Seminole bat

Seminole bat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Lasiurus
Species: L. seminolus
Binomial name
Lasiurus seminolus
(Rhoads, 1895)

The Seminole bat (Lasiurus seminolus) is a species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae. A common feature of the family Vespertilionidae is a tail that is located completely within the uropatagium (the membrane located between the hind limbs in bats).[2] In Seminole bats, and other members of the Lasiurus genus, the upper surface of this membrane is covered in fur.

These bats were once thought to be the same species as the red bat (Lasiurus borealis), but are now considered a distinct species.[3]

Description

The Seminole bat is often confused with the red bat. This is due to the coloring of the Seminole bat, which is a mahogany color with a frosted look due to white tipped dorsal hairs.[2] Coloring is not sexually dimorphic, meaning that males and females are similar in color.[2] Average weight is around 12 grams with females being larger than males.[2]

Diet

Seminole bats are insectivores. Insectivores are animals that feed primarily on insects. They have been found to eat relatively large amount of Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps), Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (moths).[4] They have also been shown to eat smaller amounts of Homoptera (cicadas) and Diptera (flies).[4]

Distribution

Distribution of the seminole bat is the southeastern part of the United States. This includes Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and parts of Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina. There are also records of Seminole bats as far as Mexico.[2] Reports have found seminole bats in the areas of Northeastern North Carolina in 2015.[5] Since 2015, seminole bats have been cared for bat rehabilitators in Northern Virginia and recorded in the same area using an Echo Meter.

The bats prefer to live in forested areas. In winter months they are found to use leaf litter and Spanish moss as insulation in their roost sites.[6] Spanish moss is also thought to be an important factor in seminole bat environments year round. and is believed to be a limiting factor in distribution of these bats.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Timm, B. & Arroyo-Cabrales, J. (2008). "Lasiurus seminolus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wilkins, Kenneth (27 February 1987). "Lasiurus Seminolus" (PDF). Mammalian Species. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Barkalow, Frederick S. Jr.; Jones, Gardiner F.; Guilday, John E.; Koford, Carl B.; Koford, Mary R.; Krutzsch, Philip H.; Banfield, A. W. F.; Frum, W. Gene; Miller, F. W. (1948-12-01). "General Notes". Journal of Mammalogy. 29 (4): 415–422. JSTOR 1375132. doi:10.2307/1375132.
  4. 1 2 Carter, Timothy C.; Menzel, Michael A.; Chapman, Brian R.; Miller, Karl V. (2004-01-01). "Partitioning of Food Resources by Syntopic Eastern Red (Lasiurus borealis), Seminole (L. seminolus) and Evening (Nycticeius humeralis) Bats". The American Midland Naturalist. 151 (1): 186–191. ISSN 0003-0031. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(2004)151[0186:POFRBS]2.0.CO;2.
  5. ↑ Graeter, Gabrielle J.; Diggins, Corinne A.; Weeks, Kendrick C.; Clark, Mary K. (2015-03-23). "New Distribution Records for Bats in Northwestern North Carolina". Southeastern Naturalist. 14 (1): 98–105. doi:10.1656/058.014.0119.
  6. ↑ Hein, Cris D.; Castleberry, Steven B.; Miller, Karl V. (2008-11-01). "Male Seminole Bat Winter Roost-Site Selection in a Managed Forest". Journal of Wildlife Management. 72 (8): 1756–1764. ISSN 0022-541X. doi:10.2193/2007-595.
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