Strelkov's long-eared bat
Species of vesper bat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strelkov's long-eared bat (Plecotus strelkovi) is a species of vesper bat found in mountainous regions of Central Asia.[2]
| Strelkov's long-eared bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Plecotus |
| Species: | P. strelkovi |
| Binomial name | |
| Plecotus strelkovi Spitzenberger, 2006 | |
Taxonomy
It was described in 2006 based on specimens previously classified without justification as Ward's long-eared bat (P. wardi) and later the grey long-eared bat (P. austriacus). However, genetic and morphological evidence confirmed that these populations represented a distinct, previously undescribed species, and it was described as Plecotus strelkovi. Phylogenetic evidence supports it being a sister species to a group comprising Christie's long-eared bat (P. christii), the Mediterranean long-eared bat (P. kolombatovici), and the grey long-eared bat (P. austriacus).[3] It is accepted as a distinct species by the American Society of Mammalogists, the IUCN Red List, and the ITIS.[1][2][4]
The species is named in honor of Russian mammalogist Petr Petrovich Strelkov.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Status
This species is considered Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and does not face any major threats.[1]