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Small wind turbines (SWTs) have become increasingly common in several European countries, but knowledge of their impact on wildlife, especially bats, remains relatively scarce. We applied an operational experiment at 10 SWTs in Northern Germany to determine the bat species commonly found at those SWT sites and whether the operational state of the SWT affects bat activity or behavior. During the experiment, the SWT operational state (“ON”, “OFF”) was altered and the flight trajectories of bats around the SWTs were documented using a specifically designed 3D camera with a high spatial resolution able to capture collisions with the structures. Several bat species were detected in the close vicinity (20 m) of the SWTs at all study sites. The bat species group “Nyctaloids” dominated bat acoustic activity at most SWTs, followed by Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. nathusii. Only 41 of the 499 flight trajectories approached the nacelle closer than 10 m, including one that passed the rotor blades directly. Generally, there was no evidence of collisions nor was there an influence of operation mode on either bat acoustic activity levels or the distance of bat flight trajectories to the nacelle. However, we strongly caution that the results of our study cannot be generalized to other landscapes, weather conditions, bat species, or SWT types.

Aim. The aim of this work was to study the chromosome set of some representatives of smooth-nosed bats of the North Caucasus.Material and Methods. Various research methods were used to achieve this goal, including that of dried preparations (the main method for obtaining chromosomal preparations) and that of constructing karyograms.Results. A comparative analysis of the karyological data of 11 species of smooth-nosed bats of the North Caucasus was undertaken and the karyological characteristics of the species accepted in the latest reports on the fauna of Russia and the Caucasus were clarified. The similarity of G -bands in large pairs of meta- and submetacentric chromosomes in Myotis blythi, Myotis mystacinus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus kuhli and Vepertilio murinus with bands in small and medium-sized acrocentric chromosomes such as in Eptesicus seotinus may indicate the evolution of the karyotype of the first species by Robertsonian translocation, i.e. compounds of acrocentric chromosomes of Eptesicus serotinus in various combinations. When comparing karyotypes in the family Vespertilionidae, it was found that the karyotype of Eptesicus serotinus is "archaic" (2n=50, NFa=48). With the help of karyological data, the authors composed schemes of phylogenetic relationships of genera in the family Vespertilionidae, which differ to a certain extent from the schemes compiled by taxonomists for representatives of this family.Conclusions. Based on the results obtained, we can conclude that the karyotype of Eptesicus serotinus is the most primitive among the representatives of the order of bats. The primary role in the evolution of this group was played by Robertsonian rearrangements and pericentric inversions (reduction of NFa and 2n from 50 to 38).

The Erňa cave, a mass winter hibernaculum and important swarming site of the common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, is located in the Slovak Karst, near the Košice urban agglomeration in eastern Slovakia. Over the past two decades, the unusual behaviour of late summer or autumn accidental but abundant occurrences of this species have been observed in buildings (so-called invasions) in Košice. It has been hypothesised that these events are related to bats swarming and hibernating in the Erňa cave; however, causality has not been confirmed. We measured the relative activity of bats from the end of the breeding season through the invasions and autumn swarming prior to the onset of hibernation by recording their echolocation calls on car-based transects in order to find any spatial and temporal linkage between activity in the urban area and the swarming site. Over two years we recorded 6,253 sequences with echolocation calls of P. pipistrellus and 5,239 records of other bats along four transects totalling 7,121 km in length. Spatial pattern analysis found that the city agglomeration presented a local hotspot of the species’ activity, especially during the invasion season. Multivariate generalised additive modelling confirmed an increased density of records of P. pipistrellus between the urban area and the hibernaculum in the pre-hibernation season, whereas this pattern was not found to be consistent on the control transects near the city. Contrary to that, other bat species showed little variation in their activity between transects and seasons. The obtained results suggest that the relatively short geographical distance between the urban agglomeration and the large swarming site is likely a clue to the frequent city invasions of the species, although the role of the city as a hibernation area cannot be completely omitted.

Lyssaviruses are the causative agents for rabies, a zoonotic and fatal disease. Bats are the ancestral reservoir host for lyssaviruses, and at least three different lyssaviruses have been found in bats from Germany. Across Europe, novel lyssaviruses were identified in bats recently and occasional spillover infections in other mammals and human cases highlight their public health relevance. Here, we report the results from an enhanced passive bat rabies surveillance that encompasses samples without human contact that would not be tested under routine conditions. To this end, 1236 bat brain samples obtained between 2018 and 2020 were screened for lyssaviruses via several RT-qPCR assays. European bat lyssavirus type 1 (EBLV-1) was dominant, with 15 positives exclusively found in serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) from northern Germany. Additionally, when an archived set of bat samples that had tested negative for rabies by the FAT were screened in the process of assay validation, four samples tested EBLV-1 positive, including two detected in Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis of 17 full genomes assigned all except one of these viruses to the A1 cluster of the EBLV-1a sub-lineage. Furthermore, we report here another Bokeloh bat lyssavirus (BBLV) infection in a Natterer’s bat (Myotis nattereri) found in Lower Saxony, the tenth reported case of this novel bat lyssavirus.

Automated recording units are commonly used by consultants to assess environmental impacts and to monitor animal populations. Although estimating population density of bats using stationary acoustic detectors is key for evaluating environmental impacts, estimating densities from call activity data is only possible through recently developed numerical methods, as the recognition of calling individuals is impossible.We tested the applicability of generalized random encounter models (gREMs) for determining population densities of three bat species (Common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Northern bat Eptesicus nilssonii, and Natterer's bat Myotis nattereri) based on passively collected acoustical data. To validate the results, we compared them to (a) density estimates from the literature and to (b) Royle–Nichols (RN) models of detection/nondetection data.Our estimates for M. nattereri matched both the published data and RN‐model results. For E. nilssonii, the gREM yielded similar estimates to the RN‐models, but the published estimates were more than twice as high. This discrepancy might be because the high‐altitude flight of E. nilssonii is not accounted for in gREMs. Results of gREMs for P. pipistrellus were supported by published data but were ~10 times higher than those of RN‐models. RN‐models use detection/nondetection data, and this loss of information probably affected population estimates of very active species like P. pipistrellus.gREM models provided realistic estimates of bat population densities based on automatically recorded call activity data. However, the average flight altitude of species should be accounted for in future analyses. We suggest including flight altitude in the calculation of the detection range to assess the detection sphere more accurately and to obtain more precise density estimates., Generalized random encounter modeling has been developed to estimate population density from automatically recorded calls. However, this approach has so far not been tested on empirical data. We provide a test of this model on bat calls, prove its value, and suggest a simple but effective modification to improve its accuracy.

Across Europe agri-environment schemes (AES) have been introduced which attempt to counteract biodiversity losses relating to agricultural intensification. However, the potential benefits of AES to non-target groups such as bats are unclear. In the study presented here, we assessed how the vegetative characteristics (e.g. dicot coverage and bare ground coverage) of four commonly employed AES habitat types influenced the occurrence and activity of bats. AES plots were monitored using static acoustic bat detectors and each plot was surveyed three times between April and September, with detectors set to record over three consecutive nights during each survey. Analysis of this data identified some preferences for specific AES habitat characteristics by bats, but preferences differed between species. Relationships between bats and AES habitat type were not investigated due to structural similarities between habitats which were identified through principal component analysis. Our study therefore identifies simple species-specific habitat management practices which could be implemented as part of current AES to increase the suitability of these habitats to bats. For example, habitat management targeted towards Pipistrellus pygmaeus and Barbastellus barbastellus could focus on providing floristically diverse foraging sites, which are attractive to their invertebrate prey, in close proximity to potential woodland roost sites, whilst Pipistrellus pipistrellus may benefit from AES with high dicot coverage if such habitats are located along tall field boundaries with trees, which provide shelter for their prey.

