Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857)

Taxonomic Identification

The lesser mouse-eared bat, Myotis blythii (Tomes, 1857), is a relatively large species of Myotis bat that closely resembles the greater mouse-eared bat.

Pelage Coloration

Its back has a brownish tinge, while its belly is pale greyish-white, typically noticeably paler than the belly of the greater mouse-eared bat.

Snout and Ear Structure

Compared to the greater mouse-eared bat, this species has a markedly shorter snout, comparatively narrow and short ears, and noticeably less convex front margins on the ears.

Tragus Characteristics

The tragus of the lesser mouse-eared bat has a pale tip, with no dark spot at its end.

Body Measurements

Recorded body measurements for the species are as follows: forearm length ranges from 50.5 to 62.1 mm (1.99 to 2.44 in); fifth finger length ranges from 63 to 81 mm (2.5 to 3.2 in); third finger length ranges from 85 to 103 mm (3.3 to 4.1 in); and body weight ranges between 19 and 26 g (0.67 to 0.92 oz).

Geographic Distribution

The lesser mouse-eared bat is distributed across Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.