The Beijing mouse-eared bat or Peking myotis (Myotis pequinius) is a species of vesper bat. It is found only in China.

Taxonomy

It was described as a new species in 1908 by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas. The holotype had been collected by Malcolm Playfair Anderson in 1907. Anderson encountered the species in a cave 30 mi west of Beijing.

Description

It is a relatively large mouse-eared bat with a forearm length of 48-50 mm. Its fur is short and velvety, with the fur on its back a gray, reddish-brown. In contrast, its belly fur is off-white.

Biology and ecology

It is insectivorous, consuming mostly beetles. During the day, individuals roost in caves, though they may also roost in human structures.

Range and habitat

The Beijing mouse-eared bat is endemic to China, where it is found in the provinces of Anhui, Beijing, Henan, Jiangsu, Shanxi, and Sichuan.

Conservation

As of 2019, it is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this classification because its extent of occurrence exceeds 20000 km2; its population is presumably large; and it is unlikely to be experiencing rapid population decline.