This work presents the first genetic species identification and phylogenetic analyses of all six bat species known to inhabit the Maltese archipelago. The results provide a DNA-based reference library of 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, COI, Cytb and ND1 mitochondrial sequences for Maltese bat species. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Maltese bat populations do not harbour cryptic diversity. Analyses of genetic diversity for Maltese bat species showed contrasting matrilineal diversity between species, Hypsugo savii exhibited the highest haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.802), while Rhinolophus hipposideros showed no haplotype diversity and Plecotus gaisleri exhibited low values for haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.091). Comparative phylogeographical analyses of mtDNA gene datasets from this study with sequences of conspecific bat populations outside of Malta indicate that mitochondrial haplotypes of Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Rhinolophus hipposideros are unique to the Maltese Islands. Hypsugo savii, Pipistrellus kuhlii, Myotis punicus and Plecotus gaisleri shared the most common mitochondrial haplotype with surrounding geographical areas, including the Ibero-Maghreb region, the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily. The observed genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships are discussed in the context of the species’ biology and long-term conservation planning of Maltese bat populations., peer-reviewed

Common pipistrelle bats are known for their autumn or late-summer invasions, when temporary groups of individuals fly into inhabited buildings in urban areas. This specific display has been reported since 1862. In this review, we collected all available records and analysed their spatiotemporal pattern within the species range with regard to the numbers and structure of individuals involved in such invasions (in total 1,025 invasions from 51 publications and almost 80 unpublished or own records). We found that invasions occurred mostly in Central European towns in Slovakia, Czechia and Germany between 48 and 55° of northern latitude, mainly during the late decades of 20th century. Although the majority of invasions occurred just once or twice at a site and involved only dozens of individuals, sites that were repeatedly invaded also exhibited a higher number of bats involved (hundreds of individuals). The reviewed data suggest that predominantly young animals without sex bias took part in the invasions. A special emphasis was put on the city of Kosice, Slovakia, where invasions repeated annually since 1996, mostly in August and September, while bats altered the invasion sites during the analysed period. However, the number of invasions and invading individuals was related to the number of bats hibernating in the largest know hibernaculum in the species range (Erňa cave). This review suggests that invasions are some misconduct associated with the migration into large swarming and hibernation sites while the social memory of adult females should be a mechanism facilitating such seasonal movements in young bats. However, social calls of inexperienced juveniles which got stuck inside buildings tend to lure other individuals into this ecological trap.

Bats have large, thin wings that are particularly susceptible to tearing. Anatomical specializations, such as fiber reinforcement, strengthen the wing and increase its resistance to puncture, and an extensive vasculature system across the wing also promotes healing. We investigated whether tear positioning is associated with anatomy in common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). Wing anatomy was described using histological techniques, imaging, and material testing. Tear information, including type, position, time in rehabilitation, and possible causes, was collected from rehabilitators of injured bats across the United Kingdom. Results suggest that the position of the plagiopatagium (the most proximal wing section to the body), rather than its anatomy, influenced the number, location, and orientation of wing tears. While material testing did not identify the plagiopatagium as being significantly weaker than the chiropatagium (the more distal sections of the wing), the plagiopatagium tended to have the most tears. The position of the tears, close to the body and toward the trailing edge, suggests that they are caused by predator attacks, such as from a cat (Felis catus), rather than collisions. Consistent with this, 38% of P. pipistrellus individuals had confirmed wing tears caused by cats, with an additional 38% identified by rehabilitators as due to suspected cat attacks. The plagiopatagium had the lowest number of blood vessels and highest amounts of elastin fibers, suggesting that healing may take longer in this section. Further investigations into the causes of tears, and their effect on flight capabilities, will help to improve bat rehabilitation.

Agricultural intensification was a major driver of declines in western European wildlife populations during the twentieth century, including those of bats. Agri-environment schemes are advocated as the key government-funded mechanism to restore biodiversity, but evidence for their effects has been mixed. We examined the response of six bat species to Tir Gofal (TG), a Welsh AES that operated from 1999 to 2011. A large-scale multi-site study compared bat activity and key habitat variables on TG farms paired with control farms not in the scheme. Observations were made over three years (2009 to 2011) using three types of bat detector survey. Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus, Myotis daubentonii, Rhinolophus hipposideros and R. ferrumequinum showed similar overall and foraging activity on TG and control farms (occurrence, intensity of activity where present). Occurrence of Nyctalus noctula and Nyctalus group was also similar on both farm types, but where they were present, the intensity of their activity was higher on control farms. The lack of influence of TG status on bat activity may reflect the close similarity in occurrence and condition of many key habitats on the two farm types and should be seen in the context of a mainly traditional extensively farmed landscape. Habitat prescriptions may have been insufficiently mature, implemented at too low density or lacking roosting provision to stimulate a species response, or may have had greater impact in a more intensively farmed landscape where less high quality bat habitat was available. A more targeted approach to creating and enhancing field and landscape scale roosting, foraging and commuting resources may be needed to effect positive responses in bat populations.

Distributions of Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii), common pipistrelle, (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), and soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) were investigated along and altitudinal gradient of the Lledr River, Conwy, North Wales, and presence assessed in relation to the water surface condition, presence/absence of bank-side trees, and elevation. Ultrasound recordings of bats made on timed transects in summer 1999 were used to quantify habitat usage. All species significantly preferred smooth water sections of the river with trees on either one or both banks; P. pygmaeus also preferred smooth water with no trees. Bats avoided rough and cluttered water areas, as rapids may generate high-frequency echolocation-interfering noise and cluttered areas present obstacles to flight. In lower river regions, detections of bats reflected the proportion of suitable habitat available. At higher elevations, sufficient habitat was available; however, bats were likely restricted due to other factors such as a less predictable food source. This study emphasizes the importance of riparian habitat, bank-side trees, and smooth water as foraging habitat for bats in marginal upland areas until a certain elevation, beyond which bats in these areas likely cease to forage. These small-scale altitudinal differences in habitat selection should be factored in when designing future bat distribution studies and taken into consideration by conservation planners when reviewing habitat requirements of these species in Welsh river valleys, and elsewhere within the United Kingdom.

In order to define appropriate conservation measures in northern Tunisia we surveyed the bat fauna of Mastouta-Bishshouk region in both roosting sites and foraging areas. A total of 11 species was recorded. We found only three occupied roosts including a maternity colony of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Miniopterus schreibersii and Myotis cappacinii in a train abandoned tunnel. A tunnel of water channel hosted Rhinolophus mehelyi, M. schreibersii and M. punicus. Echolocation calls were recorded at a bridge over Beja Wadi, at an artificial basin, and in crop fields. Bat activity was the highest at the bridge in late March, and null in the harvested crop fields in late August. Pipistrellus kuhlii was the most active bat species in the three sites, Pipistrellus pipistrellus was the second most active species, followed by Eptesicus isabellinus. Plecotus gaisleri and Myotis punicus were detected only once at the bridge and the basin respectively. This bat assemblage is representative of the bat fauna of northern Tunisia. Roost and foraging area surveys strongly benefit acoustic recording, even in winter when some bats remain active. The rare local underground roosts should be protected from human disturbance and the water quality of Majerda Wadi should be improved.

