First record of a Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed Bat Chaerephon plicatus Buchannan, 1800 (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae) colony in Sri Lanka, with notes on echolocation calls and taxonomy

Researchers have documented the first known colony of Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed Bats (Chaerephon plicatus) in Sri Lanka, a significant discovery after a 20-year gap since the species' last recorded sighting. The colony, comprising approximately 300 individuals, was found roosting in a vertical cleft of Sigiriya fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination. Four bats were captured for analysis during their evening emergence, revealing echolocation calls with narrow bandwidth, shallow frequency modulation, and low peak frequencies (24.9–30.3 kHz), consistent with previously documented records. Morphological measurements of the bats' forearm lengths (45.2–49.1 mm) aligned with specimens from Vietnam and Myanmar, supporting taxonomic consistency. This finding provides critical insights into the species' biology and distribution in Sri Lanka, offering a foundation for future ecological and taxonomic studies.

Kusuminda, T., & Yapa, W. B. (2017). First record of a Wrinkle-lipped Free-tailed Bat Chaerephon plicatus Buchannan, 1800 (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Molossidae) colony in Sri Lanka, with notes on echolocation calls and taxonomy Journal of Threatened Taxa, 9(4), 10115. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3279.9.4.10115-10120