Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
Fig 5
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Order : CHIROPTERA
Family : Vespertilionidae
Species : Pipistrellus spp.
Forearm Length : species
vary between 2.9 and 4.6 cm
Weight : species vary between 3 and 22 grams
There are more than 30
species of pipistrelle in the genus Pipistrellus, around half of which occur
in Southeast Asia and eastwards to Papua New Guinea.
Pipistrellus are small, insectivorous bats which inhabit a variety of open
niches; some species are known to hunt for insects over lakes and rivers, while
others forage amongst the treetops or in larger, sub-canopy spaces.
Different species weigh between 3 and 22 grams, and their manner of flight is similar to
that of large butterflies or moths, with wing beats which have a
'fluttering' motion.
Pipistrellus typically have small, rounded ears, and a short muzzle. Their
eyes are small, and their fur is dense. Many species are superficially
similar in appearance and can only be separated on the basis of dentition
and by the characteristics of the baculum (the bone inside the penis).
A related genus, Hypsugo, comprises
(as of 2024) around 18 species of which 12 occur in parts of Southeast Asia.
Figs 1 to 4 : Two examples of Javan Pipistrelle Pipistrellus javanicus
found in the grounds of a condominium in Singapore, near a large forested
area.
Fig 5: Example from the margins of a large lake in Singapore. Tentatively
Pipistrellus javanicus.
References :
Francis, C.M. 2019. A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia. Second
Edition. New Holland. 416 pp.
Kingston, T., Lim B.L., Zubaid, A., 2006. Bats of Krau Wildlife
Reserve. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
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