Among the most prevalent sources of biodiversity declines, Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) is an emerging threat to global biodiversity. Much knowledge has already been gained to reduce impacts. However, the spatial variation of ALAN effects on biodiversity in interaction with landscape composition remains little studied, though it is of the utmost importance to identify lightscapes most in need of action. Several studies have shown that, at local scale, tree cover can intensify positive or negative effects of ALAN on biodiversity, but none have – at landscape scale – studied a wider range of landscape compositions around lit sites. We hypothesized that the magnitude of ALAN effects will depend on landscape composition and species’ tolerance to light. Taking the case of insectivorous bats because of their varying sensitivity to ALAN, we investigated the species-specific activity response to ALAN. Bat activity was recorded along a gradient of light radiance. We ensured a large variability in landscape composition around 253 sampling sites. Among the 13 bat taxa studied, radiance decreased the activity of two groups of the slow-flying gleaner guild (Myotis and Plecotus spp.) and one species of the aerial-hawking guild (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), and increased the activity of two species of the aerial-hawking guild (Pipistrellus kuhlii and Pipistrellus pygmaeus). Among these five effects, the magnitude of four of them was driven by landscape composition. For five other species, ALAN effects were only detectable in particular landscape compositions, making the main effect of radiance undetectable without account for interactions with landscape. Specifically, effects were strongest in non-urban habitats, for both guilds. Results highlight the importance to prioritize ALAN reduction efforts in non-urban habitats, and how important is to account for landscape composition when studying ALAN effects on bats to avoid missing effects.

Abstract Animals modify their behaviours and interactions in response to changing environments. In bats, environmental adaptations are reflected in echolocation signalling that is used for navigation, foraging and communication. However, the extent and drivers of echolocation plasticity are not fully understood, hindering our identification of bat species with ultrasonic detectors, particularly for cryptic species with similar echolocation calls. We used a combination of DNA barcoding, intensive trapping, roost and emergence surveys and acoustic recording to study a widespread European cryptic species complex (Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus) to investigate whether sibling bat species could exhibit extreme echolocation plasticity in response to certain environmental conditions or behaviours. We found that P. pygmaeus occupied the acoustic niche of their absent congeneric species, producing calls with P. pipistrellus’ characteristic structure and peak frequencies and resulting in false positive acoustic records of that species. Echolocation frequency was significantly affected by the density of bats and by maternity rearing stage, with lower frequency calls emitted when there was a high density of flying bats, and by mothers while juveniles were non-volant. During roost emergence, 29% of calls had peak frequencies typical of P. pipistrellus, with calls as low as 44 kHz, lower than ever documented. We show that automatic and manual call classifiers fail to account for echolocation plasticity, misidentifying P. pygmaeus as P. pipistrellus. Our study raises a vital limitation of using only acoustic sampling in areas with high densities of a single species of a cryptic species pair, with important implications for bat monitoring. Significance statement Ultrasonic acoustic detectors are widely used in bat research to establish species inventories and monitor species activity through identification of echolocation calls, enabling new methods to study and understand this elusive understudied group of nocturnal mammals. However, echolocation call signalling in bats is intrinsically different to that of other taxa, serving a main function of navigation and foraging. This study demonstrates an extreme level of plasticity, showing large variation in call frequency and structure in different situations. We showcase the difficulty and limitation in using acoustic sampling alone for bat monitoring and the complications of setting parameters for species identification for manual and automatic call classifiers. Our observations of call frequency variation correlated with density and absence of congenerics provide novel insights of behavioural echolocation plasticity in bats.

Bat populations have been steadily declining, most likely because of anthropogenic factors. Identification and classification of these risks have crucial importance in ensuring the survival of this species. Bats often coexist with humans in urban, industrial, and agricultural areas and are potentially exposed to a range of environmental pollutants. Two bat species widely distributed in Turkey were selected, and the residues of pesticides and organic contaminants in their carcasses were analyzed using: gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Species and sex specific differences were evaluated along with their potential to be used as bioindicators. During the rigor mortis period, 23 adult Pipistrellus pipistrellus (11 female and 12 male) and 19 adult Myotis myotis (9 female and 10 male) were collected and 322 contaminants (pesticides and organic contaminants) were analyzed in whole carcasses of bats by using a validated method. Multiple pesticides and organic contaminants were detected in all collected 42 bats. The most frequent contamination was detected as 4,4-DDE, followed by ethoprophos, quinalphos, methidation, paraoxon-methyl, phosalone and tetramethrin. The least common compounds were as follows: 2,4-DDD, endrin, HCH-alpha, fenamiphos sulfoxide, parathion ethyl, bitertanol, oxycarboxin, procymidone, fluazifop-butyl, trifluralin, bifenazate, DMF, fenpyroximate, PBDE-47, benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and benzo(g,h,i) perylene; of these only one was found in each bat. In terms of frequency and concentration, there was no significant difference between species and sex. An average of 26.1 pollutants was found in each bat. Thus, it was concluded that bats can be used as potential bioindicators in determining environmental pollution.

This work increase the knowledge related to bat fauna present in the “Monte Pellegrino” Nature Reserve in the Palermo municipality. The acoustic sampling took place in the summer/autumn season using the D500X Bat detector in 22 samples. The identified signals were attributed to 8 species and one genus. The Taxa with the most passes in the reserve are: Tadarita teniotis followed by Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii (100% of Costancy), Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Plecotus sp., Miniopterus schreibersii and last with a single recording Rhinolophus ferrumequinum and Rhinolophus hipposideros. The dendrogram of similarity shows 3 distinct bats cenosis. Two samples present intense activity in almost all time slots and three samples, close to each, show a peak increase in the intermediate time slots for the three most abundant species. The analysis carried out on the environmental preferences shows that among the 13 Corine Land Cover (CLC) habitats, the highest number of passes is recorded in Artificial lakes (code 5122), Orchards (code 222) and Arid limestone grassland (code 3211). The Arid limestone grassland habitat (code 3211) has the highest Shannon Index value, while the Mastic stain habitat (code 32312) has the lowest diversity value. The dendrogram of similarity shows two clusters. In the first there are Gorse (code 32231), Mediterranean scrub (code 31111), Orchards (code 222), Mosaic of agricultural plots (code 242), while the second cluster contains the remaining habitats.

Eyndhovenia is one of the twelve genera of Spinturnicidae which are highly specialised parasites of bats. Previously known hosts of this genus comprised 17 species of Old World bats: Eptesicus serotinus, Hipposideros larvatus, Miniopterus schreibersi, Myotis blythi, M. emarginatus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. gaisleri, Rhinolophus axillaris, R. blasii, R. clivosus, R. cornutus, R. euryale, R. ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, R. megachyllus, R. mehelyi, R. rouxi. Within Asia, Eyndhovenia was only recorded from two countries, China and Thailand. Between 2018 and 2020, we conducted a series of bats surveys and recorded of this genus from intermediate horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus affinis, in Vietnam. The present study exhibits the new record in both parasitological and geographical aspects.

Simple Summary Understanding how species interact with agricultural landscapes is essential for future conservation efforts. Using a large-scale citizen science project, we examined the influence linear features have on bat activity compared to the centre of agricultural fields and detailed the effect of different types of linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). Our results showed that all 10 bat species groups identified during surveys occurred both in the centre of fields as well as along linear features. Out of the five species groups analysed further, only Nyctalus noctula had no preference for linear features, compared to the centre of agricultural fields; however, 29% of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum calls were recorded in the centre of fields. More species were active near treelines compared to other linear feature types. Our results highlight the importance of linear feature management to bat conservation, but also the need to consider field centres during survey design and Environmental Impact Assessments Abstract 1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. Our results show that all 10 of the bat species groups identified were found both along linear features and in the middle of agricultural fields. Of the five species groups analysed further, all had significantly more bat activity along linear features compared to the middle of fields, except for Nyctalus noctula. However, our results showed that 29% of calls from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum were recorded in the middle of agricultural fields, compared to only 10% for Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Bat activity was more likely to be associated with treelines compared to other linear feature types. 4. Our results highlight the importance of linear feature management to bat conservation, but also the need to consider field centres during survey design and Environmental Impact Assessments.

