Dietz & von Helversen Illustrated Identification key to the bats of ...

Dietz & von HelversenIllustrated Identification key to the bats of EuropeII) Whiskered bats (Myotis alcathoe - Myotis mystacinus – Myotis aurascens &Myotis brandtii)The identification of living whiskered bats, especially of young individuals andfemales, is difficult. A correct identification is sometimes possible only by usingcharacters of the skull and teeth - if at all. It is still unclear, if the relatively big andlighter coloured whiskered bats of south-eastern Europe really deserve species rank(Myotis aurascens) or if they are just a subspecies of M. mystacinus. In addition it isnot clear if they really belong to the taxon aurascens, initially described from theCaucasus.With this key it is not possible to assign all individuals unambiguously to one speciesdescribed at present, as the variability within M. alcathoe is little known and M.mystacinus and M. aurascens are very similar. Characters of M. mystacinus as givenin this key refer to Central European populations. The subspecies M. m. occidentalisfrom Iberia is bigger and lighter in dorsal coloration. It is not possible to distinguishwith this key alone between M. aurascens, M. m. occidentalis and M. mystacinusfrom regions other than Central Europe. We recommend therefore to treat M.mystacinus and M. aurascens in any species lists as one group and to specify it withits geographical origin. Determination is possible with molecular methods in M.brandtii and M. alcathoe, but the markers tested up to now do not resolve withinMyotis mystacinus / aurascens / occidentalis.Plate 15: Characters of Brandt’s bat and whiskered bats (genus Myotis).M. brandtii (118 - 121), M. alcathoe (122 – 125), M. mystacinus (126 - 129),M. aurascens (130 - 133).40