Fringed Myotis (Mammals of the Kaibab National Forest)

Fringed Myotis

Myotis thysanodes

Summary ⁶

The fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) is a species of vesper bat that is found in British Columbia in Canada, Mexico, and the western United States.

Description ⁷

"The fringed myotis belongs to the long-eared myotis group, all of which tend to be high-elevation forest bats. This species has the shortest ears and occupies the lowest elevation of the group. Its wings are short and broad, indicating maneuverable, low-speed flight, and it seems to be a specialist at gleaning small beetles from vegetation surfaces. Beetles may make up 70 percent of its diet. Fringed myotis have one baby a year, and it is huge in proportion to the mother's size. A newborn's weight is 22 percent, and its length is 54 percent, of the mother's. Newborn bats are left hanging in special roosts, where 2-10 adult females are always present to care for them. The other females fly out at dusk to forage and return at dawn, but are there as necessary to nurse their young. Before they are three weeks old, the young can fly, and by three weeks, they are as large as adults."

Links:
Mammal Species of the World
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