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The Bat Fauna of Meghalaya, Northeast India: Diversity and Conservation

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Indian Hotspots

Abstract

Because of past and present geo-climatic condition and unique biogeographic history, the state of Meghalaya harbours a rich bat fauna. An inventory of the bat fauna of the state consisting of 65 species in eight families with distributional information on each species is presented. Four species namely Megaerops niphanae, Pipistrellus ceylonicus, Tylonycteris malayana and Miniopterus pusillus find first mention from the state. This account is primarily based on reliable published information and online collection database of museums and is supplemented by the chiropteran collection in Zoological Survey of India, Shillong, and recent field observations. Despite the rich diversity, bat fauna of the state is facing multiple existential threats especially from mining and associated activities. These threats and other conservation issues are also being discussed briefly.

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Abbreviations

AMNH:

American Museum of Natural History

EGH:

East Garo Hills

EJH:

East Jaintia Hills District

EKH:

East Khasi Hills District

HNHM:

Hungarian Natural History Museum

RB:

Ri-Bhoi District

SGH:

South Garo Hills District

UMMZ:

Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan

FMNH:

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

WGH:

West Garo Hills District

WJH:

West Jaintia Hills District

WKH:

West Khasi Hills District

ZSIS:

Zoological Survey of India, Shillong

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Acknowledgements

The authors thankfully acknowledge inputs from Dr. Gabor Csorba of Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, on taxonomic nomenclature and identity of certain bat species in Meghalaya. US acknowledges departmental support and encouragement from Dr. Kailash Chandra, Director, ZSI, Kolkata; Dr. K. Venkataraman, former Director, ZSI, Kolkata, and the Officer-in-Charge, ZSI, Shillong and staff members of ZSI, Shillong. AT would like to acknowledge MBZ species conservation fund for conducting her research, Prof. Gareth Jones of the University of Bristol for his support and encouragement, Mr. Aaron Massar for his help in the field and photography and the Meghalaya Forest Department for permissions to carry out field work. Finally, we are indebted to Brian D. Kharpran Daly from the Meghalaya Adventurers Association, Thomas Arbenz, Simon Brooks and other team members of the Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Project for providing access to the forests and help in the field work and also to Dr. Partap Singh Kataria from PG College Bikaner for field assistance during 2016 expedition and to Dr. Gabriel Chișamera, mammalogist from “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History, Bucharest, for accompanying in the field during 2013 and 2014 caving expeditions in Meghalaya and sharing his observations.

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Annexure: Geographic Gazetteer of the Localities Mentioned in the Text

