A new record of Kerivoula hardwickii (Horsefield, 1824) (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) after 23 years from a lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka

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Published: Sep 26, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4100.10.10.12344-12349
Keywords:
banana frond, canopy cover, distribution, Kerivoula, pitcher plants, threatened

Main Article Content

Dinesh Gabadage
Biodiversity Conservation Society
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4629-4468
Gayan Edirisinghe
Biodiversity Conservation Society
Madhava Botejue
Biodiversity Conservation Society
Kalika Perera
Biodiversity Conservation Society
Thilina Surasinghe
Bridgewater State University
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8758-072X
Suranjan Karunarathna
University of Colombo
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0965-7781

Abstract

Distribution of Kerivoula hardwickii, Hardwicke's woolly bat, in Sri Lanka is restricted to the central highlands and to northeastern region of the country, and so far, only recorded from four distinct locations. In Sri Lanka, this species was last documented in the year 1994, and no subsequent surveys recorded this species in Sri Lanka, thus considered rare in Sri Lanka. In contrast, within its southern Asian biogeography, K. hardwickii is widely distributed, particularly in Southeastern Asia. In this study, a single male of K. hardwickii was observed in lowland rainforest ecoregion of Sri Lanka near Labugama-Kalatuwana Forest Reserve where the bat was roosting on a curled live banana frond. The bat was roosting 1.8 m above the ground. This was the first instance K. hardwickii was recorded in the lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka, which extends this species’ biogeography of Sri Lanka into the lowland wet zone. Thus, distribution range of K. hardwickii in Sri Lanka could be broader than historically documented. However, intensive surveys, particularly in lowland rainforest region, are required to validate the true distribution of this bat in Sri Lanka.

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 10 No. 10 (2018)
Section
Short Communications

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Author Biography

Suranjan Karunarathna, University of Colombo

Suranjan Karunarathna did his Mater degree from the University of Colombo. His scientific exploration of biodiversity began with Young Zoologists’ Association of Sri Lanka in early 2000 and former president in 2007. As a wildlife researcher he is conducts research on herpetofaunal ecology, taxonomy, and promot­ing science base conservation awareness of the importance of biodiversity among the Sri Lankan community. Also he is an active member of many specialist groups in the IUCN/SSC, and expert committee member of Herpetofauna in National Red List development programs, Sri Lanka.

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