Orange-fingered myotis

The orange-fingered myotis or red-painted myotis (Myotis rufopictus) is a species of vesper bat endemic to the Philippines.^[2]

Orange-fingered myotis
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Vespertilionidae
Genus:	Myotis
Species:	M. rufopictus
Binomial name
Myotis rufopictus (Waterhouse, 1845)
Synonyms
Myotis formosus rufopictus

Taxonomy

It was described as a distinct species by George Robert Waterhouse in 1845, but later reclassified as conspecific with, or as a subspecies of Hodgson's bat (M. formosus). However, a 2014 morphological study found major divergence between M. formosus and M. rufopictus, and thus split them from one another.^[3] This has also been followed by the American Society of Mammalogists, the IUCN Red List, and the ITIS.^[2][4]

Distribution and habitat

It is found only in the northern and central islands of the Philippines. It ranges from Palawan north to Luzon and southeast to Negros. Its natural habitat is lowland and montane tropical forest, as well as agricultural fields.^[2]

Status

This species is likely threatened by deforestation for development, logging, agriculture, and mining in the lowland parts of its distribution. However, due to doubts over its extent of occurrence, status, and ecological requirements, it is classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List.^[2]