IUCN status category: Low risk, near threatened.
Red book: vulnerable.
Numbers have declined fast recently and the species has gone extinct in northwestern Europe.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The main factor that causes decline of M. myotis populations may be human disturbance. People both use agrochemicals which poison bats, or disturb caves that causes death at roosts. In addition, large scale agricultural change has reduced areas of open ground and increase grassland, and this also results in reductions in the number of bats.
Known Predators:
M. myotis are relatively large bats, with long ears, overall length 6.5-8.0 cm, broad wingspan 36.5-45.0 cm, and forearm length about 5.7 cm. Adult body weights are about 20-45 g. Females are larger than males.
M. myotis are very similar to M. blythii phisically.
Range mass: 20 to 45 g.
Range length: 6.5 to 8.0 cm.
Range wingspan: 36.5 to 45.0 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Life span in Myotis is usually 6 to 7 years, but M. myotis were recorded as 13 years old in the United Kingdom. In wild, some may survive up to 22 years.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 22 (high) years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 13 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 18.0 years.
M. myotis primarily inhabit caves and buildings such as churches and castles. They also dwell in relatively open, lightly wooded forests.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban
This species is found throughout Eurasia and part of northern Africa. It has gone extinct in the United Kingdom after 1990.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic (Native ); oriental (Native )
These bats are opportunistic predators. They primarily feed on ground beetles such as carabids (Carabidae), but also prey on large moths and grass beetles whenever possible. M. myotis prefer feeding in open woodland with ground cover of few grasses. They may have evolved to catch ground beetles on the soil surface. However, they may select alternative preys if primary sources do not meet their requirements. They consume around 25-50% of body weight nightly.
Animal Foods: insects
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )
Positive Impacts: controls pest population
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Fossil evidence shows the separation of M. myotis from M. blythii occurred during the Pleistocene.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Breeding season: Late spring to summer.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 2.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Range gestation period: 60 to 70 days.
Average weaning age: 60 days.
Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous ; sperm-storing
Average birth mass: 5.9 g.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 502 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 502 days.
Parental Investment: altricial
The greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
Myotis myotis is a large bat with a long, broad muzzle and big, long ears. The body's dorsal side is brown to reddish-brown, while the ventral side is dirty white or beige. The tragus forms half of the ear, with a small black tip in most individuals. Wing membranes are brownish in colour.[2] The Greater mouse-eared bat is relatively large for a member of the genus Myotis, weighing up to 45 grams (1.6 oz) and measuring 8 to 9 cm from head to tail (a little larger than a house mouse, Mus musculus), making it one of the largest European bats.[3] It has a 40 cm wingspan, with a forearm length of 6 cm, and a 4 to 5 cm long tail. The average lifespan of a greater mouse-eared bat is 3–4 years, although particular individuals have lived up to 14 years.[4]
The greater mouse-eared bat can be found throughout Europe, with populations in most European countries except Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Finland and the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is also found on many Mediterranean islands, such as Sicily, Malta, and the Gymnesian Islands.[4] In the Middle East, Myotis myotis has been found in Turkey, Israel, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. It possibly lives in the United Kingdom.[1][5]
In the Balearics, Myotis myotis can be found on the islands of Mallorca and Menorca. It is the most abundant species of bat on Mallorca, with several caves containing large colonies of 200, 400 and 500 individuals. It is also very common in the Iberian Peninsula and France.[4]
During the 20th century, this species was very rare in Great Britain, occurring only in southern England. However, the bats at the only known hibernation roost declined until only a few males were left, and when these disappeared the species was believed locally extinct.[6] However, occasional individuals have been discovered in recent years, suggesting either that a colony survives or that further animals have colonized Great Britain from mainland Europe.[5]
In 2012, a LIFE-Nature project was initiated, aiming to protect the several thousands of greater mouse-eared bat in the Gola della Rossa and Frasassi Nature Park in the Marches.
Like its relatives, the greater mouse-eared bat is an insectivore, feeding on various arthropods; however, unlike many bats, it does not capture its prey by using echolocation in flight. Instead, it gleans it from the ground, locating prey passively by listening for the noises produced by insects such as carabid beetles, other beetles and large moths, as well as centipedes and spiders.[7][8] As a result, it uses echolocation only for spatial orientation, even if it emits ultrasound calls when approaching prey.[9]
Myotis myotis forages in open deciduous woodlands, forest edges and pastures. It roosts underground throughout the year, although roosts in Northern Europe are also located in attics and lofts of buildings. More rarely, small tree-based colonies also occur.[1] Colonies on Mediterranean islands such as Mallorca usually have up to 500 individuals, though colonies of over 4.500 bats have been found in continental Europe. It has been known to roost with other bats, such as Myotis capaccinii and Miniopterus schreibersi. In mainland Europe, Myotis myotis performs annual dispersions of up to 200 km in spring, although most are only of 10 km or so.
As with most vespertilionid bats, the greater mouse-eared bat exhibits slight sexual dimorphism, with females being slightly larger than males. Mating takes place in autumn, with females giving birth from May to June. Each female has 1–2 pups, which are carried around for about 45 days. During this period, females form nursery colonies from which males are excluded.[4]
The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 22 and 86 kHz, have most energy at 37 kHz and have an average duration of 6.0 ms.[10]
The greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) is a European species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae.
