Miniopterus natalensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	VESPERTILIONIDAE

Scientific Name:

Miniopterus natalensis

Species Authority:

(A. Smith, 1834)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Natal Long-fingered Bat

Synonym/s:

Miniopterus natalensis Heller, 1912 subspecies arenarius

Taxonomic Notes:

The currently recognized Miniopterus natalensis is probably a complex of at least three morphologically similar species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Jacobs, D., Cotterill, F.P.D., Taylor, P.J. & Griffin, M.

Reviewer/s:

Hutson, A.M., Racey, P.A. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Cox, N. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2004

–

Near Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This widely distributed species has largely been recorded from southern and East Africa, with some records from Central African and from the Arabian Peninsula. In Africa it ranges south from Angola and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, into Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, and from here north into Tanzania, Kenya, possibly Uganda, possibly southern Sudan and possibly Ethiopia. On the Arabian Peninsula it has been reported from Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Harrison and Bates 1991). Because of frequent misidentification between this species and Miniopterus schreibersii, there is a need to carefully review the distribution of Miniopterus natalensis.
Countries:	Native: Angola (Angola); Botswana; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Kenya; Lesotho; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Saudi Arabia; South Africa; Swaziland; Tanzania, United Republic of; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species can be found in colonies of more than 2,500 animals.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species has been recorded from semi-desert, dry and moist savanna, and mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It is generally a cave roosting species also found in similar habitats such as disused mines.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	In view of its wide range, there appear to be no major threats to this species. In parts of the species distribution it is locally threatened by habitat loss resulting from conversion of land to agricultural use, incidental poisoning with insecticides, and the disturbance of roosting and maternity caves by tourist activities.

Major Threat(s):

In view of its wide range, there appear to be no major threats to this species. In parts of the species distribution it is locally threatened by habitat loss resulting from conversion of land to agricultural use, incidental poisoning with insecticides, and the disturbance of roosting and maternity caves by tourist activities.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There appear to be no conservation measures in place for this species. There is a need to identify and protect important roost sites (especially maternity caves). In view of the species wide range, it is presumably present in some protected areas. There is a need to better determine the range of this species when compared to that of Miniopterus schreibersii.

Conservation Actions:

There appear to be no conservation measures in place for this species. There is a need to identify and protect important roost sites (especially maternity caves). In view of the species wide range, it is presumably present in some protected areas. There is a need to better determine the range of this species when compared to that of Miniopterus schreibersii.

Citation:	Jacobs, D., Cotterill, F.P.D., Taylor, P.J. & Griffin, M. 2008. Miniopterus natalensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 18 May 2013.
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