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line:xlsx:hash://sha256/181a039844a33e66a35a457b7ece741051086608e425a040051b79581d606b97!/Sheet1!/L657	application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet	N/A	N/A	N/A	Miniopterus schreibersii [synonym of]	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus natalensis		[MSW3] Formerly included in schreibersii, but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995).; [HMW] of M. natalensis needs additional research. Monotypic.; [batnames2022] Formerly included in schreibersii , but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Provisionally includes arenarius , which may be a distinct species; see &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013). Note that &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013) did not compare the type material of arenarius to the specimens of cf. arenarius in their study.; [MDD2022] previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae; [IUCN] The currently recognized Miniopterus natalensis is probably a complex of at least three morphologically similar species. For example, it was previously included as a subspecies of M . schreibersii , from which it is genetically distinct (Miller-Butterworth et al. 2005). The latter species is now restricted to North Africa and Europe (Appleton et al. 2004), with M. natalensis occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, the West African villiersi (V. Aellen, 1956) (Rosevear 1965), recognised as a subspecies of M . natalensis , may be a distinct species (Fahr et al. 2006). Ongoing molecular research may reveal cryptic species within the assessment region.; [batnames2023] Formerly included in schreibersii , but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Provisionally includes arenarius , which appears likely to be a distinct species; see Monadjem et al., (2013), &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013), and Demos et al. (2020). Note that &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013) did not compare the type material of arenarius to the specimens of cf. arenarius in their study.; [MDD2023] previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae; [MDD2025_2.0] previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae; [batnames2025_1.7] Formerly included in schreibersii, but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Does not include arenarius ([pers. comm. Webala and Demos, 2023); see Å rámek et al. (2013), Demos et al. (2020), and Monadjem et al., (2020).; [MDD2025_2.2] previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae							arenarius, natalensis	natalensis, arenarius	breyeri, scotinus, vicinior			natalensis, arenarius	natalensis - breyeri, scotinus, vicinior	natalensis, dasythrix, scotinus, breyeri, smitianus	The currently recognized Miniopterus natalensis is probably a complex of at least three morphologically similar species. For example, it was previously included as a subspecies of M . schreibersii , from which it is genetically distinct (Miller-Butterworth et al. 2005). The latter species is now restricted to North Africa and Europe (Appleton et al. 2004), with M. natalensis occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, the West African villiersi (V. Aellen, 1956) (Rosevear 1965), recognised as a subspecies of M . natalensis , may be a distinct species (Fahr et al. 2006). Ongoing molecular research may reveal cryptic species within the assessment region.	natalensis	natalensis - breyeri, dasythrix, scotinus, smitianus	natalensis, dasythrix, scotinus, breyeri, smitianus 	natalensis, dasythrix, scotinus, breyeri, smitianus 	natalensis	natalensis - breyeri, dasythrix, scotinus, smitianus 	natalensis (A. Smith, 1833)|dasythrix (Temminck, 1840)|scotinus (Sundevall, 1847)|breyeri H. L. Jameson, 1909|smitianus O. Thomas, 1927						N/A					Distribution: Ranging from Sudan and southwestern Arabia to the Cape Province.													A. SMITH	1834	Size medium (forearm length, 41-49 mm; condylobasal length, 13-16 mm).	Distribution: Ranging from Sudan and southwestern Arabia to the Cape Province.	Two subspecies are here recognized:	M. n. arenarius (Sudan and Arabia to Zimbabwe), M. n. natalensis (South Africa).	134	species	M. natalensis	A. SMITH	1834	Miniopterus	genus	Miniopterus natalensis				Size medium (forearm length, 41-49 mm; condylobasal length, 13-16 mm).	Two subspecies are here recognized:		8. M. natalensis (A. SMITH 1834) [schreibersi group].	8	NA			Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. (Available from Johns Hopkins University Press, 1-800-537-5487 or (410) 516-6900, or at http://www.press.jhu.edu).	