First record of East Asian tailless leaf-nosed bat (Coelops frithii) from Nepal and extension of its global range

Abstract

We captured a male individual of Coelops frithii during a cave survey in the Makawanpur District of central Nepal on March 3, 2021. A colony with 15 individuals of this species was found roosting in a narrow and moist cavity of the Sarasawati cave situated in Raksirang Rural Municipality. The species was identified by its small size and characteristic funnel shaped ears with large antitragus at the base of posterior end of ear pinna and externally invisible and nodular tail. This is the first record of the genus Coelops for Nepal and western most record of the species.

Responses of insectivorous bats to climate change in Nepal

“…We collected 719 occurrence coordinates for 55 species of bats from published literature (Acharya et al., 2010; Bates & Harrison, 1997; Csorba et al., 1999; Dahal, Thapa, Baral, et al., 2022; Dahal, Thapa, Ghimire, et al., 2022; Myers et al., 2000; Pearch, 2011; Sharma et al., 2019, 2021; Thapa et al., 2012) and 117 coordinates for 33 species of bats were added to our database during the surveys from 2019 to 2022 (Table S1).…”

“…Climate change seems to have significant impacts on patterns of hibernation, prey detection ability, reproductive success and survival of young individuals of bat species (Gottfried et al, 2020). Chiroptera is a dominant order of the class Mammalia in Nepal and constitutes more than 25% of the mammal fauna (Dahal, Thapa, Baral, et al, 2022;Dahal, Thapa, Ghimire, et al, 2022;Sharma et al, 2019Sharma et al, , 2021Thapa, 2014). Nepalese bats have been recorded in diverse habitats from 64 m above sea level at Tagandubba, Jhapa District, to 4145 m above sea level at Mukut Himal, Dolpa district (Acharya et al, 2010;Bates & Harrison, 1997;Pearch, 2011).…”

Diversity and Distribution of Bats in Triyuga and Chaudandi Municipality, Udayapur, Nepal

“…They are also significant for control of vectors of different diseases and agricultural pests. Altogether, 54 species of bats are reported from Nepal (Thapa, 2014;Sharma et al, 2019;Sharma et al, 2021;Dahal et al, 2022) (Janawali et al, 2011;Thapa, 2014;Sharma et al, 2021, Dahal et al, 2022 Habitat degradation, disturbance of rusting sites, forest fire, hunting, Using of poisons in agricultural lands, using of traditional ethno medicine and killing for bush meat are main threats of bats in Nepal (Acharya et al, 2010;Dahal et al, 2016). Most the people think that bats are a sign of bad luck.…”