(Dobson, 1871)
Hairy-faced bat; Intermediate bat
External characters (Table 68)
This bat is of similar size and general appearance to M. m. peytoni , and has an average forearm length of 46.1 mm (45.3-46.5 mm). The pelage is very soft, dense and moderately long on the back. It is mid- to dark brown with black hair bases on the dorsal surface. On the ventral surface, the hairs have dark bases and paler tips which are fawn brown intermixed with grey. The face is covered with hairs. The ears are small, with bluntly rounded-off tips and a shallow concavity on the posterior surface. The tragus is relatively broad. The membranes are dark brown/black throughout and essentially naked. The feet are not greatly enlarged and are about equal to half the length of the tibiae.
Cranial characters
The skull is robust with an average condylo-canine length 15.3 mm (14.9-15.5 mm); it is smaller than that of M. m. peytoni . The rostrum is broad and is about equal in width to the braincase. The braincase is smooth with the sagittal and lambdoid crests scarcely evident and the supraoccipital forming the most posterior part of the skull. When viewed from behind the braincase appears flattened with a rectangular outline; in M. montivagus peytoni it is less compressed and appears squarer. The palate is very broad with a relatively larger surface area than that of M. m. peytoni . The post dental extension is well developed and the mesopterygoid space short and broad.
Dentition
- Upper toothrow length (C-M3) averages 6.6 mm (6.5-6.7 mm). The upper canine is short and broad with a well defined cingulum; it slightly exceeds the third upper premolar (PM4) in height but has a smaller crown area. The second upper premolar (PM3) is minute; it is about one quarter the crown area of the first (PM2); it is situated completely internal to the toothrow and is occasionally absent. PM2 is relatively larger than that of M. m. peytoni .
- The lower canine is short, just taller or equal to the third premolar (pm4). The second lower premolar (pm3) is minute; it is about one eighth the crown area of the first (pm2) and is displaced internally in the toothrow; it is occasionally absent. pm2 and the third lower premolar (pm4) are in contact or nearly so.
Variation
Specimens from Darjeeling district are provisionally referred to M. a. primula . Those from Nagaland are referable to M. a. annectans .
Taxonomic remarks
The taxon annectans was originally included in Pipistrellus as the second upper (pm3) and lower (pm3) premolars on both sides of the jaw are frequently absent (Topal, 1970a).