A review of the genera Myotis, Ia, Pipistrellus, Hypsugo, and Arielulus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Myanmar (Burma), including three species new to the country
Author
Bates, Paul J. J.
Harrison Institute Centre for Systematics and Biodiversity Research Bowerwood House St Botolph’s Road Sevenoaks Kent TN 13 3 AQ Great Britain; E-mail: hzm @ btinternet. com
hzm@btinternet.com
Author
Nwe, Tin
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Bu, Si Si Hla
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Mie, Khin Mie
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Swe, Khin Maung
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Nyo, Nyo
Zoology Department University of Veterinary Science Yezin Myanmar
Author
Khaing, Aye Aye
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Aye, Nu Nu
Department of Zoology University of Yangon Yangon Myanmar
Author
Toke, Yin Yin
Department of Zoology Dawei University Tanintharyi Division Myanmar
Author
Aung, Naing Naing
Department of Zoology Hinthida University Ayeyarwady Division Myanmar
Author
Thi, Mar Mar
Zoology Department, University of Distance Education, Yangon, Myanmar
Author
Mackie, Iain
Harrison Institute, Centre for Systematics and Biodiversity Research, Bowerwood House, St Botolph’s Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN 13 3 AQ, Great Britain
text
Acta Chiropterologica
2005
2005-09-01
7
2
205
236
journal article
10.3161/1733-5329(2005)7[205:AROTGM]2.0.CO;2
1733-5329
3942897
Pipistrellus joffrei
Joffre’s Pipistrelle
Nyctalus joffrei
Thomas, 1915a: 225
;
Kachin
Hills, N.
Burma
Previous records from
Myanmar
Kachin State
:
Kachin
Hills (
type
locality); Sagaing Division:
80 km
(
50 miles
) west of Kindat (BMNH collection). There are no new records.
Descriptive characters
According to
Thomas (1915
a
)
, the pelage is a uniform pale brown, above and below. However, a specimen from the
Chin
Hills (BMNH.16.3.26.2) subsequently referred to this species has a short, silky pelage which is a darker, rich reddishbrown on the dorsal surface and with a ginger brown ventral surface. The forearm is
38.8 mm
, based on a single specimen (
Table 4
) and the fifth digit of the wing is reduced, its tip reaching a point approximately half-way along the first phalanx of the fourth digit. The dorsal surface of the shaft of the penis has a bristly pad on its distal part.
Thomas (1915
a
)
suggested that the penis is without a baculum.
Hill (1966)
suggested that if present, it is probably very small or rudimentary. The braincase is broad and rounded. The rostrum is short and wide with supraorbital tuber- cles. Each zygoma has an incipient de- scending process external to the third molar (M3). The second upper incisor (I3) is small, its height is subequal to that of the secondary cusp of the first (I2) and its crown area is about half of I2, which is itself weak relative to the size of the skull. The upper canine (C1) has a well defined posterior, accessory cusp. The first upper premolar (P2) is minute, displaced inwards from the toothrow and about one quarter the crown area of I2. The first lower premolar (P2) is not reduced, its height and crown area about equal to that of the second (P4).
Similar species
Pipistrellus joffrei
is distinguished from all other species except possibly
P. anthonyi
(see below) by the reduction of the fifth dig- it of the wing. Apparently, its pelage is much paler than that of
P. anthonyi
but the presence of an intermediate coloured speci- men (BMNH.16.3.26.2), see above, casts doubt on the validity of
P. anthonyi
.
Taxonomic remarks
Pipistrellus joffrei
was originally includ- ed in
Nyctalus
on account of the reduced fifth digit of the wing and the presence of the minute first upper premolar (P2).
Pipistrellus joffrei
also shares some dental and cranial characters with
Philetor
(
Corbet and Hill, 1992
). However,
Tate (1942)
,
Hill (1966)
and
Corbet and Hill (1992)
suggest that the
joffrei
group of species that in- cludes
anthonyi
(see below) is most similar to the
savii
group of
Pipistrellus
(=
Hyp- sugo
).
Ecology
This species is endemic to
Myanmar
. Three specimens were collected from west of Kindat, where the ‘jungle’ was described by
Wroughton (1916
a
)
as being ‘thicker near the river than further inland’.