
Photo: (c) Валерия Ковалева, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0
Myotis sibiricus
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Diet
Flying insects
Habitat
Lowland and mountain forest and forest-steppe
Range
Northeastern Asia, including northern Mongolia
Litter size
Usually 1; occasionally 2
Size
39–51mm
Weight
4–8g
The Siberian whiskered myotis is a small bat, 39–51mm long and 4–8g, with a 33–39mm forearm. Its relatively long dorsal fur is pale brown with a golden sheen; the underside is paler grey and may be yellowish. A narrow pointed tragus is another useful in-hand character. It was formerly included in Brandt's bat, but genetic work supports recognition as a separate species. (Kruskop et al. 2012; Smith and Xie 2010, as summarized on Wikipedia)
The range extends east of the Ob River across Siberia and south into northern Mongolia, northern China, Korea, and Japan. It uses lowland and mountain forest and forest-steppe, sheltering in hollows, caves, and buildings during summer and underground sites during the long winter. It catches insects in quick low flight. Females form maternity colonies and usually bear one pup, occasionally two. (Podlutsky et al. 2005; Wikipedia, general species account)