Annexure: Geographic Gazetteer of the Localities Mentioned in the Text

Locality

Co-ordinates

Baghmara

25.1935N, 90.6346E

Chokpot

25.3187N, 90.4408E

Cherrapunji

25.2717N, 91.7308E

Darugiri

c25.6333N, 90.75E

Durabanda

25.4752N, 90.3244E

Jowai

25.4509N, 92.2089E

Khahnar

25.2200N, 92.3706E

Kharkhana

25.1588N, 91.1919E

Kherapara

c25.4666N, 92.2166E

Khulbolmagri

Not located

Krem Arwah

25.2717N, 91.7308E

Krem Pamskei in Lawbah

25.2359N, 91.5577E

Krem Mawsyrwait

25.2544N, 91.6558E

Krem Bylliat

25.4283N, 92.6016E

Krem Ramong

25.1228N, 91.3010E

Krem Tylong Kobah

25.1518N, 91.3524E

Krem Puri

25.15N, 91.33E

Krem Mawphun

25.1535N, 91.3357E

Krem Piel Klieng Pouk

25.1025N, 92.2650N

Krem Madury

25.1632N, 91.3324E

Krem Lum Shken

25.1616N, 91.3115E

Krem Lymke

25.22′28N. 92.34′47E

Krem Khung

25.2321N, 92.3448E

Krem Poh Lakhar

25.2304N, 92.3710E

Krem Sahiong I

25.2349N, 92.3723E

Krem Dieng Jem

c.25.4088N, 92.5572E

Krem Labit Shnongrim

25.3508N, 92.5035E

Krem Labit Lumshnong

25.1828N, 92.3768E

Krem Labit Kseh

25.4313N, 92.6016E

Krem Umlawan

25.1688N, 92.3825E

Krem Umadoh

25.1913N, 92.3733E

Krem Umshor

25.1038N, 92.2230E

Krem Khleishnong

25.1808N, 92.3941E

Krem Lymbait

25.1908N, 92.2686E

Krem Lumjingtep

25.2008N, 92.2719E

Krem Pedenglapiang

25.1805N, 92.2013E

Krem Pdiem Dharei

25.1572N, 92.2008E

Krem Hartali

25.1941N, 92.1880E

Krem Labit Mynlin

25.4197N, 92.5877E

Krem Shalong

25.4083N, 92.6113E

Krem Rongdangngai Mondil

25.1236N, 90.0037E

Khongsnong

25.5238N, 92.5016E

Khandong dam site

c.25.5030N, 92.6102E

Khaddum cave

25.1708N, 92.5061E

Kyrshai

25.24691N, 92.68384E

Lailad

25.8963N, 91.7684E

Lama

c.25.1591N, 92.2591E

Lakadong

25.5307N, 92.5310E

Laitkynsew

25.2202N, 91.6672E

Lawbah

25.2359N, 91.5577E

Mahesh Khola

c.25.1823N, 90.7925E

Majai

25.1594N, 91.7452E

Mawsmai cave

25.2988N, 91.7086E

Mawphlang

25.4666N, 91.7666E

Mawshamok

25.2271N, 91.7014E

Mawryngkneng

25.5566N, 92.0641E

Nongtrai village

25.2207N, 91.6116E

Nongnah

25.2675N, 91.3240E

Nongpoh

25.8699N, 91.8337E

Pahamshken

25.9301N, 91.9535E

Phrang Karuh cave

25.1874N, 92.3768E

Phulbari

c.25.9N, 90.0333E

Phut-Jaut

25.1928N, 91.3114E

Pynurkba

25.25N, 92.2833E

Rongrengiri

25.8166N, 90.3666E

Rongmachok

c.25.8161N, 90.0997E

Saipung

25.35N, 92.5333E

Sakwa

25.20611N, 92.46191E

Shillong

25.5666N, 91.8833E

Shnongrim

25.3505N, 92.5167E

Siju cave

c.25.3577N, 90.6613E

Sibbari

25.1987N, 90.5547E

Songsak

25.6512N, 90.6074E

Sumer

25.6791N, 91.9069E

Shangpung

25.4813N, 92.3493E

Shnongpdeng

25.2072N, 92.0096E

Syndai

25.1879N, 92.1427E

Stage III dam site

25.7313N, 91.7944E

Stage IV dam site

25.7947N, 91.7783E

Shella

25.1734N, 91.6519E

Shobar

25.1784N, 91.7323E

Sonapur

25.6059N, 92.4348E

Tangsen

25.3316N, 92.5138E

Thangsah

25.1833N, 92.2E

Thlu Shrieh cave

25.1217N, 92.2235E

Tura

25.5166N, 91.2166E

Tangsen near Krem Lanshat

25.3316N, 92.5138E

Umkiang

25.0587N, 92.3826E

Umlyngsha

25.2077N, 92.2619E

Umlatdoh

25.2N, 92.2666E

Umkyrpong

25.4284N, 92.5782E

Umnuih Tamar

25.1956N, 91.8310E

Vatesuandung Bakhur

c.25.3047N, 92.7013E

Williamnagar

c.25.5314N, 90.5920E

Plate 15.1
figure 1

Portraits of rare or newly recorded bat species from Meghalaya. 1 Macroglossus sobrinus, 2 Megaerops niphanae, 3 Miniopterus pusillus, 4 Pipistrellus ceylonicus, 5 Tylonycteris malayana, 6 Hypsugo joffrei

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Saikia, U., Thabah, A., Chachula, O.M., Ruedi, M. (2018). The Bat Fauna of Meghalaya, Northeast India: Diversity and Conservation. In: Sivaperuman, C., Venkataraman, K. (eds) Indian Hotspots. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6983-3_15

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