Small Mammal Mail Newsletter celebrating the most useful yet most neglected Mammals for CCINSA & RISCINSA -- Chiroptera, Rodentia, Insectivora, & Scandentia Conservation and Information Networks of South Asia Volume 7 Number 1 ISSN 2230-7087 May 2015 Contents Sighting of Lesser false vampire Sighting of Asian Small-clawed bat (Megaderma spasma) from Otter: A new record small mammal Central Gujarat, India, Ranjitsinh for Thrumshingla National Park, Devkar and Kartik Upadhyay, Jangchuk Gyeltshen and Chhimi Pp. 2-3 Dorji, Pp. 20-22 First camera trap records of New roosting site of Indian flying Indian Crested Porcupine, Hystrix fox (Pteropus giganteus) located at indica Kerr, 1792 from Papikonda Bilasipara, Dhubri, Assam, Azad Ali, National Park, Andhra Pradesh, P. 2 3 Vikram Aditya and T. Ganesh, Pp. 4-5 Graduate Trainings for Bat Research Techniques in Nepal, A first record of Albinism in Tomb Pushpa Raj Acharya, P. 24 Bat Taphozous Sp. (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) from India, Recent Publications: Abstracts Dhanya, V., Anil Mahabal and Feeding behaviour of the Dawn Sanjay Thakur, Pp. 6 & 9 bat (Eonycteris spelaea) promotes cross pollination of Study on Rodent Diversity economically important plants in (Mammalia:Rodentia) in and Southeast Asia, Pushpa Raj around Navegaon National Park, Acharya, Paul A Racey, Sunthorn Gondia District of Maharashtra, Sotthibandhu, Sara Bumrungsri India, G.T. Paliwal and S.V. Bhandarkar, Pp. 7-9 Identification, Isolation and Characterization of Enterococcus New Roosting Locality of Indian species (Gen Bank Accession No: Flying Fox (Pteropus giganteus) KF777815) from Fecal Contents in Melselvanur-Keelselvanur Bird of Pteropus giganteus, Preeti Sanctuary, Ramnathapuram Singh, Sushil Kumar Barolia and District, Southern India, Deepak Kumar Sharma, P. 25 K. Narasimmarajan, Pp. 10-11 Small Mammals Conservation Indian Flying Fox colony at Education programmes in Tamil Joymonir Ghol adjacent the Nadu, Brawin Kumar, Pp. 26-27 Bangladesh Sundarbans, Md. Abdul Aziz, P. 12 Species Diversity and Distribution of Rodents along the elevational The Horsfield’s Myotis, Myotis gradients in Jigme Dorji National horsfieldii (Temminck, 1840) ! A! Park, Bhutan, Jangchuk Gyeltshen, (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae); an Pp. 28-35 addition to the bat fauna of Assam, Ananda Ram Boro and Persistence of circadian flight Uttam Saikia, Pp. 13-14 activity rhythm in the fulvous fruit bat, Rousettus leschenaultii under Bats of Delhi, Rajlakshmi Mishra prolonged rearing conditions and Sumit Dookia, Pp. 15-17 Sreedevi Rajasekar, A. Madhavan, and S. Suthakar Isaac, Pp. 36-37 & CCINSA and RISCINSA new 39 members list, P. 17 Distributional Records of Painted A Note on Small Mammals of Bat Kerivoula picta in Maharashtra: Chuadanga District, Bangladesh, A Review with Additions from Tahsinur Rahman Shihan, Satara District, Anil Mahabal, Amit Pp. 18-19 Sayyed, Shrikant Jadhav and B.V. Jadhav, Pp. 38-39 Small Mammal Mail - Bi-Annual Newsletter of CCINSA & RISCINSA 1 Volume 7, Number 1, May 2015 1 Sighting of Lesser false vampire bat (Megaderma spasma) from Central Gujarat, India Ranjitsinh Devkar1 and Kartik Upadhyay2 Abstract Lesser False Vampire Bat (Megaderma spasma) has been reported from various locations in Indian subcontinent. In India, there are reports on its distribution from eastern, central and southern states. This report comprises of observations made on M. spasma roost located on the edge of Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. This roost comprised of 12 bats residing on the underside of a tall community water tank. Presence of wings of grasshoppers and partially eaten remains of unidentified insects strewed on the floor provided some evidence on diet Fig 1. M. spasma roost at Kanjeta village, near Ratanmahal Wildlife preferences. This roost is Sanctuary, Central Gujarat, India currently being monitored on a seasonal basis. Introduction Chiropterans form one of the largest congregations and comprise of 25% of the total existing mammalian species (Mickleburgh et al., 2002), yet they remain elusive due to their nocturnal behaviour and secretive lifestyle (Devkar et al 2013). The forested areas of Central Gujarat (western India) comprises of dry deciduous habitats interspersed with agricultural fields and semiarid landscapes (Mistry 1997; Devkar et al 2011). Lesser false vampire bats (Megaderma spasma, Linnaeus, 1758) are widely distributed in south Asian region from Philippines to Brunei Darussalam stretching across Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India (Csorba et Fig 2. Facial details of M. spasma al. 2011). In India, its distribution has been reported Apart from an isolated report of from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Alam (2010) on sighting of M. spasma from Gir National Park Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, 1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Sanctuary, there are no Science, The M.S.University of Baroda, Vadodara. Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, reports on its distribution in 2 B 104, Premsagar Apartment, Nr. West Bengal (Molur et al. 2002) Gujarat. Rameshwar Temple, Ellora Park, Vadodara, Gujarat. Email: and Odisha (Debata et al 2013). [email protected] Small Mammal Mail - Bi-Annual Newsletter of CCINSA & RISCINSA 2 Volume 7, Number 1, May 2015 2 Study area and Methodology M. spasma are known to be Bates, P.J.J. and D.L. Harrison A roost of Lesser false vampire insectivorous and predaceous on (1997). Bats of the Indian bat (Megaderma spasma) was small bats and other small sized Subcontinent, Harrison Zoological accidentally sighted during one of vertebrates. However, Museum, 258 pp. the routine bat awareness grasshoppers are their favoured Csorba, G., S. Bumrungsri, K. programmes in rural area of diet in specific seasons (Menon Helgen, C. Francis, P. Bates, M. Central Gujarat on 3.11.2014 at 2014). In agreement with the Gumal, T. Kingston, L. Heaney, D. 1030hrs. This roost was located at published reports, our Balete, J. Esselstyn, S. Molur & C. the base of a community water observations revealed presence of Srinivasulu (2008). Megaderma tank in Kanjeta village wings of grasshoppers and spasma. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List (22.576320 lat, 74.118522 long), partially eaten remains of of Threatened Species. Version Dist. Dahod, near Ratanmahal unidentified insects strewed on 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat. The the floor. M. spasma are known Downloaded on 26 April 2012. water tank was located outside to roost in small groups of 3 to Debata, S., H. Palei, P.P. the Sanctuary limits and hence 30. In our study, 12 bats were Mohapatra and A.K. Mishra could be accessed frequently. found roosting at this location. (2013). First record of Lesser False Initial efforts to capture a single Preferred roost types include old Vampire bat (Megaderma spasma, specimen with a hoop net failed buildings, temples, thatched huts, Linnaeus,1758) from Sundergarh, due to the height of water tank tiled roofs, hollow tree bark and Odisha, India. Small Mammal Mail, and inaccessible location of the mines (Molur et al. 2002). 5(1): 26-27. roost. Also, the bats would However, underside of tall water frequently change their location tanks can be considered as a Devkar R.V., S. Jayaraman, K. when disturbed making the task possible addition to the roost Upadhyay and P. Patel (2011). difficult. However, clear preference of M. spasma. Right Albino microchiropteran, Rhinopoma microphyllum kinneri sighted in a bat photographs and reference book now, this roost is being monitored colony inhabiting abandoned mines. (Bates and Harrison 1997) helped on a seasonal basis to assess Current Science, 100(2): 165-166. in confirming their identity as population dynamics and food Megaderma spasma. Also, preferences of M. spasma. Devkar, R., P. Patel and K. photographs were sent to Prof. G. Scientific information on factors Upadhyay (2013). Present scenario Marimuthu at Madurai Kamraj influencing community structure and possible threats to the University and further of bats in fragmented habitats of Microchiropteran Bats near confirmation on its identity as western India is limited and Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, Megaderma spasma was obtained. hence, reports on their presence Gujarat. Small Mammal Mail, or absence from a particular Newsletter 5(1):28-31. Observations geographical area is indeed Menon, V. (2014). Indian Mammals: Megaderma spasma belongs to valued. A field guide. Hachette Book the family Megadermatidae and Publishing (India) Pvt. Limited, looks distinctly different than Acknowledgements: Gurgaon, 406 pp. other families of Financial assistance from Rufford’s microchiroperans. Their body is Small Grants Foundation, U.K. Mickleburgh, S.P., A.M. Hutson covered with pale grey to grayish and permission from the Gujarat and P.A. Racey (2002). A review of brown fur. Nose-leaf has a long State Biodiversity Board is the global conservation status of bats. Oryx. 36(1): 18-34 dorsal lobe with stiffened central specially acknowledged. Also, ridge and broad convex flaps on thanks to village Sarpanch Mistry, S. (1997). In The Bats of the sides. However, the overall Jaydipsinh Puvar and locals of India, Bat Conservation International, body size and length of nose ridge village Kanjeta for valuable Inc., pp. 1–15. is smaller than the Greater Indian inputs. Help rendered by RSGF False Vampire bat (Megaderma volunteers Rahul Bhatt and Mittal Molur, S., G. Marimuthu, C. lyra lyra) (Menon 2014). Patel is duly acknowledged. Srinivasulu, S. Mistry, A.M. Presence of very