Background Spotted fever group rickettsiae represent one of the most diverse groups of vector-borne bacteria, with several human pathogenic species showing an emerging trend worldwide. Most species are vectored by ticks (Ixodidae), with many zoonotic reservoir species among most terrestrial vertebrate groups. While the reservoir competence of many different vertebrate species is well known (e.g. birds, rodents and dogs), studies on insectivorous bats have been rarely performed despite their high species diversity, ubiquitous urban presence and importance in harboring zoonotic disease agents. Romania has a high diversity and ubiquity of bats. Moreover, seven out of eight SFG rickettsiae species with zoonotic potential were previously reported in Romania. Based on this, the aim of this study was to detect Rickettsia species in tissue samples in bats. Methods Here we report a large-scale study (322 bats belonging to 20 species) on the presence of Rickettsia spp. in Romanian bat species. Tissue samples from insectivorous bats were tested for the presence of Rickettsia DNA using PCR detection amplifying a 381 bp fragment of the gltA gene. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the results. The obtained results were statistically analyzed by chi-squared independence test. Results Positive results were obtained in 14.6% of bat samples. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of R. monacensis in two bat species (Nyctalus noctula and Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in two locations. Conclusion This study provides the first evidence of a possible involvement of these bat species in the epidemiology of Rickettsia spp., highlighting the importance of bats in natural cycles of these vector-borne pathogens. Graphical Abstract

Cat predation upon bat species has been reported to have significant effects on bat populations in both rural and urban areas. The majority of research in this area has focussed on observational data from bat rehabilitators documenting injuries, and cat owners, when domestic cats present prey. However, this has the potential to underestimate the number of bats killed or injured by cats. Here, we use forensic DNA analysis techniques to analyze swabs taken from injured bats in the United Kingdom, mainly including Pipistrellus pipistrellus (40 out of 72 specimens). Using quantitative PCR, cat DNA was found in two‐thirds of samples submitted by bat rehabilitators. Of these samples, short tandem repeat analysis produced partial DNA profiles for approximately one‐third of samples, which could be used to link predation events to individual cats. The use of genetic analysis can complement observational data and potentially provide additional information to give a more accurate estimation of cat predation., Forensic DNA analysis techniques were used to analyze swabs taken from injured bats in the United Kingdom. Cat DNA was found to be present in two‐thirds of samples, and of these samples, short tandem repeat analysis produced partial DNA profiles for approximately one‐third of samples, which could be used to link predation events to individual cats. The use of genetic analysis can complement observational data and potentially provide additional information to give a more accurate estimation of cat predation.

Host associated microbiome not only may affect the individual health-status or provide insights into the species- or group specific bacterial communities but may act as early warning signs in the assessment of zoonotic reservoirs, offering clues to predict, prevent and control possible episodes of emerging zoonoses. Bats may be carriers and reservoirs of multiple pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites, showing in the same time robust immunity against many of them. The microbiota plays a fundamental role on the induction, training and function of the host immune system and the immune system has largely evolved in order to maintain the symbiotic relationship of the host with these diverse microbes. Thus, expanding our knowledge on bat-associated microbiome it can be usefully in understanding bats’ outstanding immune capacities. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of different bacterial communities in heart tissue of insectivorous bats, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Rhinoplophus hipposideros, from Central and Eastern Europe using high-throughput sequencing of variable regions of the 16S rRNA. In addition, species-specific PCRs were used to validate the presence of the vector-borne pathogens Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. In this study we identified a wide variety of bacterial groups, with the most abundant phyla being Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. The results showed that at individual level, the year or location had no effect on the diversity and composition of the microbiome, however host species determined both structure and abundance of the bacterial community. We report the presence of vector-borne bacteria Bartonella spp. in samples of N. noctula and indications of Rickettsia spp. in R. hipposideros. Our results provide a first insight into the bacterial community found in heart tissue of bats from Central and South Eastern Europe.

Highlights • Three Alpha-CoV strains were fully sequenced by NGS method. • The Italian strains were classified into two novel Alpha-CoV species. • The phylogenetic analysis on RdRp fragment sequences showed correlation to European strains., Coronaviruses (CoVs) have been detected worldwide in several bat species, which are considered the main reservoir. The attention to the high diversity of CoVs hosted by bats has increased during the last decade due to the high number of human infections caused by two zoonotic Beta-CoVs, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, that cause several respiratory diseases. Among coronaviruses, two Alpha-CoV strains (HuCoV-229E and HuCoV-NL63) cause mild respiratory disease that can change to severe disease in children, elderly and individuals affected by illnesses. Phylogenetic analysis conducted on bat Alpha-CoV strains revealed their evolutive correlation to human strains, suggesting their origin in bats. The genome of CoVs is characterized by a high frequency of mutations and recombination events, increasing their ability to switch hosts and their zoonotic potential. In this study, three strains of Alpha-CoV genera detected in Italian bats (Pipistrellus kuhlii) were fully sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and characterized. The complete genome analysis showed the correlation of the Italians strains with a Chinese strain detected in 2013 and, based on CoV molecular species demarcation, two new Alpha-CoV species were established. The analysis of a fragment of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) showed the correlation of the Italian strains with CoVs that was only detected in the bat Pipistrellus genera (Pipistrellus kuhlii and Pipistrellus Pipistrellus) in European countries.

Bat activity surveys are essential in the contexts of scientific research, conservation, assessment of ecosystem health, monitoring progress towards sustainable development goals, and legislative compliance in development and infrastructure construction. However, environmental conditions have the potential to influence bat activity and, in turn, their detectability in acoustic surveys. Here we use 3242 hours of acoustic survey data from 323 nights of bat monitoring at 14 sites over a 4-year period to explore the influence of spatiotemporal factors, lunar phase and weather conditions on bat activity. All spatiotemporal and abiotic factors analysed (site, hour post sunset, length of night, duration of moonlight, temperature, rain, wind and cloud cover) contributed to the optimal multivariate model for at least one bat species/genus; all factors except cloud cover and temperature were significant in the optimal model for total bat activity. However, there were notable species-specific differences. Among the key findings were differences between Pipistrellus species, with periods of rainfall being negatively related to soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus registrations but not those of common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus. In addition, overcast conditions showed a strong positive relationship with the number of Myotis registrations while duration of moonlight was positively correlated with common pipistrelle. Temperature was only important for Nyctalus species. These findings demonstrate that understanding the effect multifaceted and interlinked environmental factors on the activity of different bat species is a vital step in developing maximally effective survey protocols, which, in turn, will improve the reliability of conservation and planning decisions underpinned by survey data.

Leishmania infantum is a protozoan causing leishmaniasis in humans and in dogs, among other animals, which is an endemic disease in the Mediterranean basin. In recent years, the role of wildlife as a possible reservoir of the disease was analyzed and several species of carnivores were reported to have the highest infection rates, with foxes and wolves being the more widely studied species; the role of rabbits and hares as reservoirs of leishmaniasis has also been described. In addition, several studies highlighted the role of bats as suitable hosts for Leishmania species (L. braziliensis, L. major, L. mexicana, and L. tropica) in South and Central America and Africa, but no Leishmania spp. infection in Chiroptera has been reported in Europe. In this study, samples from spleen, hair, and blood were analyzed to detect L. infantum DNA in bats from the Community of Madrid (Spain). Infection by L. infantum was detected in 59.2% of the bats studied (n = 16/27), with the spleen being selected as the site for detection, yielding 14/16 positive results (87.5% sensitivity), followed by hair (n = 7/16) and blood (n = 6/16). In two animals, samples from all three anatomical sites tested positive (7.4% of the total animals), while in four animals the spleen and hair samples tested positive (14.8%), in one animal the blood and hair samples tested positive (3.7%), and in another animal the blood sample only tested positive (3.7%). This is the first report of L. infantum detection in the common urban bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in Europe.

