View source for Biology:Common pipistrelle

{{Short description|Species of mammal}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Common pipistrelle
| image = Pipistrellus female-1.jpg
|image_alt = A Pipistrellus pipistrellus (i.e., the common pipistrelle) sits in the hands of a researcher. 
| status = LC
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Godlevska, L. |author2=Bücs, S. |author3=Kruskop, S.V. |author4=Gazaryan, S. |author5=Benda, P. |author6=Paunović, M. |year=2020 |title=''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' |errata=2021 |page=e.T85333513A196581936 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T85333513A196581936.en |access-date=18 April 2021}}</ref>
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Pipistrellus
| species = pipistrellus
| authority = (Schreber, 1774)
| synonyms = {{Species list
| Vespertilio pipistrellus| Schreber, 1774
| Vesperugo pipistrellus| Keyserling & Blasius, 1839}}
}}

The '''common pipistrelle''' ('''''Pipistrellus pipistrellus''''') is a small [[Biology:Pipistrellus|pipistrelle]] [[Biology:Microbat|microbat]] whose very large range extends across most of [[Earth:Europe|Europe]], [[Place:North Africa|North Africa]], [[Place:South Asia|South Asia]], and may extend into [[Place:Korea|Korea]].<ref>{{cite book |title= Mammals of the Holy Land |author= Qumsiyeh, M. B. |edition=Illustrated |publisher= Texas Tech University Press |year= 1996 |isbn= 978-0896723641 |page=133 |url=https://archive.org/details/mammalsofholylan00qums/page/133}}</ref> It is one of the most common bat species in the [[Place:British Isles|British Isles]]. In Europe, the northernmost confirmed records are from southern Finland near 60°N.<ref>[http://batslife.eu/item/pipistrellus-pipistrellus/ "Pipistrellus pipistrellus"], ''Science for Nature Foundation''</ref>

In 1999, the common pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency [[Philosophy:Animal echolocation|echolocation]] calls. The common pipistrelle uses a call of 45&nbsp;kHz, while the [[Biology:Soprano pipistrelle|soprano pipistrelle]] echolocates at 55&nbsp;kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.

[[Image:Pipistrellus flight2.jpg|thumb|250px|alt=The image depicts a Pipistrellus pipistrellus (i.e., the common pipistrelle) in flight.|''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' in flight]]

[[Image:Pipistrellus pipistrellus baby.jpg|thumb|250px|alt=The image depicts a Pipistrellus pipistrellus (i.e., the common pipistrelle) baby in the hands of a researcher.|''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' baby]]

==Taxonomy and etymology==
It was [[Biology:Species description|described]] as a new species in 1774 by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber.
Schreber initially placed it in the genus ''[[Biology:Vespertilio|Vespertilio]]'', calling it ''Vespertilio pipistrellus''.<ref name="Schreber 1774">{{cite book| last=von Schreber| first=Johann Christian Daniel| title=Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen| date=1775| url=https://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/id/PPN574897429?tify={%22pages%22:[178,179],%22panX%22:1.031,%22panY%22:0.664,%22view%22:%22info%22,%22zoom%22:0.413}| publisher=Walther| pages=167–168}}</ref>
In 1839, Keyserling and Blasius reclassified the species, naming it ''Vesperugo pipistrellus''.<ref name="Keyserling 1839">{{cite journal| last1=Keyserling| first1= A. G. V.| last2=Blasius| first2= I. H.| date= 1839| title= Uebersicht der Gattungs-und Artcharaktere der europäischen Fledermäuse| journal=Archiv für Naturgeschichte| volume=5|pages=321–322| url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13671625}}</ref>
This classification stood until 1897, when Miller placed the species into the genus ''[[Biology:Pipistrellus|Pipistrellus]]'', where it remains as ''Pipistrellus pipistrellus''.<ref name="Miller 1897">{{cite journal| last=Miller| first= G. S.| date= 1897| title= The nomenclature of some European bats|page=384| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-KMrAAAAYAAJ| journal=Annals and Magazine of Natural History| series=6| volume=20}}</ref>
Its species name "pipistrellus" is derived from the Italian word {{lang|it|pipistrello}}, which means "bat."