CHIROPTERA	Vespertilionidae	Miniopterinae		Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus		natalensis	A. Smith	y	1834		S. Afr. Quart. J.	2		59		Natal Long-fingered Bat	Natal, Durban.	Sudan and SW Arabia to South Africa.	IUCN 2003 – Not evaluated; not considered in IUCN/SSC Action Plan (2001).	breyeri Jameson, 1909; scotinus Sundevall, 1846; vicinior J. A. Allen, 1917; arenarius Heller, 1912.	Formerly included in schreibersii, but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995).	E84887F9FFD8D6560A33FC7219C93D12	Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions	978-84-16728-19-0	hbmw_9_Miniopteridae_674.pdf.imf	hash://md5/1471ff81ffd6d6580a4affec112f3619	705	zip:hash://sha256/ec5fd314a06aba1a7b0b72f23e54ac625ae272bd98f82f1d01f4c09627d9e8e0!/treatments-xml-main/data/E8/48/87/E84887F9FFD8D6560A33FC7219C93D12.xml	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopteridae	Miniopterus	natalensis		1833	Minioptéere du Natal @fr | Natal-Langfllgelfledermaus @de | Minidptero de Natal @es | Natal Bent-winged Bat @en	of M. natalensis needs additional research. Monotypic.	E Africa ( Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Kenya , and Tanzania ) and S Africa (SE DR Congo , Angola , Zambia , Malawi , Mozambique , Namibia , Botswana , Zimbabwe , South Africa , Swaziland , and Lesotho ). Nevertheless, species assignment of the populations from E Africa needs genetic confirmation.	Head—body 55-6-68 mm, tail 46-55-5 mm, ear 9-5— 12 mm , hindfoot 8-10 mm, forearm 42-48 mm; weight 9-4-13 g ( South Africa ). Dorsal pelage is dense, velvety, and usually very dark brown to grayish black (gray morph) or rusty red to rusty brown (orange morph). Ventral pelage is slightly paler than dorsum. Mid-dorsal hairs (7-9 mm long) are unicolored or with slightly paler tips. Wing membranes and uropatagium are very dark gray, blackish brown, or black. Ears are small, and tragus (4-7 mm) is relatively long with two-thirds parallel-sided, posterior margin becoming convex near rounded tip. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 46 and FN = 50.	Temperate, subtropical, and tropical habitats from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 2200 m . Found in Mediterranean-type shrublands (fynbos) or woodland savanna (bushveld) up to c¢. 1000 m in South Africa and in wet Afromontane forest at 2200 m in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and Tanzania ( Mount Kilimanjaro ). Found in arid open acacia savanna, thorn savanna, and mopane savanna at 1000-1300 m in Namibia and in miombo woodlands at 1000-1600 m in DR Congo (Shaba region).	The Natal Long-fingered Bat feeds on insects captured in flight. It has intermediate wing loading (10-7 N/m?) and intermediate aspect ratio (7); these wing characteristics allow good performance when flying in cluttered edges but also in more open areas. In Knysna Forest ( South Africa ), its main prey was Diptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera (23-28% biomass), followed by Lepidoptera (19%) and Hymenoptera (3%). In Algeria Forest Station ( Western Cape Province of South Africa ), almost one-half of the diet consisted in Diptera , a third Hemiptera, and much smaller proportions of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Trichoptera. In De Hoop Nature Reserve ( South Africa ), it foraged exclusively over a temporary pond (vlei), with kloofs (steep ravines) leading away from it, and immediate surroundings, but no individuals were observed over farms or Mediterranean-type shrublands (fynbos) away from the vlei. In this area, preliminary results show that diet consisted mainly of Lepidoptera , Diptera , and Hemiptera. Average consumption per night per individual was 1-7 g (c.15% of body weight) in winter, whereas it was 2-4 g (20% of body weight) in summer. Winter population was estimated at ¢.20,000 individuals, suggesting consumption of 34 kg of insects/night. Summer population increased to ¢.200,000 bats that could consume 480 kg of insects/night. These figures give a total of 94 metric tons oftotal insect consumption/year by this one colony.	