Rivers host a wealth of biodiversity and play critical ecological functions, so monitoring their environmental status and tracking its changes has paramount importance for appropriate management. Although some biological groups, and especially benthic macroinvertebrates, are employed routinely to achieve this goal, the quest for bioindicators of river quality is far from over, because finding further suitable organisms may improve indication performances and inform habitat management. Using organisms that are at risk for bioindication also fulfills the goal of providing important information for the conservation of the taxon (or taxa) used for bioindication. Bats are a diverse, threatened mammal group whose characteristics make them potentially suitable bioindicators in many ecosystem types, but research in this field is still limited. In this study, set in Central and Southern Italy, we hypothesize that assemblages of foraging bats will respond to environmental status and quality of riverine ecosystems and that therefore bats may serve as effective bioindicators. We established the environmental status of 50 sampling sites selected along 10 rivers using two indices officially adopted in the country, i.e. the STAR_ICMi (evaluating water quality from macrobenthic invertebrate assemblages) and the fluvial functionality index (Indice di Funzionalita Fluviale, IFF), which incorporates several biotic and abiotic components and represents a functional indicator of river ecosystem health. At the sampling sites, we also recorded bat activity with operator-independent real-time bat recorders and classified bat passes to species or phonic groups. We examined 167,371 macroinvertebrates and 55,157 bat passes, corresponding to 15 species or phonic groups. The activity of Miniopterus schreibersii/Pipistrellus pygmaeus and Myotis daubentonii/capaccinii declined with increasing values of STAR_ICMi and IFF, while the activity of Nyctalus/Eptesicus serotinus increased with both indices. The activity of P. kuhlii also declined as IFF values increased, while we observed the opposite for Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Myotis emarginatus, Myotis nattereri and Barbastella barbastellus. Pooling together species whose activity respectively increased or decreased as the values of quality indices increased improved indication performances by strengthening statistical significance. Our work constitutes a significant step towards the use of bats as bioindicators in river ecosystems as we show that differences in bat activity may reveal changes in environmental conditions and may thus demonstrate the effects of habitat alteration on the river biota. We highlight that locally adapted bat populations may show differences in foraging behaviour and food preferences; hence our findings warrant confirmation from other regions. Further constraints are given by the variable degree of taxonomic resolution achieved in bat sound analysis, which may represent an issue especially in species-rich bat assemblages such as those of southern Europe.

Habitat fragmentation affects bat assemblages living in forests by changing species composition, species richness and population densities. The aim of this paper was to determine the structure of bat assemblages in fragmented forests of central Poland (Experimental Forest Station SGGW in Rogów) based on data concerning bat fauna of this area.Our work is based on published as well as unpublished data collected between 2011–2017 and the two main methods employed during field work were: (1) evening and night bat netting, (2) detection of flying bats on transects or in points by using ultrasound detectors. 16 bat species were observed with the most common ones being serotine batEptesicus serotinus(Schreb.), common noctuleNyctalus noctula(Schreb.) and brown long-eared batPlecotus auritus(l.). less numerous in overall but frequently observed in some sites were the western barbastelleBarbastella barbastellus(Schreb.) and the Daubenton's batMyotis daubentonii(Kuhl). The following species occurred rarely: greater mouse-eared batMyotis myotis(Bork.), Natterer's batM. nattereri(Kuhl), whiskered batM. mystacinus(Kuhl), Brandt's batM. brandtii(evers.), northern batEptesicus nilssonii(Keys. & Blas.) parti-coloured batVespertilio murinusl., lesser noctuleNyctalus leisleri(Kuhl), common pipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus(Schreb.), nathusius' pipistrelleP. nathusii(Keys. & Blas.), soprano pipistrelleP. pygmaeus(leach) and grey long-eared batPlecotus austriacus(Fish.).Fragmented forests of the study area did not differ significantly in terms of bat species composition from other fragmented forests of central Poland (Płońsk Plain) nor the large forest complexes of the Bolimowska and Kampinoska Forests. In this study area, however, bat assemblages were characterized by a lower relative abundance of the common noctule and a higher relative abundance of the serotine bat as compared to assemblages in other forests of central Poland.In conclusion, the forest fragmentation near Rogów does not significantly affect bat richness and fertilized habitats are suitable for relatively large populations of species such as the western barbastelle and lesser noctule.

As important hosts for several pathogenic viruses, bats harbor viruses from almost all families of vertebrate viruses, including several genera of family Picornaviridae, including Hepatovirus, Kobuvirus, Crohivirus, and Sapelovirus ( Drexler et al. 2015 ; Wu et al. 2016 ; Yinda et al. 2017 ). However, PeVs were not reported in bats until our recent viral metagenomic analysis of 122 adult healthy bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) obtained from two locations in Xinjiang (Xinyuan, n = 46; Qapqal, n = 76) in 2016, revealing thousands of reads related to PeV ( Zhang et al. 2018 ). PCR-based screening revealed that 6.5% and 10.5% bats from Xinyuan and Qapqal, respectively, harbored this virus, and preliminary phylogenetic analysis of 396-nt-long amplicons targeting the VP1 region (GenBank accession numbers: MH921430–MH921443) revealed > 91.5% identities among each other and 63.7%–64.2% identity with their closest phylogenetic neighbor, FPeV ( Smits et al. 2013 ; Zhang et al. 2018 ). This study reports the complete genomic characterization of the first bat PeV to better understand its evolutionary history.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a pervasive form of pollution largely affecting wildlife, from individual behaviour to community structure and dynamics. As nocturnal mammals, bats are often adversely affected by ALAN, yet some "light-opportunistic" species exploit it by hunting insects swarming near lights. Here we used two potentially competing pipistrelle species as models, Kuhl's (Pipistrellus kuhlii) and common (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) pipistrelles, both known to forage in artificially illuminated areas. We set our study in a mountainous area of central Italy, where only recently did the two species become syntopic. We applied spatial modelling and radiotracking to contrast potential vs. actual environmental preferences by the two pipistrelles. Species distribution models and niche analysis showed a large interspecific niche overlap, including a preference for illuminated areas, presenting a potential competition scenario. Pipistrellus pipistrellus association with ALAN, however, was weakened by adding P.kuhlii as a biotic variable to the model. Radiotracking showed that the two species segregated habitats at a small spatial scale and that P.kuhlii used artificially illuminated sites much more frequently than P.pipistrellus, despite both species potentially being streetlamp foragers. We demonstrate that ALAN influences niche segregation between two potentially competing species, confirming its pervasive effects on species and community dynamics, and provide an example of how light pollution and species' habitat preferences may weave a tapestry of complex ecological interactions.

The occurrence of bats in mountains at high altitudes above 2300 m has not been investigated in the Alps until recently. In other European mountains, only a few studies on bats in high regions e.g., in the Pyrenees or in Switzerland at the Col de Bretolet had been conducted. Here we report a study carried out between 2012 and 2016 at several high-alpine sites at altitudes ranging from 2250 m up to 2761 m in the mountains of the Hohe Tauern, Salzburg, Austria. In spite of extreme climatic conditions, a surprisingly high bat activity and diversity of bat species was recorded. Eleven bat species were detected by different methods. Species identified by echolocation calls were: Barbastella barbastellus, Eptesicus nilssonii, Nyctalus noctula, N. leisleri, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. pygmaeus, Myotis daubentonii, and Vespertilio murinus. Additional findings were the species pairs Myotis mystacinus/M. brandtii and Pipistrellus nathusii/P. kuhlii as well as the genus Plecotus. The presence of most of these species was confirmed by capturing individuals with mist nets. Permanent monitoring of ultrasound calls was undertaken throughout the active period of bats at the site located at 2315 m above sea level. A total of over 30,000 series of bat calls were recorded and the activity period lasted from the end of March to the beginning of November. Long-distance migratory bat species were recorded in spring under wintry conditions and much more prominently from August to October. Presumably these individuals were crossing the Alps on their way between summer and winter roosts. Sedentary bats used the high alpine zone for foraging during summer. At these altitudes bats were active at high wind speeds of up to 13.9 m/s as well as at low temperatures around freezing point and down to -5.8°C.

