Bronze sprite

The bronze sprite (Arielulus circumdatus),^[2] also known as the black-gilded pipistrelle, is a species of vesper bat found in China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Bronze sprite
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Vespertilionidae
Genus:	Arielulus
Species:	A. circumdatus
Binomial name
Arielulus circumdatus (Temminck, 1840)
Synonyms
Vespertilio circumdatus Temminck, 1840 Pipistrellus circumdatus (Temminck, 1840)

Taxonomy

The bronze sprite was described as a new species in 1840 by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck, who placed it in the genus Vespertilio with a scientific name of Vespertilio circumdatus.^[3]

Description

Its forearm length is 41–44 mm (1.6–1.7 in). The fur of its back is black with some hairs tipped in orange. Its belly fur is paler than its back and brown.^[4]

Range and habitat

The bronze sprite is found in South and Southeast Asia, including the following countries: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. It has been documented at a range of elevations from 1,300–2,100 m (4,300–6,900 ft) above sea level.^[1]

Conservation

As of 2019, the bronze sprite is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCN. It meets the criteria for this designation due to its large geographic range, and thus, presumably large population. Additionally, it is not thought to be experiencing rapid population decline.^[1]