| Eastern red bat | |
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Lasiurus |
| Species: | L. borealis |
| Binomial name | |
| Lasiurus borealis Müller, 1776 | |
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| Range (note: map erroneously shows the species to be present in Cuba.) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Theeastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a species ofmicrobat in the familyVespertilionidae. Eastern red bats are widespread across eastern North America, with additional records in Bermuda.
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| Relationship ofL. borealis withinLasiurus, based on an analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA.[2] |
It wasdescribed in 1776 by German zoologistPhilipp Ludwig Statius Müller. He initially placed it in the genusVespertilio,[a] with the nameVespertilio borealis.[4] It was not placed into its current genusLasiurus until the creation of the genus in 1831 byJohn Edward Gray.[5] The generic name "Lasiurus" is derived from the Greeklasios ("hairy") andoura ("tail"); itsspecies name "borealis" isLatin in origin, meaning "northern."[6][7] Of the species in its genus, the eastern red bat is most closely related to other red bats, with which they form amonophyly. Its closest relatives are thePfeiffer's red bat (Lasiurus pfeifferi),Seminole bat (L. seminolus),cinnamon red bat (L. varius),desert red bat (L. blossevillii),saline red bat (L. salinae), and thegreater red bat (L. atratus).[8]
The eastern red bat has distinctive fur, with males being brick or rusty red, and females being a slightly more frosted shade of red.[9][10] Both male and female eastern red bats have distinctive shoulder patches of white fur.[10] Individual hairs on its back are approximately 5.8 mm (0.23 in), while hairs on itsuropatagium are 2.6 mm (0.10 in) long. Fur on its ventral surface is usually lighter in color. Its entire body is densely furred, including its uropatagium. It is a medium-sized member ofits genus, weighing 7–13 g (0.25–0.46 oz) and measuring 109 mm (4.3 in) from head to tail. Its ears are short and rounded, with triangulartragi. Its wings are long and pointed. Its tail is long, at 52.7 mm (2.07 in) long. Its forearm is approximately 40.6 mm (1.60 in) long. Itsdental formula is1.1.2.33.1.2.3, for a total of 32 teeth.[5]
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Theaspect ratio and wing loading of eastern red bat wings indicates that they fly relatively quickly and are moderately maneuverable.[5] Eastern red bats areinsectivorous, preying heavily onmoths, with other insect taxa also consumed. They consume knownpests, includinggypsy moths,tent caterpillar moths,Cydia moths,Acrobasis moths,cutworm moths, andconeworm moths.[11]
Eastern red bat breeding season starts in the autumn,[12] and multiple males can sire a single litter.[13] Pups are born in the summer,[12] usually sometime between May and July.[14] Unlike other bats species who usually produce one pup, eastern red bats have on average three pups at a time, and some eastern red bats have given birth to as many as five pups.[15] Females have four nipples, which allows them to nourish multiple offspring at once. Eastern red bat pups learn to fly about a month after being born, after which they are weaned.[12] Even after the pups have learned how to fly, they remain with their mother for a while before roosting on their own.[14]
Eastern red bats are often attacked and killed byhawks andowls, or aggressive species likeblue jays andcrows; the former animal in particular serves as a major predator for bats hiding in leaf piles. Eastern red bats are also killed by flying into cars, tall human-made structures, orwind turbines. Allen Kurta argues that the lifespan for an eastern red bat is about two years, although they can probably live even longer.[15]
The eastern red bat is widely distributed in eastern North America andBermuda.[16] It generally occurs east of theContinental Divide, including southern Canada and northeastern Mexico. In the winter, it occurs in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico, with greatest concentrations in coastal areas. In the spring and summer, it can be found in theGreat Lakes region and theGreat Plains region. Unlike the closely relatedhoary bat, males and females have the same geographic range throughout the year.[17] Formerly, some authors included the western United States, Central America, and the northern part of South America in its range,[5] but these populations have since been reassigned to thedesert red bat,Lasiurus blossevillii.[16]
The eastern red bat is evaluated asleast concern by theIUCN, the lowest-priority conservation category. It meets the criteria for this designation because it has a wide geographic range, large population size, it occurs in protected areas, it tolerates some habitat disturbance, and its population size is unlikely to be declining rapidly.[1]
Eastern red bats and other migratory tree bats are vulnerable to death by wind turbines viabarotrauma.[18] The eastern red bat has the second-greatest mortality from wind turbines, withhoary bats most affected.[19]
While eastern red bats have been documented carrying the spores ofPseudogymnoascus destructans, the fungus that causeswhite-nose syndrome, no individuals have been observed with clinical symptoms of the disease.[20]
Media related toLasiurus borealis at Wikimedia CommonsAuthority control databases: National |
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