New York State Mammals ORDER CHIROPTERA
Family: Vespertilionidae
1. Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) 2. Northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) 3. Indiana myotis (Myotis sodalis) 4. Small-footed myotis (Myotis leibii) 5. Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) 6. Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) 7. Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) 8. Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) 9. Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)
• It’s also common to see “bat” instead of “myotis” in common names, e.g. Indiana bat • No specimens for bats listed in blue FAMILY: VESPERTILIONIDAE
Insectivorous
Many are true hibernators Fig 14.1 Tail reaches to back of interfemoral membrane (aka uropatagium) but not beyond
Echolocation
Little brown myotis Myotis lucifugus Habitat: Variable, often in close proximity of water
Often hibernates in buildings, can eat ~600 insects per hour 10 g Pointed tragus 38 teeth Lacks keel on calcar .
Long toe hairs: 5 to 7 per toe The presence of a small flap of skin extending beyond the cartilagenous calcar, a keeled calcar, distinguishes some Myotis species.
Indiana myotis Myotis sodalis
Habitat:
Variety of forest types, but found in close proximity of caves
>85% in 9 locations
Federally Endangered, often grouped in large clusters
6.5 g
Keeled calcar
Smaller feet than Myotis lucifugus, similar in appearance Northern long-eared myotis Myotis septentrionalis Habitat: Forests, more abundant in northern areas of range
Solitary or small groups Hibernates in caves and mines Occasionally called northern long-eared myotis 7.5 g Distinguished by its longer ears and unkeeled calcar Small-footed myotis Myotis leibii Habitat: Found in mountainous regions
NY Species of Special concern hibernates in caves Long-lived (12 years) small size , 4 g Small feet relative to body size keeled calcar black face Eastern red bat Lasiurus borealis Habitat: Found near forest edge
Solitary, roosts in trees, seldom found in caves
Migratory 12 g
Orange-red pelage, male brighter than female heavily furred, including interfemoral membrane
rounded ear Hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus
Habitat:
Found near forest edge
Solitary, strong flier (up to 60 mph), migratory
Large bat, 28 g
“hoary” = silver frosted pelage
rounded ears
heavily furred interfemoral membrane Silver-haired bat Lasionycteris noctivagans
Habitat: Forests (conifers especially)
Migratory, found in NY during the summer (abundant in the Adirondacks) Similar in appearance, but half size of hoary bat (12 g) pelage appears frosted heavily furred interfemoral membrane Big brown bat Eptesicus fuscus
Habitat:
Ubiquitous, however most abundant in deciduous areas
Often forages around street lights
Medium-size brown bat, 16 g
blunt tragus
lateral view of skull appears to have 2 canines
skull flat with abrupt angle at brow Tri-colored bat Perimyotis subflavus
Habitat:
Forage in woodlands, stream corridors, and along edge of forest
Emerges early in the evening to avoid competition with other larger bats
slow erratic flight
Very small bat, 8 g
light brown to yellowish colored Tips for bat ID
First, look at the uropatagium (tail membrane) – if it’s furred on the back, it’s a tree bat
Lasiurus means “hairy tail”, which accurately describes the three tree bats in NYS:
Lasiurus borealis
Lasiurus cinereus
Lasionycteris noctivagans
Note that only the dorsal surface is furred
Fur on dorsal surface of uropatagium (Lasiurus cinereus) Uropatagium comparison
Furry dorsal surface (Lasiurus cinereus)
Naked dorsal surface (Myotis lucifugus) Tips for bat ID
If it’s not a tree bat, it is one of the six cave bat species found in NYS
Four are in genus Myotis:
Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus)
Northern long-eared myotis (Myotis septentrionalis)
Indiana myotis (Myotis sodalis)
Small-footed myotis (Myotis leibii)
And two are in other genera:
Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
Tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) formerly known as Eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus)
Tips for bat ID
M. lucifugus (little brown) and M. sodalis (Indiana) are very similar in appearance and require practice to reliably distinguish
M. septentrionalis (northern long-eared) is most easily distinguished by its tragus; the ear itself is also longer than eastern Nearctic congeners
The tragus of M. septentrionalis is longer, symmetrical, and “spear-like” compared to the blunt, asymmetrical tragus of M. lucifugus (little brown)
MYSE MYSE
MYLU MYLU M. leibii (eastern small-footed) is notable for its black facial mask as well as its smaller feet
It and the tricolored bat (P. subflavus) are the smallest species in the Eastern United States Tips for bat ID
E. fuscus (big brown) is larger than any other bat in this list except L. cinereus (hoary bat), which is the largest species in North America
E. fuscus has shorter, rounder ears than myotids, and has a curved, blunt tragus
Commonly encountered in buildings Tips for bat ID
P. subflavus (tricolored bat) is named for the three bands of color that appear in its dorsal fur
It appears yellow to light brown overall, with pink facial skin and pink forearms that contrast with the black wing membrane
Notice the ear shape – very different from the myotids and from E. fuscus Tips for bat ID
Look at the uropatagium first to confirm/eliminate tree bats
Fur red? = Lasiurus borealis
Fur brown, yellow, and silver? = Lasiurus cinereus
Fur black with some silver on the back? = Lasionycteris noctivagans
Look at size and color – is it P. subflavus, or mostly brown?
Look at ear shape – is it E. fuscus, or a myotid?
Look at the tragus – is it M. septentrionalis?
Look for the black mask – is it M. leibii?
Have you narrowed it down to M. lucifugus or M. sodalis? Look at the calcar and toe hairs. ORDER: CARNIVORA
Families:
Canidae
Ursidae
Procyonidae
Mustelidae
Mephitidae
Felidae FAMILY: CANIDAE
Elongated rostrum
Well developed carnassials
Dog family
Will often attempt to destroy smaller canids to eliminate competition
One of the earliest families to be domesticated by humans Coyote Canis latrans
Variable habitat even suburban areas Often runs with tail hung low, diversity in color and size 15 kg Very narrow rostrum, narrow canines Coyote vs. Dog and Wolf
Coyote = Long-nosed North American canid. The skull can be separated from that of the wolf by the palate length/width ratio : coyote greater than 2 (i.e., narrow) , wolf (and most domestic dogs) less than 2.
Dog
coyote
Wolf Red fox Vulpes vulpes
Habitat: farmlands, brushy fencerows, or open grasslands Has a silver morph 5 kg White tipped tail skull has a V-shaped temporal ridge
Silver morph Gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Primarily a forest dweller Climbs trees with ease, often dens in hollow trees Black tipped tail with black line running the length of the tail skull has a U-shaped temporal ridges Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes FAMILY: URSIDAE
Omnivorous Generally solitary The largest terrestrial carnivores Robust build, short tail, short powerful limbs Acute sense of smell Plantigrade stance American black bear Ursus americanus
Habitat: primarily forest, associated with state and national parks
Has different color morphs, mostly in the west
80 kg females, 120 kg males
Thick black fur, stubby tail, long muzzle
Skull is large and thick with grinding molars FAMILY: PROCYONIDAE
Medium sized mammals
Plantigrade stance
Omnivorous
All are somewhat arboreal
Rostrum length between those of cats and dogs . Raccoon Procyon lotor
Common to urban and agricultural areas
also found in woodlands
Occasionally found wintering in groups
Black mask on face, rings on tail
convex skull, 40 teeth, carnassial teeth not well developed
Sagittal crest prominent