SCIENTIFIC CORRESPONDENCE equity index with the GPP to propose a the equity index using data from the US 4. Gini, C., Econ. J., 1921, 31, 124–126. gross equity product as GEP = X = 2E Census5 for 2000–2010. The equity index 5. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/ for the comity of 184 nations. Table 1 and the Gini index are almost perfectly data/historical/inequality/IE-1.pdf (acces- shows the protocol for the computation negatively correlated (Pearson’s correla- sed on 30 January 2013). of the GEP and equity index from the tion coefficient = –0.9967). Figure 1 GPP for 184 countries in the IMF list. shows the scatter plot of the equity index Received 30 January 2013, revised accepted Indeed, this can be done for a country by and the Gini index of income inequality 17 May 2013 taking state-wise figures, etc. if fine- for shares of household incomes by quin- grained data are available about the tiles in the US from 2000 to 2010. GANGAN PRATHAP

income distribution in the country. The 1. Prathap, G., Curr. Sci., 2012, 103, 260– CSIR National Institute of Science equity index is a second-order indicator 262. that is a promising alternative to the Gini 2. Prathap, G., Scientometrics, 2011, 87, Communication and Information 4 index as a measure of inequality . 515–524. Resources, We can easily establish the connection 3. Prathap, G., Scientometrics, 2011, 88, New Delhi 110 012, India between the Gini index of inequality and 555–562. e-mail: [email protected]

Geoffroy’s Trident Leaf-nosed , Asellia tridens (Geoffroy, E., 1813) from India

Bats, being pollinators, seed dispersers prevailing misconceptions or evicted roptera (Egyptian Tomb bat, Taphozous and insect eaters, play an imperative role casually over a period of the last two perforatus; Naked-rumped Tomb bat, in the betterment of ecosystems and the decades due to lack of adequate aware- Taphozous nudiventris; Asiatic Greater environment we live in. India harbours ness among locals regarding ecological Yellow House bat, Scotophilus heathii 118 bat species out of the 1117 reported and economical significance of . Six and Indian Pigmy bat, Pipistrellus tenu- worldwide in rather two unequal sub- Yinpterochiroptera (, is) species have been reported in the re- orders – Yinpterochiroptera and Yango- giganteus; Short-nosed fruit cent past collectively from Jodhpur, chiroptera1. bat, Cynopterus sphinx; Fulvous Fruit bat, Jaisalmer and Bikaner districts in the Rajasthan part of the Thar Desert in Rousettus leschenaulti; Greater Mouse- Rajasthan part of the Thar Desert. India has not only seen remarkable tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum; Whereas two species each of sub-orders depletion in species diversity of bats, but Lesser Mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma Yinpterochiroptera (Greater False Vam- many of their roosts reported earlier have hardwickii and Blyth’s , pire, Megaderma lyra and Fulvous Leaf- either been destroyed in the pretext of Rhinolophus lepidus) and four Yangochi- nosed bat, fulvus) and (Dormer’s bat, Pipi- strellus dormeri and Egyptian Free-tailed bat, Tadarida aegyptiaca) reported here earlier through early 1960s to 1980s have been found missing2–6. During our bat survey in January 2011 at Gajroopsagar tunnel (26.94722 N and 70.92888 E) bat roost in Jaisalmer dis- trict (Figure 1), we observed two indi- viduals of bat, R. leschenaulti and a single individual of Trident Leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens. They were found roosting in association with R. micro- phyllum, R. hardwickii and R. lepidus7. The Gajroopsagar tunnel roost is geo- graphically located approximately 386 km northeast (aerial distance) to its earlier reported nearest roost in Karachi, Paki- stan. We undertook a repeat survey of this bat roost on 12 January 2013 and found six individuals of A. tridens roost- ing in association with the other above- mentioned bat species. We caught one of these six individuals to examine morpho- Figure 1. Geographical representation of roost of Asellia tridens. logical characteristics and measurements

