 it is assessed as a least concern species by the IUCN It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range it tolerates a variety of habitats its range includes protected areas and it is frequently documented Its population size is estimated at 35 000 individuals which is likely an underestimation 1 References Edit a b c d Reardon T B Armstrong K D 2020 amended version of 2017 assessment Mormopterus kitcheneri IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T71532724A166524878 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 1 RLTS T71532724A166524878 en Retrieved 19 July 2020 a b c d e f g h Reardon T B McKenzie N L Cooper S J B Appleton B Carthew S Adams M 2014 A molecular and morphological investigation of species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships in Australian free tailed bats Mormopterus Chiroptera Molossidae Australian Journal of Zoology 62 2 109 136 doi 10 1071 ZO13082 ISSN 1446 5698 a b c Menkhorst P W Knight F 2011 A field guide to the mammals of Australia 3rd ed Melbourne Oxford University Press p 146 ISBN 9780195573954 ITIS Standard Report Page Mormopterus Ozimops www itis gov Retrieved 9 January 2019 Jackson S Groves C 2015 Taxonomy of Australian Mammals CSIRO Publishing p 594 ISBN 9781486300143 Terry Reardon Michael Pennay April Reside and Annette Scanlon Andrew D 2015 The Complete Guide to Finding the Mammals of Australia CSIRO Publishing p 324 ISBN 9780643098152 Reardon T Armstrong K 2017 Mormopterus kitcheneri IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017 e T71532724A71532749 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2017 2 RLTS T71532724A71532749 en Wentzel J J Craig M D Barber P A StJ Hardy G E Fleming P A April 2019 Microbat responses to forest decline Austral Ecology 44 2 265 275 doi 10 1111 aec 12671 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ozimops kitcheneri amp oldid 1046238056, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
