On the French island of Corsica, researchers discovered a new critter (bat) that is considered “very rare” and endangered. According to a study published in the journal Revue suisse de Zoologie in October, this unusual species of bat was discovered fluttering around the rugged Mediterranean island, which is located about 250 miles southeast of Marseille. After analyzing DNA from tissue samples, the researchers revealed that the bat discovered in the mountains belonged to a previously undiscovered species in the genus Myptis, which contains over 120 species found on six continents. The researchers termed this new species ‘nustrale,’ which means “ours” in the Corsican dialect.
This bat is grey in colour and has long ears and a hairy face
According to the study, the creature, which may have been genetically isolated for “a long time”, is considered to be medium-sized, measuring about an inch and a half long. This bat is grey in colour and has long ears and a hairy face. The researchers said that it is distinguished by a “conspicuous” dark spot on its lower lip, which is absent on other members of the genus.
According to the experts, these bats hunt in the lush evergreen woods of the island and roost in cliffs and rocky outcroppings. In an artificial tube, a colony of roughly 60 individuals was also discovered. “This new species is endemic to Corsica and is apparently very rare and essentially localised to mountain forests,” the study’s authors stated. “Owing to its restricted distribution, its small population size, and limited population connectivity, it seems highly vulnerable to climate change and thus should be classified as endangered,” the authors wrote.
