This is the first report of a thick thumb bat not only from India but also from South Asia.
This is the first report of a thick thumb bat not only from India but also from South Asia.
Scientists have discovered a new species of bamboo-dwelling bat in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya. The species found near the forested patches of Nongkhilem Wildlife Sanctuary has been named Glycropus megalaynus,
The present discovery is the first report of a thick-toed bat not only from India but also from South Asia.
The scientists behind the discovery are Uttam Saikia of the Zoological Survey of India, who collected the specimen from a patch of forest in the summer of 2020, Gabor Kosorba of the Hungarian Natural History Museum, and Manuel Rudy of the Natural History Museum in Geneva. thick-toed bats of the genus glyceropus Currently composed of four recognized species from Southeast Asia. The newly discovered species is smaller in size and has a dark brownish sulfur yellow belly.
“Two Recently Collected” glyceropus Specimens from the state of Meghalaya in northeastern India extend the known distribution range of the genus westward into South Asia by ca. (approx) 1,000 km. Morphological examination of these specimens and comparison with all known species in this genus revealed remarkable differences in colour, dental colour, and bacular traits. We therefore describe the Meghalaya specimens as a new species,” the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal zootaxa Told. The paper titled ‘Out of Southeast Asia: A new species of thick-thumbed bat’ (Chiroptera: Vespertilonidae: glyceropus) from Meghalaya, North-East India’ was published on 15 June.
Mr Saikia said that from the same wild patch outside the Nongkhilem Wildlife Sanctuary, he found another species of disc-footed bat. eudiscopus denticulus Which was a new record in India.
“Over the years we have reported three bamboo-dwelling bats from this region highlighting the ecological importance of the region. Since there is a rich biodiversity in the bamboo forest around the wildlife sanctuary, efforts should be made to preserve it,” he said.
Bamboo bats are special types of bats that live in bamboo internodes that have special morphological features that help them adapt to life inside a bamboo.
With this new discovery, the total number of bat species known from India has gone up to 131. Meghalaya, a state with a small geographical area, harbors the highest bat diversity in the country with 67 species, which is about 51% of the total bat species. Country.
ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee said that Meghalaya, due to its unique terrain, vegetation and climatic conditions, was a haven for both flora and fauna.
He informed that the unique caves in the northeastern state have provided habitat opportunities for a large number of bats. Mr Saikia also pointed out that there were several cave-dwelling bat species from Meghalaya, the most common being the horseshoe bat and the leaf-nosed bat.
Naming of newly discovered species Glycropus megalaynus Celebrates the state of Meghalaya, where the new species was found. Some species of these bats from Meghalaya are endemic to the region. The director of ZSI said that less research has been done in the northeastern states and more studies will lead to many more such discoveries.