The [[Biology:Soprano pipistrelle|soprano pipistrelle]], ''Pipistrellus pygmaeus'', was formerly considered [[Biology:Synonym (taxonomy)|synonymous]] with the common pipistrelle. In 1999,<ref name="Jones 1999">{{cite journal| last1=Jones| first1= G.| last2= Barratt| first2= E. M.| date= 1999| title= Vespertilio pipistrellus Schreber, 1774 and V. pygmaeus Leach, 1825 (currently Pipistrellus pipistrellus and P. pygmaeus; Mammalia, Chiroptera): proposed designation of neotypes| journal= Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature| volume= 56| issue=3 |pages= 182–186| url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12443184#page/206/mode/2up| doi= 10.5962/bhl.part.23065| doi-access= free}}</ref> it was formally [[Segregate (taxonomy)|split]] from the common pipistrelle based on differing [[Philosophy:Animal echolocation#Bats|echolocation]] signatures and a [[Biology:Genetic divergence|genetic divergence]] of 11%.<ref name="Hulva 2004">{{cite journal| doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2004.04.007| pmid=15288073| title=Molecular architecture of Pipistrellus pipistrellus/Pipistrellus pygmaeus complex (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae): Further cryptic species and Mediterranean origin of the divergence| journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution| volume=32| issue=3| pages=1023–35| year=2004| last1=Hulva| first1=Pavel| last2=Horáček| first2=Ivan| last3=Strelkov| first3=Petr P| last4=Benda| first4=Petr}}</ref>
Despite being different species, the common pipistrelle and the soprano pipistrelle are able to [[Biology:Hybrid|hybridize]], based on genetic analysis conducted in Poland.<ref name="Sztencel 2012">{{cite journal| doi=10.1139/z2012-092| title=Population genetics study of common (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and soprano (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) pipistrelle bats from central Europe suggests interspecific hybridization| journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology| volume=90| issue=10| pages=1251| year=2012| last1=Sztencel-Jabłonka| first1=A| last2=Bogdanowicz| first2=W}}</ref>

==Description==
The common pipistrelle is a very small species of bat. Its forearm is {{convert|27.7-32.2|mm|in|abbr=on}} long.
It has a short [[Biology:Snout|muzzle]].<ref name="Dietz 2016">{{cite book| last1=Dietz| first1= C.| last2= Kiefer| first2= A.| date= 2016| title= Bats of Britain and Europe| publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing| page=194| isbn=9781472935762}}</ref>
It is {{convert|3.5|-|5.2|cm|in|abbr=on}} long along the head-and-body, with the tail adding {{convert|2.3|-|3.6|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The body mass can range from {{convert|3.5|to|8.5|g|oz|abbr=on}}, with the wingspan ranging from {{convert|18|to|25|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name= Macdonald>{{cite book|year=1993|title=Mammals of Europe|publisher=Princeton University Press|location=New Jersey|isbn=978-0-691-09160-0|author1=Macdonald, D.W.|author2=Barrett , P.|url=https://archive.org/details/mammalsofeurope00macd}}</ref> Its brown fur is variable in tone. It is common in woodland and farmland but is also found in towns, where the females roost in lofts and buildings when rearing young.

==Biology and ecology==
===Reproduction===
Males attract females by creating courtship territories approximately {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}} in diameter; these territories are maintained from mid-July through the end of October, with particularly intense activity in September.
Courtship territories are usually in the vicinity of popular winter roosts for the species.
Males will patrol these territories while "singing" to attract the attention of female bats as they travel to winter roosts.
Male courtship territories are densely-packed, offering [[Philosophy:Mate choice|female choice]] akin to a [[Biology:Lek mating|lek mating]] system.<ref name="Sachteleben 2006">{{cite journal| doi=10.3161/1733-5329(2006)8[391:SBAMSO]2.0.CO;2| year=2006| volume=8| issue=2| pages=391| title=Songflight behaviour and mating system of the pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) in an urban habitat| journal=Acta Chiropterologica| last1=Sachteleben| first1=Jens| last2=von Helversen| first2=Otto| s2cid=56319926| url=http://www.pan-gmbh.com/content/dload/Sachteleben-Helversen_ActaChiropterologica_2006.pdf}}</ref> While copulation occurs in the fall, fertilization does not occur until after its hibernation due to [[Biology:Female sperm storage|female sperm storage]].<ref name="Roy 2010">{{cite journal| doi=10.1016/j.ygcen.2009.06.012| pmid=19539620| title=Evidence of androgen-dependent sperm storage in female reproductive tract of Scotophilus heathi| journal=General and Comparative Endocrinology| volume=165| issue=1| pages=120–6| year=2010| last1=Roy| first1=Vikas Kumar| last2=Krishna| first2=Amitabh}}</ref> Females are pregnant in May and June.
Pregnant females form large aggregations in roosts, called maternity colonies.
Colonies can consist of dozens or hundreds of individuals.
Parturition usually occurs in June.<ref name="Davidson 2005"/>
The litter size is usually one young, called a pup, though in some populations, twins are regularly produced.<ref name="Arlettaz 2000"/> Females [[Biology:Lactation|nurse]] their pups through July; pups are usually weaned by August.<ref name="Davidson 2005"/>
Females reach [[Biology:Sexual maturity|sexual maturity]] at one year of age.<ref name="Arlettaz 2000"/>

