Chaerephon atsinanana Goodman et al. 2010

71. Madagascar Free-tailed Bat Chaerephon atsinanana French: Tadaride d/Atsinanana / German: Madagaskar-Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Caerepon de Atsinanana Other common names: Eastern Madagascar Free-tailed Bat Taxonomy. Chaerephon atsinanana Goodman et al, 2010, “ Madagascar: Province de Fianarantsoa, Farafangana, Colleges d’Enseignement Général (CEG) Fenoarivo, 22°49.275’S, 47°49.860’E, 10 m. ” The populations that comprise Chaerephon atsinanana were previously included in C. pumilus but have been shown to be distinct on genetic and morphological grounds. Monotypic. Distribution. A narrow zone along E seaboard of Madagascar, from c. 16° S to Vangaindrano (at 23° S). Descriptive notes. Head—body 61-67 mm, tail 27-39 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 5-7 mm, forearm 37-42 mm; weight 9-17 g. Pelage of the Madagascar Free-tailed Bat is short, blackish brown above, brown on throat, and dark brown below, rarely with small white mid-ventral patch; typically, there is distinct whitish or beige stripe of longer hairs at flanks, as found in the Little Free-tailed Bat (C. pumilus), but this is variable. Upperlip is wrinkled, and ears are similar in color and shape to those of the Little Free-tailed Bat. However, antitragus is notably broad, with angular anterior edge, and terminating with rectangular-blunt tip, while in the Little Free-tailed Bat the structureis less thickset, with less angular anterior margin, more angular posterior margin, and slightly rounded tip. Anterior palate is emarginated but narrowly open, and basisphenoid pits are deep. M* has third ridge almost as long as second ridge. Habitat. Common in urban and rural settlements from near sea level up to elevations over 1100 m. Food and Feeding. In a study in the Andasibe region, Madagascar, Free-tailed Bats fed mostly on Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera. Diptera were most prevalent in the cold season, compared to Coleoptera in the hot season. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. The Madagascar Free-tailed Bat is nocturnal. Day roosts have only been located in synanthropic settings such as roofs of houses, churches, and schools. Occupied houses are usually of a typically architectural type, 4-6 m in height, with metal roof, and with or without ventilation gaps in the gables. No natural roosts of the species have been found. Presumably, before human settlement they would have roosted in crevices in rocks and cliffs in mountainous areas. According to J. M. Russ and colleagues in 2003, in Madagascar their narrow FM echolocation calls recorded in an open environment had a low peak frequency (frequency with most energy) of 28 kHz, a bandwidth of 19 kHz, and a duration of 8 milliseconds. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Madagascar Free-tailed Bats roost communally in small to medium-sized groups. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red Lust. Bibliography. Bouchard (2001b), Andrianaivoarivelo et al. (2006), Goodman (2011, 2017i), Goodman, Buccas et al. (2010), Happold, M. (2013ak), Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010), Russ, Bennett et al. (2003).Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Molossidae, pp. 598-672 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 649, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.641827