Distribution and abundance of two temperate-zone insectivorous bats, Daubenton's (Myotis daubentonii) and common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), and their potential prey were studied along an altitudinal river gradient in relation to environmental variables including air temperature, wind speed, water surface state, and presence or absence of bank-side trees. Using a Latin square design at ten different habitat combination types, ultrasound recordings and insect sampling were carried out to quantify bat habitat preferences and potential prey abundance and classification. Myotis daubentonii and P. pipistrellus activity was significantly higher over smooth water river sections with trees on either or both banks while cluttered and rapid water sections were avoided. Conversely, insect abundance was not related to water surface condition or the presence or absence of bank-side trees. Nematoceran dipterans made up 98% of insect numbers, with small numbers of brachycerans and cyclorrhaphans. The most common insect families were Chironomidae and Ceratopogonidae. There was no correlation between bat activity and aerial insect activity, suggesting that aerial prey availability is not the sole driver of bat habitat choice. Bat and insect abundance were each correlated positively with night-time air temperature. No bat passes or flying insects were recorded at temperatures < 4°C. At 5°C, only M. daubentonii were observed foraging, and at 6°C there were more M. daubentonii present than any other bat species. No correlation was found between number of bat passes hr-1 and wind speed, moon visibility, moon phase, and percentage cloud cover. Rain did not affect M. daubentonii, but P. pipistrellus preferred to forage on dry nights. Bats were predicted to forage preferentially where aerial insect abundance was highest but this was found to not be case, and other aspects such as detection of prey against clutter may have an important role to play in habitat choice.

Mass hibernacula of several tens of thousands of Pipistrellus pipistrellus associated with the swarming of bats during seasonal movements should serve as important sites of gene flow in this species. The massive occurrence of hibernating bats which is observed in few caves in the Carpathian Mountains encourages the idea that the genetic diversity at these sites will be greater comparing to known situation in surrounding region. This study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of individuals that aggregate in two such caves in Slovakia and Romania with the help of a common and available genetic marker. Using an mtDNA cytochrome b, 571 bp long fragment, very low haplotype diversity was found within both mass hibernacula of P. pipistrellus (15 haplotypes only, from which one significantly predominated with > 80% in both caves). The initial screening did not suggest that hibernating bats migrated to mass hibernacula from remote areas behind central European region. However, reliable study of the species’ migratory behaviour is required to understand more about the phenomenon of the mass hibernacula of these bats.

Funding: University of Stirling Impact Fellowship to JM. While the effects of wind farms on bats are widely studied, effects of small wind turbines (SWTs, here

Commercial plantations are primarily managed for timber production, and are frequently considered poor for biodiversity, particularly for mammalian species. Bats, which constitute one fifth of mammal species worldwide, have undergone large declines throughout Europe, most likely due to widespread habitat loss and degradation. Bat use of modified landscapes such as urban or agricultural environments has been relatively well studied, however, intensively managed plantations have received less attention, particularly in Europe. We assessed three of the largest, most intensively managed plantations in the UK for the occurrence of bats, activity levels and relative abundance in response to environmental characteristics at multiple spatial scales, using an information theoretic approach. We recorded or captured nine species; Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P . pygmaeus were the most commonly recorded species on acoustic detectors and female P . pygmaeus were the most commonly captured. The influence of environmental characteristics on bat activity varied by species or genus, although all bat species avoided dense stands. Occurrence and activity of clutter and edge adapted species were associated with lower stand densities and more heterogeneous landscapes whereas open adapted bats were more likely to be recorded at felled stands and less likely in areas that were predominantly mature conifer woodland. In addition, despite morphological similarities, P . pipstrellus and P . pygmaeus were found foraging in different parts of the plantation. This study demonstrates that with sympathetic management, non-native conifer plantations may have an important role in maintaining and supporting bat populations, particularly for Pipistrellus spp.

Where humans and wildlife co-exist, mitigation is often needed to alleviate potential conflicts and impacts. Deterrence methods can be used to reduce impacts of human structures or activities on wildlife, or to resolve conservation conflicts in areas where animals may be regarded as a nuisance or pose a health hazard. Here we test two methods (acoustic and radar) that have shown potential for deterring bats away from areas where they forage and/or roost. Using both infrared video and acoustic methods for counting bat passes, we show that ultrasonic speakers were effective as bat deterrents at foraging sites, but radar was not. Ultrasonic deterrents decreased overall bat activity (filmed on infrared cameras) by ~80% when deployed alone and in combination with radar. However, radar alone had no effect on bat activity when video or acoustic data were analysed using generalised linear mixed effect models. Feeding buzzes of all species were reduced by 79% and 69% in the ultrasound only treatment when compared to the control and radar treatments, but only the ultrasound treatment was significant in post-hoc tests. Species responded differently to the ultrasound treatments and we recorded a deterrent effect on both Pipistrellus pipistrellus (~40–80% reduction in activity) and P. pygmaeus (~30–60% reduction), but not on Myotis species. However, only the ultrasound and radar treatment was significant (when compared to control and radar) in post-hoc tests for P. pipistrellus. Deterrent treatment was marginally non-significant for P. pygmaeus, but the ultrasound only treatment was significant when compared to radar in post-hoc tests. We therefore suggest that acoustic, but not radar methods are explored further as deterrents for bats. The use of acoustic deterrence should always be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with a focus on bat conservation.

Bats are major consumers of arthropods, including many agricultural pest species, and can thus reduce and prevent crop damage. However, few, if any, data is available on the potential role of bats in pest control in central Europe. Evidence that bats prey upon locally important pest species would be an important first step to demonstrate their value to local farmers and facilitate conservation measures. In this pilot study, we used a DNA metabarcoding approach to investigate the diet composition of common pipistrelles and brown long-eared bats captured in orchards in Belgium. We show that the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), one of the most harmful pest species in this region, was part of the diet of common pipistrelles. This pest species was recorded in one of the five samples from common pipistrelles. Our results indicate that bats can be valuable assets for biological pest suppression in West-European orchards, thus setting a path for future studies.

Introduction Bats are threatened by agricultural intensification, and although bat ecology in agricultural landscapes is in the focus of current research, the effects of interacting spatiotemporal factors on species-specific bat activity above farmland remain understudied. Our aim was to identify spatiotemporal factors and their interactions relevant for the activity of bat species above conventionally managed arable fields. Methods We repeatedly monitored relative bat activity above open arable fields in Germany using acoustic monitoring. We used site-related biotic and abiotic factors and landscape characteristics across five spatial scales, their combinations, and interactions to identify those factors which best explain variation in bat activity. Results Numerous interactions between landscape characteristics and the insect abundance affected bat activity above fields. For instance, Pipistrellus pipistrellus became more active with increasing insect abundance, but only above fields with a low proportion of woody vegetation cover in the surroundings. Additionally, the level of bat activity in summer depended on landscape characteristics. For example, the activity of Pipistrellus nathusii was relatively low in summer above fields that were surrounded by vegetation patches with a high degree of edge complexity (e.g., hedgerow). However, the activity remained at a relatively high level and did not differ between seasons above fields that were surrounded by vegetation patches with a low degree of edge complexity (e.g., roundly shaped forest patch). Conclusions Our results revealed that landscape characteristics and their interactions with insect abundance affected bat activity above conventionally managed fields and highlighted the opportunistic foraging behavior of bats. To improve the conditions for bats in agricultural landscapes, we recommend re-establishing landscape heterogeneity to protect aquatic habitats and to increase arthropod availability.