Natal Long-fingered Bats are seasonally monoestrous, with only one young per year per female; twins are rare, with only one case in more than 150 pregnant females from South Africa . During the reproductive cycle, there is a period of delayed implantation lasting 2—4 months throughout the wide latitudinal distribution of the Natal Longfingered Bat. As a consequence of delayed implantation, time elapsed between copulation and parturition increases with increasing latitude and length of unfavorable cold winters. The species is an example of how reproductive flexibility allows colonization of areas with changing latitude, temperature, rainfall, and food availability from temperate to tropical environments. In Shaba ( DR Congo , 11° S , 1000-1500 m), copulation/fertilization occurs in April, implantation of the embryo at the end ofJuly (with ¢.3 months delay), and births in midto the end of October at beginning of rainy season (i.e. c.6 months from mating to birth). In Zimbabwe (18-19 S), copulation/fertilization take place from mid-April to mid-May, implantation in early July (with c.2-5 months delay), and births between late October and mid-November (6—7 months from mating to birth). In Transvaal ( 25° S , South Africa ), copulation/fertilization peaks in late-March, implantation in late-July (with c.4 months delay), and births in November (c.8 months from mating to birth). In KwaZulu-Natal ( South Africa , 30° S ), copulation/fertilization occurs in April, implantation in mid-August (c.4 month delay), and births starting in early December (7-5 months from copulation to birth). In general, deliveries take place in wet seasons in subtropical zones ( DR Congo , Malawi , and Zambia ) and at the end of the cold season and beginning of rains in temperate zones ( South Africa ). In East Cape ( South Africa ), the mating period is not very synchronized and takes place during four weeks in April-May, and implantation is synchronized among all females, probably related to increasing daylength, resulting in synchronized births. Fetal growth during the final month of pregnancy can vary among years to adapt to increased availability of food as a result of the onset of rains. During years when rains are delayed, development offetusesis also delayed.	In South Africa , peak nightly activity of Natal Long-fingered Bats occurs during the first 2-3 hours after sunset and another secondary peak during the last three hours before sunrise, with some activity throughout the rest of the night. Weather influences activity, and heavy rains shorten or preventflights. In October—January, activity patterns of males and females differed. Females tended to leave roosts first at night and return later in the morning, and males were most active during the middle of the night. Greatest nocturnal activity of females is due to increased food and water requirements during pregnancy and lactation. Females have delayed implantation that can last several months in all sites where reproduction was studied. This delay is associated with winter when females go into hibernation in temperate regions. Similar dates of torpor/hibernation were found in several temperate locations in South Africa but also in mountain areas of Namibia and DR Congo at lower latitudes. Intensity of torpor/hibernation is not well studied. For example, in De Hoop Guano Cave ( Western Cape Province , South Africa ), winter nocturnal activity occurs at sea level but is very reduced. Although diurnal torpor has been observed in Namibia and DR Congo , nocturnal activity is still possible. The Natal Long-fingered Bat mostly uses caves as daytime roosts, but unused mines and tunnels are also used. Availability of suitable roosting sites seemsto be a critical factor in determining its distribution. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals, with end frequencies of 43-47 kHz, peak frequencies of 47-6-50-9 kHz, and durations of 3-9—6-1 milliseconds.	Natal Long-fingered Bats occur in metapopulations that occur in a large territory in which there are several shelters (caves, etc.) that are used throughout the year by members of the population according to their energy requirements, availability of food resources, and characteristics of roosts (mainly temperature). In general, breeding females select warm shelters near areas with abundant food resourcesto facilitate development of young. In winter or unfavorable periods, they choose shelters with cold and stable temperatures to be able to hibernate or at least have daytime torpor. These different requirements generate seasonal movements among shelters that can be considered as regional migrations. Seasonal migration is more than 150 km and mainly involves pregnant females; movements occur between caves located on the southern Transvaal Highveld and northern Transvaal Bushveld where wintering and maternity colonies are formed, respectively. These northerly migrations occur from late winterto late spring. Late summer migrations occur in the opposite direction and involve females and weaned young. A genetic study throughout South Africa distinguished three populations: one in the north-east, one in the south, and another in the north-west. It was found that both sexes are strongly philopatric to their natal subpopulations and gene flow is restricted among subpopulations. For the north-western population, some individuals moved ¢. 