Pipistrellus pygmaeus

• Main Authors: Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Lynx Edicions 2019
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Chiroptera; Vespertilionidae; Pipistrellus; Pipistrellus pygmaeus; Pipistrellus pipistrellus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6578077; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/4C3D87E8FFF66A4AFA819E3B1B08B694

19. Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus French: Pipistrelle pygmée / German: Mickenfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago de Cabrera Other common names: Brown Pipistrelle, Pygmy Pipistrelle Taxonomy. Vespertilio pygmaeus Leach, 1825, “Spitchweek [= Spitchwick], near the forest of Dartmoor,” Devon, United Kingdom. Pipistrellus pygmaeus has generally been included as a subspecies of P. pipistrellus; however, following a number of genetic studies that were supported by morphological data, the two species were separated in the 1990s. Genetic data place P. pygmaeus close to P. creticus and P. hanaki. Recently described subspecies cyprius might represent a distinct species because it is very distinct morphologically and fairly distinct genetically. Two subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. P.p.pygmaeusLeach,1825—mostofEurope(fromIrelandandIberianPeninsulaEtoRussia)andCaucasus;alsoonmajorMediterraneanIs(Balearic,Corsica,Sardinia,andSicily). P. p. cyprius Benda, 2007 — Cyprus. Descriptive notes. Head—body 36-51 mm,tail 23-36 mm, ear 9-13 mm, forearm 27-7-32-8 mm; weight 4-7-5 g. Fur of the Soprano Pipistrelle is slightly darker on dorsum than on venter, all pallid brown ranging from yellowish to sand brown. Compared with the Common Pipistrelle (P. pipistrellus), hair and skin color are paler. Similarly, buccal glands and overall color of penis or skin surrounding vagina are yellowish or orangish; they are gray in the Common Pipistrelle. Compared with other pipistrelle bats such as Nathusius’s Pipistrelle (P. nathusit), the Soprano Pipistrelle has short wings (wingspan 190-230 mm) that are inserted at base of toes. Calcar is up to one-third the length of uropatagium, and postcalcarial lobe is present. Snout is short and forehead clearly curved. Ears are triangular and short, with slender, curved, and rounded tragus. There is a quite diagnostic heart-shaped protuberance in middle of nose of both sexes. Nose is significantly smaller than in Nathusius’s Pipistrelle and Kuhl’s Pipistrelle (P. kuhlii). As for ...