This paper is a bibliographical survey of records of bat parasites in France (including Corsica) between 1762 and 2018. In total, 237 scientific publications were analysed. They show that bats are infected with a large diversity of endoparasites and ectoparasites. A total of 113 parasite taxa were identified from 27 host species; in addition, six bats were not identified to the species-level. The helminth fauna of bats comprises three species of Cestoda, 15 of Trematoda, and 13 of Nematoda. Acari parasites include 53 species (in addition to 22 invalid species). Finally, insect parasites comprise 13 species of Diptera (bat flies), 12 of Siphonaptera (fleas), 3 of Hemiptera (bugs), and 1 Anoplura species. Bat taxa reported with parasites were Barbastella barbastellus, Eptesicus serotinus, Hypsugo savii, Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis bechsteinii, M. blythii, M. capaccinii, M. dasycneme, M. daubentonii, M. emarginatus, M. myotis, M. mystacinus, M. nattereri, M. punicus, Nyctalus lasiopterus, N. leisleri, N. noctula, Pipistrellus kuhlii, P. nathusii, P. pipistrellus, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus, Rhinolophus euryale, R. ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, R. mehelyi, Tadarida teniotis, Eptesicus sp., Myotis sp., Pipistrellus sp., Plecotus sp., Rhinolophus sp. and the species complex Pipistrellus pipistrellus/kuhlii/nathusii. As regards E. nilssonii, Vespertilio murinus (Particoloured Bat), M. alcathoe, M. escalerai, P. macrobullaris and P. pygmaeus, no records were found. These published field data originated from 72 of the 96 departments in metropolitan France. The most commonly cited were Ardèche, Ariège, Bouches-du-Rhône, Haute-Savoie, Maine-et-Loire, Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Pyrénées-Orientales, Sarthe, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.Les parasites des Chiroptères (Acari, Anoplura, Cestoda, Diptera, Hemiptera, Nematoda, Siphonaptera, Trematoda) en France (1762–2018) – état des lieux bibliographique et contribution à une liste des espèces.Cet article est une étude bibliographique des signalements de parasites de chauves-souris en France (y compris la Corse) entre 1762 et 2018. Au total, 237 publications scientifiques ont été analysées. Elles montrent que les chauves-souris sont infectées par une grande diversité d’endoparasites et d’ectoparasites. Un total de 113 taxons parasites ont été identifiés parmi 27 espèces hôtes (en outre, six chauves-souris n’ont pas été identifiées au niveau de l’espèce). La faune helminthique des chauves-souris comprend trois espèces de Cestodes, 15 de Trématodes et 13 de Nématodes. Les Acariens parasites comprennent 53 espèces (en plus de 22 espèces invalides). Enfin, les insectes parasites comprennent 13 espèces de Diptères, 12 de Siphonaptères (puces), 3 d’Hémiptères (punaises) et 1 espèce d’Anoploure. Les taxons de chauves-souris signalés avec des parasites étaient Barbastella barbastellus, Eptesicus serotinus, Hypsugo savii, Miniopterus schreibersii, Myotis bechsteinii, M. blythii, M. capaccinii, M. dasycneme, M. daubentonii, M. emarginatus, M. myotis, M. mystacinus, M. nattereri, M. punicus, Nyctalus lasiopterus, N. leisleri, N. noctula, Pipistrellus kuhlii, P. nathusii, P. pipistrellus, Plecotus auritus, P. austriacus, Rhinolophus euryale, R. ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, R. mehelyi, Tadarida teniotis, Eptesicus sp., Myotis sp., Pipistrellus sp., Plecotus sp., Rhinolophus sp. et le complexe d’espèces cryptiques Pipistrellus pipistrellus/kuhlii/nathusii. Aucun signalement n’a été trouvé pour E. nilssonii, Vespertilio murinus, M. alcathoe, M. escalerai, P. macrobullaris et P. pygmaeus. Ces données de terrain publiées proviennent de 72 des 96 départements de France métropolitaine. Les plus cités sont l’Ardèche, l’Ariège, les Bouches-du-Rhône, la Haute-Savoie, le Maine-et-Loire, la Moselle, la Meurthe-et-Moselle, les Pyrénées-Orientales, la Sarthe, la Haute-Corse et la Corse-du-Sud.

Background: Bats are known to host a number of nonpathogenic viruses, as well as highly pathogenic viruses causing fatal diseases like rabies. Serological surveys as part of active and passive bat rabies surveillance mainly use seroneutralization assays, demonstrating the presence of lyssavirus-specific antibodies in a variety of European bats, particularly against European bat lyssaviruses type 1 (EBLV-1). Here, we present the first serological survey in European bats of this kind during which European bats from Poland collected in the frame of passive rabies surveillance between 2012 and 2018, as well as Serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus) and North American Big Brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) from previous experimental studies, were tested using a commercial ELISA kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus antibodies. Results: Lyssavirus-specific antibodies were detected in 35 (30.4%) out of 115 Polish bats of both sexes, representing nine out of 13 identified bat species endemic mainly to Central Southern Europe and Western Asia, i.e., Eptesicus serotinus, Nyctalus noctula, Myotis daubentonii, Plecotus auritus, Vespertillo murinus, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pipilstrellus/Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Myotis brandtii, and Barbastella barbastellus. Seroprevalence was highest in bat species of Nyctalus noctula, Eptesicus serotinus, Plecotus auritus, and Myotis daubentonii. More than 60% of the ELISA seropositive bats originated from the voivodeships of Silesia, Lower-Silesian, Warmian-Mazurian, and Mazowian. Rabies-specific antibodies were also found in Eptesicus fuscus bats from North America. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the principal application of the BioPro Rabies ELISA Ab Kit for the detection of anti-lyssavirus specific antibodies in body fluids and serum samples of bats. However, results may only be reliable for North American bats, whereas interpretation of results for European bats per se is difficult because proper validation of the test is hampered by the protected status of these species.

The family Picornaviridae includes important human and animal pathogens that are associated with a wide range of diseases and, in some cases, have zoonotic potential. During epidemiological surveillance of bats, we identified, by next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, the presence of picornavirus RNA in a common pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). By coupling NGS, primer-walking strategies, and sequence-independent protocols to obtain the sequences of the 5′ and 3′ termini, we reconstructed the genome sequence of picornavirus strain ITA/2017/189/18-155. The genome of the bat picornavirus is 8.2 kb in length and encodes a polyprotein of 2462 amino acids. A comparison of polyprotein sequences revealed that this virus is distantly related (65.1% and 70.9% sequence identity at the nucleotide and amino acid level, respectively) to a bat aichivirus identified in 2010. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this picornavirus clustered closely with members of the genus Kobuvirus, which also includes human and animal aichiviruses. The identification of aichiviruses in several animal hosts is providing hints that will lead to an understanding of their origin and evolutionary patterns.

Background Increasing molecular evidence supports that bats and/or their ectoparasites may harbor vector-borne bacteria, such as bartonellae and borreliae. However, the simultaneous occurrence of rickettsiae in bats and bat ticks has been poorly studied. Methods In this study, 54 bat carcasses and their infesting soft ticks (n = 67) were collected in Shihezi City, northwestern China. The heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, small intestine and large intestine of bats were dissected, followed by DNA extraction. Soft ticks were identified both morphologically and molecularly. All samples were examined for the presence of rickettsiae by amplifying four genetic markers (17-kDa, gltA, ompA and ompB). Results All bats were identified as Pipistrellus pipistrellus, and their ticks as Argas vespertilionis. Molecular analyses showed that DNA of Rickettsia parkeri, R. lusitaniae, R. slovaca and R. raoultii was present in bat organs/tissues. In addition, nine of the 67 bat soft ticks (13.43%) were positive for R. raoultii (n = 5) and R. rickettsii (n = 4). In the phylogenetic analysis, these bat-associated rickettsiae clustered together with conspecific sequences reported from other host and tick species, confirming the above results. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, DNA of R. parkeri, R. slovaca and R. raoultii was detected for the first time in bat organs/tissues. This is also the first molecular evidence for the presence of R. raoultii and R. rickettsii in bat ticks. To our knowledge, R. parkeri was not known to occur in Asia. Our results highlight the need to assess rickettsial agents in a broader range of bat species and associated tick species.

