New distribution record of the rare bat Hypsugo cf. vordermanni (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from the Crocker Range Park, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

Abstract

A female Hypsugo cf. vordermanni was caught at a stream near a village road in Mantailang, Crocker Range Park, Sabah, on 12 November 2018. This bat is a new record for the national park and the second record for Sabah. It was first recorded from Banggi Island, Kudat, in 1991. The species' few records throughout its range is most likely due to sampling effort bias towards forest interior and cave-dwelling species, as this species is more likely an edge-space aerial forager. It is morphologically similar to Peninsular Malaysia's Hypsugo macrotis, but the latter has never been reported from Borneo. Therefore, additional specimen collection and molecular data for H. cf. vordermanni are needed for further species confirmation. More information on H. vordermanni ecology is also crucial in aiding the management plan for this species as it is currently classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN.

Keywords

• white-winged pipistrelle
• Mantailang