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canine length with narrow and relatively deep rostrum. The nasal inflations were 1. Srinivasulu, C., Racey, P. A. and Mistry, well developed, but with a less flattened S., J. Threat. Taxa, 2010, 2, 1001–1076. 2. Prakash, I., Rec. Indian Mus., 1963, 59, upper surface. The crest was roused as a 149–170. high knife-like blade in the interorbital 3. Sinha, Y. P., Ph D dissertation, Jodhpur region and the dorsal profile had an even University, 1979, pp. 1–204. convex curve from the nasal inflation to 4. Gaur, B. S., Ph D thesis, Jodhpur Universi- the lambda. The lambdoid crest was well ty, 1981, pp. 1–110. developed. Zygomata were widely flared 5. Senacha, K. R., Ph D thesis, J. N. V. Uni- posteriorly with less-developed dorsal versity, Jodhpur, 2003, pp. 77–84. expansions. The coronoid process of 6. Senacha, K. R., Status survey and conser- each half mandible was well developed. vation education campaign: a community Figure 2. An individual of Asellia tridens The upper incisor (i2) was small, peg- participation approach to protect bats in caught from Gajroopsagar tunnel bat roost at Thar Desert, India. Final Report, The Ruf- like and not bicuspid. The upper canine Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, India. ford Small Grants Foundation Project was powerful and had well-defined pos- (Reference No. 06.08.07), 2009, pp. 1–67. of various body parts required for proper terior cusp at about half of its height, 7. Senacha, K. R., Status survey and conser- identification. The description of charac- which had a straight edge at right angles vation education campaign: a community teristics and measurements is given below. to the tooth. There was no cusp anterior- participation approach to protect bats in External characters: The nose-leaf ly. The small premolar (PM2) was Rajasthan parts of the Thar Desert. Final was distinct, with three cusps (trident) on absent, but large premolar (PM4) was in Report, The Rufford Small Grants Founda- the leaf; the outer two were blunted, contact with canine. Upper third molar tion Project (Reference. No. 8400-2), 2012, whereas the central one was pointed. Tail (M3) was comprised of a parastyle, meta- 1–91. was 27.4 mm in length and characteristi- style and two commissure. First lower cally its tip protruded 4 mm from the incisor (I1) was tricuspidate. The lower poorly developed interfemoral mem- canine was short and robust. The first ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. We thank the Rufford Small Grants Foundation, London, brane. The ears were broad with convex lower premolar (PM2) had half the crown UK for providing financial assistance for this anterior margin, slightly concave poste- area of the second (PM ). Lower third 4 work through its RSG Bat Conservation and molar (M ) was greatly reduced with the rior border, and pointed tip but without 3 Awareness Projects, RSG Second Grant (Ref- tragus (Figure 2). The pelage was rela- talonid less than one-quarter the crown erence No.: 8400-2) and RSG Booster Grant tively short, about 3.8 mm mid dorsally; area of the trigonid. (Reference No.: 11950-B). We also thank the and not extended onto the interfemoral Measurements: Greatest length of Area Project Coordinators Mr Gajendra Singh membrane. The hair bases were paler and skull (GTL) – 18.3 mm; condylo-canine and Mr Vigil Wilson for their support. showed through on the crown of the head length (CCL) – 16.1 mm; length of maxil- and shoulders. The belly was paler buffy lary toothrow (C–M3) – 6.8 mm; posterior Received 7 February 2013; revised accepted whitish throughout, whereas back was palatal width (M3–M3) – 7.5 mm; anteri- 17 April 2013 1 1 pale greyish-brown. or palatal width (C –C ) – 4.9 mm; man- 1,2, Measurements: Forearm (FA) length – dible length (M) – 12.8 mm; length of K. R. SENACHA * mandibular toothrow (C–M ) – 7.9 mm; 3 54.1 mm; head body (HB) length – 3 SUMIT DOOKIA 54.8 mm; tail (T) length – 27.4 mm; ear zygomatic breadth (ZB) – 10.2 mm; (E) length – 19.3 mm; wing span (WS) – breadth of braincase (BB) – 7.5 mm and 1Indian Bat Conservation Foundation, 270.3 mm; hind foot (HF) – 9.7 mm; postorbital constriction (PC) – 2.4 mm. A-5, 1st Floor, length of tibia (TIB) – 19.2 mm; length Taxonomically Geoffroy’s Trident Jai-Ish Krupa CHS Ltd, of fifth metacarpal (5 Mt) – 31.4 mm; Leaf-nosed bat, Asellia tridens (Geo- Anand Nagar, Vasai (W), length of fourth metacarpal (4 Mt) – ffroy, E. 1813) belongs to the family Mumbai 401 202, India 36.6 mm; length of third metacarpal and super family Rhi- 2Ecology and Rural Development Society, (3 Mt) – 38.3 mm; length of first phalanx nolophoidea, sub-order Yinpterochirop- 1-A-43, Kudi Housing Board, of third metacarpal (1Ph 3 Mt) – tera and order Chiroptera in class Jodhpur 342 005, India 15.9 mm; length of second phalanx of Mammalia of the kingdom. 3University School of Environment third metacarpal (2Ph 3 Mt) – 17.1 mm; Though A. tridens is a widespread spe- Management, length of first phalanx of fourth metacar- cies ranging from West Africa, Arabia Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha pal (1Ph 4 Mt) – 12.3 mm and length of a and Iran to neighbouring Pakistan, its University, second phalanx of fourth metacarpal report from the Rajasthan part of the Sector-16 C, Dwarka, (2Ph 4 Mt) – 8.7 mm. Thar Desert is important from its distri- New Delhi 110 075, India Cranial and dental characters: The butional aspect and also to raise the tally *For correspondence. skull was small with 16.1 mm condylo- of Indian bat species to 119. e-mail: [email protected]

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