Wildlife surveillance allowed the monitoring of the zoonotic mosquito-borne Usutu virus (USUV) in birds and bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in southern Belgium in 2017 and 2018. USUV-RNA was detected in 69 birds (of 253) from 15 species, among which 7 species had not previously been reported to be susceptible to the infection. Similarly, 2 bats (of 10) were detected positive by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). USUV-associated lesions were mainly found in Eurasian Blackbirds (Turdus merula), in which USUV antigens were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the brain, heart, liver, kidney, intestine, and lung. Partial nonstructural protein 5 gene-based phylogenetic analysis showed several identical or closely related strains from 2016, 2017, and 2018 clustering together within Europe 3 or Africa 3 lineages. Further, one USUV strain detected in a common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) manifested a close genetic relationship with the European 1 strains circulating in Hungary and Austria. Our data provide evidence of USUV endemization in southern Belgium in local birds and bats, extension of the host range of the virus and ongoing virus introduction from abroad, likely by migratory birds. Our results highlight the need for vigilance in the forthcoming years toward new virus-associated outbreaks in birds and possible human infections in Belgium.

Bats have an important role in the ecosystem, and therefore an effective detection of their prevalence can contribute to their conservation. At present, the most commonly methodology used in the study of bats is the analysis of echolocation calls. However, many other ultrasound signals can be simultaneously recorded, and this makes species location and identification a long and difficult task. This field of research could be greatly improved through the use of bioacoustics which provide a more accurate automated detection, identification and count of the wildlife of a particular area. We have analyzed the calls of two bat species&mdash, Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus&mdash, both of which are common types of bats frequently found in the Iberian Peninsula. These two cryptic species are difficult to identify by their morphological features, but are more easily identified by their echolocation calls. The real-life audio files have been obtained by an Echo Meter Touch Pro 1 bat detector. Time-expanded recordings of calls were first classified manually by means of their frequency, duration and interpulse interval. In this paper, we first detail the creation of a dataset with three classes, which are the two bat species but also the silent intervals. This dataset can be useful to work in mixed species environment. Afterwards, two automatic bat detection and identification machine learning approaches are described, in a laboratory environment, which represent the previous step to real-life in an urban scenario. The priority in that approaches design is the identification using short window analysis in order to detect each bat pulse. However, given that we are concerned with the risks of automatic identification, the main aim of the project is to accelerate the manual ID process for the specialists in the field. The dataset provided will help researchers develop automatic recognition systems for a more accurate identification of the bat species in a laboratory environment, and in a near future, in an urban environment, where those two bat species are common.

Adenoviruses are important pathogens of humans and animals. Bats have been recognized as potential reservoirs of novel viruses, with some viruses being regarded as a possible zoonotic threat to humans. In this study, we report the detection and analysis of adenoviruses from different bat species in northern Italy. Upon sequence and phylogenetic analysis, based on a short diagnostic fragment of the highly-conserved DNA polymerase gene, we identified potential novel candidate adenovirus species, including an avian-like adenovirus strain. An adenovirus isolate was obtained in simian cell lines from the carcass of a Pipistrellus kuhlii, and the complete genome sequence was reconstructed using deep sequencing technologies. The virus displayed high nucleotide identity and virtually the same genome organization as the Pipistrellus pipistrellus strain PPV1, isolated in Germany in 2007. Gathering data on epidemiology and the genetic diversity of bat adenoviruses may be helpful to better understand their evolution in the mammalian and avian hosts.

This atlas is based on information in museum collections, literature, databases and unpublished data. In the last 150 years, the number of bat species in Finland increased from six to thirteen. Of these, five are common and regularly breeding (Eptesicus nilssonii, Myotis brandtii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis mystacinus, Plecotus auritus), and eight rare (Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis dasycneme, Myotis nattereri, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus), of which breeding of two (M. nattereri, P. nathusii) have been confirmed. The total number of records in the study is 11 234, of which 9717 are identified to species. The records are from 940 (25%) 10-km2 squares of Finland’s land area. Of the records, 89% are new (1993–2014). Of the recorded bat species, only Eptesicus nilssonii occurs in each of the 21 biogeographical provinces. A decreasing south–north gradient in species richness and abundance exists which may be related to research efforts that are clearly higher in the south. This atlas is based on information in museum collections, literature, databases and unpublished data. In the last 150 years, the number of bat species in Finland increased from six to thirteen. Of these, five are common and regularly breeding (Eptesicus nilssonii, Myotis brandtii, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis mystacinus, Plecotus auritus), and eight rare (Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis dasycneme, Myotis nattereri, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus), of which breeding of two (M. nattereri, P. nathusii) have been confirmed. The total number of records in the study is 11 234, of which 9717 are identified to species. The records are from 940 (25%) 10-km2 squares of Finland’s land area. Of the records, 89% are new (1993–2014). Of the recorded bat species, only Eptesicus nilssonii occurs in each of the 21 biogeographical provinces. A decreasing south–north gradient in species richness and abundance exists which may be related to research efforts that are clearly higher in the south. peerReviewed

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Pipistrellus pipistrellus (the common pipistrelle; Chordata; Mammalia; Chiroptera; Vespertilionidae). The genome sequence is 1.76 gigabases in span. The majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 21 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the X sex chromosome assembled.

The bat hibernaculum, situated on the right bank of the Vltava river near Třebenice, approximately 300 metres under the dam of the Slapy water reservoir (49,82232913° N, 14,43661106° E), was discovered in 2010. The bats use a bypass tunnel quarried in 1949–1951 during the construction of the dam. The first check revealed a mass winter aggregation of the common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), comprising almost 4000 individuals. Since the discovery till 2017, we recorded regular wintering of 2090–4251 individuals of this bat. Moreover, we obtained data on the hibernation of other eight species at this locality: Myotis myotis, M. daubentonii, M. nattereri, M. mystacinus, Barbastella barbastellus, Nyctalus noctula, Vespertilio murinus, and Plecotus auritus. The occurrence of the soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) was confirmed only by detection of echolocation calls and netting at the entrance to the tunnel, but not in the winter aggregation.

In comparison with Pipistrellus pipistrellus, very little is known about the mating behaviour and hibernation of P. pygmaeus. The phenology of display and swarming behaviour were studied using bat detectors and mist nettings in the ruins of Nový Hradek castle (southwestern Moravia, Czech Republic), where P. pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus hibernate in mixed-species clusters. We hypothesize that if both pipistrelle species share the same swarming site and hibernaculum they can compete with each other and their mating and courtship activity can be separate over time. The highest songflight activity was found between mid-August and mid-September. At the beginning of the mating period, songflights of both species were recorded in the second third of the night, whereas from the end of September, the peak of display activity moved to the first third of the night. We did not find clear evidence for temporal niche partitioning between species during autumn mating behaviour at locality of study. Proportion of P. pygmaeus observed in the hibernaculum was significantly higher than its observed in acoustic recordings and in mist-netted bats. It may show different mating behaviour between both pipistrelle species. Males of P. pipistrellus produced display calls close to hibernacula, whereas males of P. pygmaeus probably mate elsewhere, likely before any long autumnal migration near nursery colonies.

New and previously published data on the distribution of 12 bat species in the Cis-Urals and South Urals (Republic of Bashkortostan) are summarized. Data on their subspecies status are given. There is a need to clarify the taxonomic status of the pipistrelle bats Pipistrellus pipistrellus/pygmaeus. In terms of composition, the bat fauna of the Republic of Bashkortostan is a variant of the Central European fauna. It was revealed that the territory in question marks the eastern limits of distribution of Nyctalus leisleri and P. pipistrellus/pygmaeus. An important feature of the territory of Bashkortostan is the presence of places of mass wintering of bats of natural origin: more than 980 karst caves used by bats not only in winter, but also during the period of activity. According to the results of captures in 14 caves, data on the frequency and relative abundance of sedentary bat species in the Republic of Bashkortostan are given.