560 km from Koegelbeen to Steenkampskraal to hibernate—a considerably longer distance than the one recorded in the former Transvaal. Wing morphology of the Natal Long-fingered Bat, with higher aspect ratio that improves flight efficiency over long distances, could have resulted from selective pressure for long-distance migration.	Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.	Anciaux de Faveaux (1977 1978) | Baeten et al. (1984) | Bernard (1980, 1994) | Bernard & Cumming (1997) | Bernard & Happold (2013f) | Bernard et al. (1996) | Churchill et al. (1997) | Crawford-Cabral (1989) | Goodman, Ryan et al. (2007) | Happold & Happold (1990) | Hayman et al. (1966) | Herselman & Norton (1985) | Jacobs (1999a, 2000) | Kityo & Kerbis Peterhans (1996) | McDonald et al. (1990a, 1990b) | van der Merwe (1973a, 1973b, 1975, 1981, 1987) | Miller-Butterworth, Eick et al. (2005) | MillerButterworth, Jacobs & Harley (2003) | Monadjem, Griffin et al. (2017c) | Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010) | O'Shea & Vaughan (1980) | Rautenbach et al. (1993) | Schoeman & Jacobs (2003, 2008) | Smith (1833-1834) | Stoffberg et al. (2004) | Voigt et al. (2014)	https://zenodo.org/record/5735274/files/figure.png	24. Natal Long-fingered Bat Miniopterus natalensis French: Minioptéere du Natal / German: Natal-Langfllgelfledermaus / Spanish: Minidptero de Natal Other common names: Natal Bent-winged Bat Taxonomy. Vespertilio natalensis A. Smith, 1833 , “ South Africa ,—towards Natal [= KwaZulu-Natal ].” Miniopterus natalensis was the main sub-Saharan representative of the former schreibersii complex. Later restriction of schreibersii to the circum-Mediterranean Basin made natalensis the taxonomic reference name for medium-sized Miniopterusin much ofAfrica. Nevertheless, preliminary genetic studies have shown that it is actually formed by a complex of species whose situation is still far from clear. On top of this confusion,it is possible that M. natalensis can be confused with M. inflatus in areas where there is only one species of medium size. At present, the two subspecies found farthest from the type locality, villiersi from Upper Guinea in West Africa and arenarius from Kenya and Ethiopia , are considered valid species. Taxonomy of M. natalensis needs additional research. Monotypic. Distribution. E Africa ( Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Kenya , and Tanzania ) and S Africa (SE DR Congo , Angola , Zambia , Malawi , Mozambique , Namibia , Botswana , Zimbabwe , South Africa , Swaziland , and Lesotho ). Nevertheless, species assignment of the populations from E Africa needs genetic confirmation. Descriptive notes. Head—body 55-6-68 mm, tail 46-55-5 mm, ear 9-5— 12 mm , hindfoot 8-10 mm, forearm 42-48 mm; weight 9-4-13 g ( South Africa ). Dorsal pelage is dense, velvety, and usually very dark brown to grayish black (gray morph) or rusty red to rusty brown (orange morph). Ventral pelage is slightly paler than dorsum. Mid-dorsal hairs (7-9 mm long) are unicolored or with slightly paler tips. Wing membranes and uropatagium are very dark gray, blackish brown, or black. Ears are small, and tragus (4-7 mm) is relatively long with two-thirds parallel-sided, posterior margin becoming convex near rounded tip. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 46 and FN = 50. Habitat. Temperate, subtropical, and tropical habitats from sea level up to elevations of ¢. 2200 m . Found in Mediterranean-type shrublands (fynbos) or woodland savanna (bushveld) up to c¢. 1000 m in South Africa and in wet Afromontane forest at 2200 m in Rwanda (Volcanoes National Park) and Tanzania ( Mount Kilimanjaro ). Found in arid open acacia savanna, thorn savanna, and mopane savanna at 1000-1300 m in Namibia and in miombo woodlands at 1000-1600 m in DR Congo (Shaba region). Food and Feeding. The Natal Long-fingered Bat feeds on insects captured in flight. It has intermediate wing loading (10-7 N/m?) and intermediate aspect ratio (7); these wing characteristics allow good performance when flying in cluttered edges but also in more open areas. In Knysna Forest ( South Africa ), its main prey was Diptera, Hemiptera, and Coleoptera (23-28% biomass), followed by Lepidoptera (19%) and Hymenoptera (3%). In Algeria Forest Station ( Western Cape Province of South Africa ), almost one-half of the diet consisted in Diptera , a third Hemiptera, and much smaller proportions of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Trichoptera. In De Hoop Nature Reserve ( South Africa ), it foraged exclusively over a temporary pond (vlei), with kloofs (steep ravines) leading away from it, and immediate surroundings, but no individuals were observed over farms or Mediterranean-type shrublands (fynbos) away from the vlei. In this area, preliminary results show that diet consisted mainly of Lepidoptera , Diptera , and Hemiptera. Average consumption per night per individual was 1-7 g (c.15% of body weight) in winter, whereas it was 2-4 g (20% of body weight) in summer. Winter population was estimated at ¢.20,000 individuals, suggesting consumption of 34 kg of insects/night. Summer population increased to ¢.200,000 bats that could consume 480 kg of insects/night. These figures give a total of 94 metric tons oftotal insect consumption/year by this one colony. Breeding. Natal Long-fingered Bats are seasonally monoestrous, with only one young per year per female; twins are rare, with only one case in more than 150 pregnant females from South Africa . During the reproductive cycle, there is a period of delayed implantation lasting 2—4 months throughout the wide latitudinal distribution of the Natal Longfingered Bat. As a consequence of delayed implantation, time elapsed between copulation and parturition increases with increasing latitude and length of unfavorable cold winters. The species is an example of how reproductive flexibility allows colonization of areas with changing latitude, temperature, rainfall, and food availability from temperate to tropical environments. In Shaba ( DR Congo , 11° S , 1000-1500 m), copulation/fertilization occurs in April, implantation of the embryo at the end ofJuly (with ¢.3 months delay), and births in midto the end of October at beginning of rainy season (i.e. c.6 months from mating to birth). In Zimbabwe (18-19 S), copulation/fertilization take place from mid-April to mid-May, implantation in early July (with c.2-5 months delay), and births between late October and mid-November (6—7 months from mating to birth). In Transvaal ( 25° S , South Africa ), copulation/fertilization peaks in late-March, implantation in late-July (with c.4 months delay), and births in November (c.8 months from mating to birth). In KwaZulu-Natal ( South Africa , 30° S ), copulation/fertilization occurs in April, implantation in mid-August (c.4 month delay), and births starting in early December (7-5 months from copulation to birth). In general, deliveries take place in wet seasons in subtropical zones ( DR Congo , Malawi , and Zambia ) and at the end of the cold season and beginning of rains in temperate zones ( South Africa ). In East Cape ( South Africa ), the mating period is not very synchronized and takes place during four weeks in April-May, and implantation is synchronized among all females, probably related to increasing daylength, resulting in synchronized births. Fetal growth during the final month of pregnancy can vary among years to adapt to increased availability of food as a result of the onset of rains. During years when rains are delayed, development offetusesis also delayed. Activity patterns. In South Africa , peak nightly activity of Natal Long-fingered Bats occurs during the first 2-3 hours after sunset and another secondary peak during the last three hours before sunrise, with some activity throughout the rest of the night. Weather influences activity, and heavy rains shorten or preventflights. In October—January, activity patterns of males and females differed. Females tended to leave roosts first at night and return later in the morning, and males were most active during the middle of the night. Greatest nocturnal activity of females is due to increased food and water requirements during pregnancy and lactation. Females have delayed implantation that can last several months in all sites where reproduction was studied. This delay is associated with winter when females go into hibernation in temperate regions. Similar dates of torpor/hibernation were found in several temperate locations in South Africa but also in mountain areas of Namibia and DR Congo at lower latitudes. Intensity of torpor/hibernation is not well studied. For example, in De Hoop Guano Cave ( Western Cape Province , South Africa ), winter nocturnal activity occurs at sea level but is very reduced. Although diurnal torpor has been observed in Namibia and DR Congo , nocturnal activity is still possible. The Natal Long-fingered Bat mostly uses caves as daytime roosts, but unused mines and tunnels are also used. Availability of suitable roosting sites seemsto be a critical factor in determining its distribution. Echolocation calls have downward FM signals, with end frequencies of 43-47 kHz, peak frequencies of 47-6-50-9 kHz, and durations of 3-9—6-1 milliseconds. