Scientists from the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil have captured the first specimen of a South American bat in a century in the Palmas Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary. This species was first described by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1916. In this respect reports PhysOrg.
Histiotus alien is a brown bat about 10-12 centimeters long. A special feature of this species is its large oval ears, connected by a membrane at the bottom.
For more than a hundred years, scientists have not been able to find representatives of the South American bat. The only specimen found in 1916 is kept in the Natural History Museum in London. But during a field trip at Palmas Meadows Wildlife Refuge, researchers spotted Histiotus Alienus. Scientists used mist nets to capture the bat. The device is a mesh made of nylon or polyester suspended between two poles. When installed correctly, the material is virtually invisible to bats and birds.
After comparing the captured specimen to hundreds of other species, scientists confirmed that it was indeed Histiotus Alienus. The person was released to the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro for further investigation. This species is now known to be found in a variety of environments, from dense tropical forests to grasslands, as well as at high altitudes and mountains. The expanded habitat does not indicate an improvement in the South American bat’s conservation status, the researchers said. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the species as “understudied.”
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Source: Gazeta
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