Kuhl's pipistrelle
| Kuhl's pipistrelle | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Pipistrellus |
| Species: | P. kuhlii
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| Binomial name | |
| Pipistrellus kuhlii Kuhl, 1817
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| Global range of P. kuhlii (red) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Vespertilio kuhlii Kuhl, 1817 | |
Kuhl's pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii) is a species of vesper bat that occurs in large areas of North Africa, Southern Europe and West Asia. It lives in temperate forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, rural gardens, and urban areas.[1]
Taxonomy
[edit]Kuhl's pipistrelle was first named in 1817, under the name Vespertilio kuhlii, in a work by Heinrich Kuhl entitled Die deutschen Fledermäuse ("The bats of Germany").[2] The specific epithet was chosen by Johann Natterer, who had collected the first specimens, and commemorates Kuhl; under the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, however, Kuhl himself is regarded as the authority, as the first to report the name.[3]
The population in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan was formerly known as Pipistrellus deserti, which is now considered to be a junior synonym of Pipistrellus kuhlii.[4]
Description
[edit]Kuhl's pipistrelle's fur is dark brown to yellowish, while the wings are black or dark brown. Some individuals have a white stripe at the wing edges. It has a body length of 40–55 mm (1.6–2.2 in) with a 30–45 mm (1.2–1.8 in) long tail, and it weighs around 5–10 g (0.18–0.35 oz). Its wingspan is 210–230 mm (8.3–9.1 in).[5] It is slightly sexually dimorphic, with males larger than the females.[6]
Distribution and habitat
[edit]Kuhl's pipistrelle lives in a variety of habitats, including commonly in urban areas. It occurs from sea-level to an elevation of 2,000 m (6,600 ft). As it is common across a large and increasing range, it is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[1]
Behaviour and ecology
[edit]Kuhl's pipistrelle is a generalist insectivore, with a widely varying diet depending on the individual and location.[7] In some cases, it may also feed on small amounts of fruit.[6] It feeds by catching its prey in flight by scooping them up in its wings or tail membrane.[7] It typically hunts near other Kuhl's pipistrelles.[8]
To attract females, males will emit mating calls distinct from the normal echolocation calls, often in large groups.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Juste, J.; Paunović, M. (2016). "Pipistrellus kuhlii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T17314A22132946. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T17314A22132946.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ Heinrich Kuhl (1817). Die deutschen Fledermäuse [The bats of Germany] (in German). Hanau.
- ^ Klaver, C. (2007). Inseparable Friends in Life and Death: Heinrich Kuhl (1797–1821) and Johan Conrad Van Hasselt (1797–1823), Students of Prof. Theo Van Swinderen. Biografieën van Groningse hoogleraren. Barkhuis. p. 93. ISBN 9789077922316.
- ^ Benda, P.; Andriollo, T.; Rüdi, M. (2015). "Systematic position and taxonomy of Pipistrellus deserti (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)". Mammalia. 79 (4): 419–438. doi:10.1515/MAMMALIA-2014-0024.
- ^ Wilson, D. E.; Mittermeier, R. A. (2019). "Vespertilionidae". Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 9 Bats. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 716–981. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6397752. ISBN 978-84-16728-19-0.
- ^ a b Abdel-Hamid, F.; Alqahtani, A. R. (2022). "Morphological characters and feeding habits of insectivorous Kuhl's pipistrelle bat Pipistrellus kuhlii Cretzschmar, 1830, in different riverine habitats". Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. 29 (12): 103490. Bibcode:2022SJBS...2903490A. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.103490. PMC 9649388. PMID 36389207.
- ^ a b Teixeira, S.; Russo, D. (2021). Bat Calls Of Britain and Europe - A guide to species identification. Pelagic Publishing. pp. 366–372.
- ^ a b Benda, P.; Andreas, M.; Kock, D.; Lucan, R.K.; Munclinger, P.; Nova, P.; Obuch, J.; Ochman, K.; Reiter, A.; Uhrin, M.; Weinfurtova, D. (2006). "Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean. Part 4. Bat fauna of Syria: distribution, systematics, ecology". Acta Societatis Zoologicae Bohemicae. 70 (1): 1–329. Archived from the original on 2024-11-12. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Pipistrellus kuhlii at Wikimedia Commons