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Natal Long-fingered Bats occur in metapopulations that occur in a large territory in which there are several shelters (caves, etc.) that are used throughout the year by members of the population according to their energy requirements, availability of food resources, and characteristics of roosts (mainly temperature). In general, breeding females select warm shelters near areas with abundant food resourcesto facilitate development of young. In winter or unfavorable periods, they choose shelters with cold and stable temperatures to be able to hibernate or at least have daytime torpor. These different requirements generate seasonal movements among shelters that can be considered as regional migrations. Seasonal migration is more than 150 km and mainly involves pregnant females; movements occur between caves located on the southern Transvaal Highveld and northern Transvaal Bushveld where wintering and maternity colonies are formed, respectively. These northerly migrations occur from late winterto late spring. Late summer migrations occur in the opposite direction and involve females and weaned young. A genetic study throughout South Africa distinguished three populations: one in the north-east, one in the south, and another in the north-west. It was found that both sexes are strongly philopatric to their natal subpopulations and gene flow is restricted among subpopulations. For the north-western population, some individuals moved ¢. 560 km from Koegelbeen to Steenkampskraal to hibernate—a considerably longer distance than the one recorded in the former Transvaal. Wing morphology of the Natal Long-fingered Bat, with higher aspect ratio that improves flight efficiency over long distances, could have resulted from selective pressure for long-distance migration. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Anciaux de Faveaux (1977 1978), Baeten et al. (1984), Bernard (1980, 1994), Bernard & Cumming (1997), Bernard & Happold (2013f), Bernard et al. (1996), Churchill et al. (1997), Crawford-Cabral (1989), Goodman, Ryan et al. (2007), Happold & Happold (1990), Hayman et al. (1966), Herselman & Norton (1985), Jacobs (1999a, 2000), Kityo & Kerbis Peterhans (1996), McDonald et al. (1990a, 1990b), van der Merwe (1973a, 1973b, 1975, 1981, 1987), Miller-Butterworth, Eick et al. (2005), MillerButterworth, Jacobs & Harley (2003), Monadjem, Griffin et al. (2017c), Monadjem, Taylor et al. (2010), O'Shea & Vaughan (1980), Rautenbach et al. (1993), Schoeman & Jacobs (2003, 2008), Smith (1833-1834), Stoffberg et al. (2004), Voigt et al. (2014).	Simmons, N.B. and A.L. Cirranello. 2022B. Bat Species of the World: A taxonomic and geographic database. Accessed on 10/11/2022.	Miniopteridae	Miniopterus natalensis	Miniopterus		natalensis	A. Smith	1834	1	S. Afr. Quart. J.	2:59	Natal Long-fingered Bat	 breyeri Jameson, 1909; scotinus Sundevall, 1846; vicinior J. A. Allen, 1917; <b> arenarius </b> Heller, 1912.	Natal, Durban.	Sudan and SW Arabia to South Africa.	Not listed.	Least Concern	Formerly included in schreibersii , but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Provisionally includes arenarius , which may be a distinct species; see &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013). Note that &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013) did not compare the type material of arenarius to the specimens of cf. arenarius in their study.	Mammal Diversity Database. (2023). Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.11) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7830771 released 15 April 2023	Miniopterus natalensis	23	Natal Long-fingered Bat	Natal Bent-winged Bat	Theria	Placentalia	Boreoeutheria	Laurasiatheria	CHIROPTERA	VESPERTILIONIFORMES	NA	NA	VESPERTILIONOIDEA	MINIOPTERIDAE	NA	NA	Miniopterus	NA	natalensis	A. Smith	1833	1	Vespertilio_natalensis	Smith, A. (1833). An epitome of African zoology; or, a concise description of the objects of the animal kingdom inhabiting Africa, its islands and seas. South African Quarterly Journal, Second Series, No. 1, 59.	https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/54196#page/77/mode/1up	BM 1848.6.12.19		"South Africa,—towards Natal [= KwaZulu-Natal]."			natalensis (A. Smith, 1833)|dasythrix (Temminck, 1840)|scotinus (Sundevall, 1846)|breyeri H. L. Jameson, 1909|smitianus O. Thomas, 1927	previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae	Monadjem, A., Goodman, S. M., Stanley, W. T., & Appleton, B. (2013). A cryptic new species of Miniopterus from south-eastern Africa based on molecular and morphological characters. Zootaxa, 3746(1), 123-142.