Use of a roost composed of artificial dead leaves and reproduction in the Ussurian tube-nosed bat Murina ussuriensis

Abstract

The use of roosts by Ussurian tube-nosed bats (Murina ussuriensis) was studied using artificial dead leaves made of hemp. From late April 2015 to late November 2015, the leaves were placed on branches over the forest floor and on those near tree crowns. A group of females were continuously observed from late April until late June, corresponding to the period from pregnancy to nursing, and maternity and nursery colonies including infants in the artificial roosts on the branches were confirmed during June. The number of adults and infants in the roosts changed with each observation. In addition, maternity and nursery colonies frequently changed roosts. The present study is the first to demonstrate the formation of maternity and nursery colonies of M. ussuriensis in artificial roosts. Further, a few instances of the use of artificial roosts by a single male or female were observed from July to late November. The survey method used in this study can be a useful technique to study the reproductive ecology of this species, which cannot be easily observed.