Confirmation of the existence of Himalayan long-eared bats, Plecotus homochrous (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), in China

The existence of Himalayan long-eared bats, Plecotus homochrous (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae), in China has not been previously confirmed. In this study, four bats captured with harp traps from two sites in the Maoershan National Nature Reserve in Guangxi, China were investigated. These bats have long, wide auricles, each with a prominent tragus. The length of each auricle is about the same as that of a forearm. Hairs on the ventral fur have a dark base with mixed grey and yellowish tips; those on the dorsal fur also have a dark base and are bicolored with brown tips. The thumbs are very short. A concavity is present in the front of the dorsal side of the cranium. Based on morphological characteristics and phylogeny using Cyt b gene sequences, these bats were identified as P. homochrous, thus confirming the existence of Hima-layan long-eared bats in China.

Automated summary

In this study, the existence of Himalayan long-eared bats (Plecotus homochrous) in China was confirmed based on the investigation of four bats captured in Guangxi. The bat's morphological characteristics, such as long auricles and short thumbs, paired with the phylogenetic analysis using Cyt b gene sequences, helped identify them as P. homochrous.