|Miller-Butterworth, C. M., Murphy, W. J., O'Brien, S. J., Jacobs, D. S., Springer, M. S., & Teeling, E. C. (2007). A family matter: conclusive resolution of the taxonomic position of the long-fingered bats, Miniopterus. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 24(7), 1553-1561.	Uganda|Rwanda|Burundi|Kenya|Tanzania|Democratic Republic of the Congo|Angola|Zambia|Malawi|Mozambique|Namibia|Botswana|Zimbabwe|South Africa|Eswatini|Lesotho	Africa	Afrotropic	LC	0	0	0	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	sciname match	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	IUCN. 2022. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2022-1. https://www.iucnredlist.org. Accessed on [28 September, 2022].	44862	Miniopterus natalensis	ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	MINIOPTERIDAE	Miniopterus	natalensis	(A. Smith, 1834)	The currently recognized Miniopterus natalensis is probably a complex of at least three morphologically similar species. For example, it was previously included as a subspecies of M . schreibersii , from which it is genetically distinct (Miller-Butterworth et al. 2005). The latter species is now restricted to North Africa and Europe (Appleton et al. 2004), with M. natalensis occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Similarly, the West African villiersi (V. Aellen, 1956) (Rosevear 1965), recognised as a subspecies of M . natalensis , may be a distinct species (Fahr et al. 2006). Ongoing molecular research may reveal cryptic species within the assessment region.	20000000	Miniopterus natalensis	Least Concern		2017	2016-08-31 00:00:00 UTC	3.1	English	Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.	This species has been recorded from semi-desert, dry and moist savanna, and mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It is generally a cave roosting species also found in similar habitats such as disused mines.	In view of its wide range, there appear to be no major threats to this species. In parts of the species distribution it is locally threatened by habitat loss resulting from conversion of land to agricultural use, incidental poisoning with insecticides, and the disturbance of roosting and maternity caves by tourist activities.	This species can be found in colonies of more than 2,500 animals.	Unknown	This widely distributed species has largely been recorded from southern and East Africa, with some records from Central African and from the Arabian Peninsula. In Africa it ranges south from Angola and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, into Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, and from here north into Tanzania, Kenya, possibly Uganda, possibly southern Sudan and possibly Ethiopia. On the Arabian Peninsula it has been reported from Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Harrison and Bates 1991). Because of frequent misidentification between this species and Miniopterus schreibersii , there is a need to carefully review the distribution of Miniopterus natalensis .		Terrestrial	There appear to be no conservation measures in place for this species. There is a need to identify and protect important roost sites (especially maternity caves). In view of the species wide range, it is presumably present in some protected areas. There is a need to better determine the range of this species when compared to that of Miniopterus schreibersii. 	Afrotropical		FALSE	FALSE	Global	Simmons, N. B., & Cirranello, A. L. (2023). Batnames.org Species List Version 1.4 (1.4). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8136157 	Miniopteridae	Miniopterus		natalensis	A. Smith	1834	1	S. Afr. Quart. J.	2:59	Natal Long-fingered Bat	 breyeri Jameson, 1909; scotinus Sundevall, 1846; vicinior J. A. Allen, 1917; <b> arenarius </b> Heller, 1912.	Natal, Durban.	Sudan and SW Arabia to South Africa.	Not listed.	Least Concern	Formerly included in schreibersii , but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Provisionally includes arenarius , which appears likely to be a distinct species; see Monadjem et al., (2013), &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013), and Demos et al. (2020). Note that &Scaron;r&aacute;mek et al. (2013) did not compare the type material of arenarius to the specimens of cf. arenarius in their study.	Miniopterus natalensis	1005126	23	Natal Long-fingered Bat	Natal Bent-winged Bat	Theria	Placentalia	Boreoeutheria	Laurasiatheria	CHIROPTERA	VESPERTILIONIFORMES	NA	NA	VESPERTILIONOIDEA	Miniopteridae	NA	NA	Miniopterus	NA	natalensis	A. Smith	1833	1	Vespertilio_natalensis	Smith, A. (1833). An epitome of African zoology; or, a concise description of the objects of the animal kingdom inhabiting Africa, its islands and seas. South African Quarterly Journal, Second Series, No. 1, 59.	