===Foraging and diet===
The common pipistrelle is an [[Earth:Edge effects|edge specialist]], preferring to forage along woodland edges and along isolated tree lines.<ref name="Nicholls 2006">{{cite journal| doi=10.1111/j.2006.0906-7590.04575.x| title=Habitat selection as a mechanism of resource partitioning in two cryptic bat species ''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' and ''Pipistrellus pygmaeus''| journal=Ecography| volume=29| issue=5| pages=697| year=2006| last1=Nicholls| first1=Barry| last2=Racey| first2=Paul}}</ref>
It is [[Biology:Insectivore|insectivorous]], preying on [[Biology:Diptera|flies]], [[Biology:Trichoptera|caddisflies]], [[Biology:Neuroptera|lacewings]], and [[Biology:Ephemeroptera|mayflies]].<ref name="Swift 1985">{{cite journal| doi=10.2307/4632 | jstor=4632 | title=Feeding Ecology of Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) During Pregnancy and Lactation. II. Diet | journal=The Journal of Animal Ecology | volume=54 | issue=1 | pages=217–225 | year=1985 | last1=Swift | first1=S. M | last2=Racey | first2=P. A | last3=Avery | first3=M. I }}</ref>
[[Biology:Nematocera|Mosquitoes, midges, and gnats]] are particularly favored prey items.<ref name="Barlow 1997">{{cite journal| doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1997.tb02804.x| title=The diets of two phonic types of the bat ''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' in Britain| journal=Journal of Zoology| volume=243| issue=3| pages=597–609| year=1997| last1=Barlow| first1=Kate E}}</ref>

===Echolocation===
The frequencies used by this bat species for echolocation lie between 45 and 76&nbsp;kHz, have most energy at 47&nbsp;kHz and have an average duration of 5.6 ms.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Parsons, S.  |author2=Jones, G. |pmid=10934005|year=2000|title=Acoustic identification of twelve species of echolocating bat by discriminant function analysis and artificial neural networks|volume=203|issue=Pt 17|pages=2641–56|journal=The Journal of Experimental Biology|doi=10.1242/jeb.203.17.2641 |url=https://eprints.qut.edu.au/81294/1/81294.pdf }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Obrist, M.K.|author2=Boesch, R.|author3=Flückiger, P.F.|name-list-style=amp |year=2004|title=Variability in echolocation call design of 26 Swiss bat species: Consequences, limits and options for automated field identification with a synergic pattern recognition approach|journal=Mammalia|volume=68|issue=4|pages= 307–32|doi=10.1515/mamm.2004.030|s2cid=86180828 |url=https://www.dora.lib4ri.ch/wsl/islandora/object/wsl%3A9612}}</ref>

==Range and habitat==
It has a [[Biology:Palearctic realm|Palearctic]] distribution.<ref name=iucn/>
It occurs in the [[Place:British Isles|British Isles]], southern [[Place:Scandinavia|Scandinavia]], much of [[Earth:Continental Europe|Continental Europe]], and parts of [[Place:Maghreb|Northwest Africa]].
It is also found in {{wipe|India}}, {{wipe|China}}, and Myanmar in Asia.<ref name=iucn/>

==Conservation==
It has been called the most common and abundant species of bat in [[Earth:Continental Europe|Continental Europe]] and the {{wipe|United Kingdom}}.<ref name="Arlettaz 2000">{{cite journal| doi=10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00112-3|title = Competition for food by expanding pipistrelle bat populations (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) might contribute to the decline of lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros)|journal = Biological Conservation|volume = 93|pages = 55–60|year = 2000|last1 = Arlettaz|first1 = Raphaël|last2 = Godat|first2 = Saskia|last3 = Meyer|first3 = Harry}}</ref>
Notably, however, these judgments were made before it was split into two species in 1999. The common pipistrelle is considered [[Biology:Least-concern species|least concern]] by the IUCN.
It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a large geographic range and a presumed large population.
As of 2008, the IUCN noted that there was no evidence of a rapid population decline.<ref name=iucn/> However, it is a species of conservation concern in the {{wipe|United Kingdom}}, where the government created a Species Action Plan to restore its population to pre-1979 levels. Its decline in the UK has been attributed to loss of foraging habitat due to agriculture intensification.<ref name="Davidson 2005">{{cite journal| doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2005.00016.x| title=Differences in foraging behaviour between Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Schreber, 1774) and Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Leach, 1825)| journal=Journal of Zoology| volume=268| pages=55–62| year=2005| last1=Davidson-Watts| first1=I| last2=Jones| first2=G}}</ref>

==Further reading==
Dick, A. and Roche, N. 2017 Google Earth and Google Street View reveal differences in ''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' and ''Pipistrellus pygmaeus'' roadside habitat use in Ireland. ''Irish Naturalists' Journal'' '''35'''(2) 83 – 93

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080319064059/http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/mammals/Pipistrellus_pipistrellus_and_Pipistrellus_pygmaeus/ ARKive] ''Pipistrellus pipistrellus'' and ''Pipistrellus pygmaeus'' photographs and videos.

{{Vespertilioninae nav}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q176901}}

[[Category:Pipistrellus]]

{{Sourceattribution|Common pipistrelle}}