https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/54196#page/77/mode/1up	BM 1848.6.12.19		"South Africa,—towards Natal [= KwaZulu-Natal]."			natalensis (A. Smith, 1833)|dasythrix (Temminck, 1840)|scotinus (Sundevall, 1846)|breyeri H. L. Jameson, 1909|smitianus O. Thomas, 1927	previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae	Monadjem, A., Goodman, S. M., Stanley, W. T., & Appleton, B. (2013). A cryptic new species of Miniopterus from south-eastern Africa based on molecular and morphological characters. Zootaxa, 3746(1), 123-142.|Miller-Butterworth, C. M., Murphy, W. J., O'Brien, S. J., Jacobs, D. S., Springer, M. S., & Teeling, E. C. (2007). A family matter: conclusive resolution of the taxonomic position of the long-fingered bats, Miniopterus. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 24(7), 1553-1561.				Uganda|Rwanda|Burundi|Kenya|Tanzania|Democratic Republic of the Congo|Angola|Zambia|Malawi|Mozambique|Namibia|Botswana|Zimbabwe|South Africa|Eswatini|Lesotho	Africa	Afrotropic	LC	0	0	0	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	sciname match	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	Burgin, C. J., Zijlstra, J. S., Becker, M. A., Handika, H., Alston, J. M., Widness, J., Liphardt, S., Huckaby, D. G., and Upham, N. S. (2025). How many mammal species are there now? Updates and trends in taxonomic, nomenclatural, and geographic knowledge. Journal of Mammalogy in revision: TBD. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.02.27.640393	Miniopterus_natalensis	1005126	23	Natal Long-fingered Bat	Natal Bent-winged Bat	Theria	Placentalia	Boreoeutheria	Laurasiatheria	Chiroptera	Yangochiroptera	NA	NA	Vespertilionoidea	Miniopteridae	NA	NA	Miniopterus	NA	natalensis	A. Smith	1	Vespertilio Natalensis	Smith, A. 1833. African Zoology. South African Quarterly Journal (2)1(2):49-64.	https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15968175	BMNH:Mamm:1848.6.12.19	holotype	https://data.nhm.ac.uk/object/1a535740-b499-47e4-acb6-b729be4a4ded	"South Africa,—towards Natal [= KwaZulu-Natal]."			previously included M. arenarius; moved from Vespertilionidae to Miniopteridae	Monadjem, A., Goodman, S. M., Stanley, W. T., & Appleton, B. (2013). A cryptic new species of Miniopterus from south-eastern Africa based on molecular and morphological characters. Zootaxa, 3746(1), 123-142.|Miller-Butterworth, C. M., Murphy, W. J., O'Brien, S. J., Jacobs, D. S., Springer, M. S., & Teeling, E. C. (2007). A family matter: conclusive resolution of the taxonomic position of the long-fingered bats, Miniopterus. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 24(7), 1553-1561.				Uganda|Rwanda|Burundi|Kenya|Tanzania|Democratic Republic of the Congo|Angola|Zambia|Malawi|Mozambique|Namibia|Botswana|Zimbabwe|South Africa|Eswatini|Lesotho	Africa	Afrotropic	LC	0	0	0	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	sciname match	Miniopterus_natalensis	0	Simmons, N. B., & Cirranello, A. L. (2025). Batnames.org Species List Version 1.7 (1.7). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14796586	Miniopteridae	Miniopterus		natalensis	A. Smith	1834	1	S. Afr. Quart. J.	2:59	Natal Long-fingered Bat	breyeri Jameson, 1909; scotinus Sundevall, 1846; vicinior J. A. Allen, 1917; arenarius Heller, 1912.	Natal, Durban.	Kenya and Tanzania to South Africa.	<a href='https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php' target='_blank'>Not Listed</a>	<a href='https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44862/22073129/' target='_blank'>Least Concern</a>	Formerly included in schreibersii, but apparently distinct; see O'Shea and Vaughan (1980), Koopman (1994), and Peterson et al. (1995). Does not include arenarius ([pers. comm. Webala and Demos, 2023); see Å rámek et al. (2013), Demos et al. (2020), and Monadjem et al., (2020).		Mammal Diversity Database. (2025). Mammal Diversity Database (Version 2.2) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15007505	NA	Miniopterus natalensis; Miniopterus natalensis; Miniopterus natalensis; Miniopterus natalensis; Miniopterus natalensis; Miniopterus natalensis; natalensis; arenarius; breyeri; scotinus; vicinior; arenarius; breyeri; scotinus; vicinior; natalensis; dasythrix; cotinus; breyeri; smitianus; Minioptéere du Natal; Natal-Langfllgelfledermaus; Minidptero de Natal; Natal Bent-winged Bat; Natal Long-fingered Bat; Natal Bent-winged Bat; Natal Long-fingered Bat; Natal Long-fingered Bat; M. natalensis