Forest bats in Peninsular Malaysia_2007-2009

Study Extent

The sampling area covers 25 forest sites and one cave sites in 23 reserves of 8 states in the Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia.

Sampling

Bats were primarily sampled by harp traps and mist nets along trails in forests and by hand nets in cave roosts.

Quality Control

Bats were identified to the finest level (at least genus) based on external traits following keys in published data. Tissues samples of samples with uncontained were taken for further identification using genetics tool. The taxonomy has been reviewed and updated following the latest taxonomy backbone. The coordinates associated with the occurrence data were taken using a GPS at the center of all trap points for each sampling date with a precision to 100m.

Method steps

1. Traps were set up before sunset and opened through out the sampling nights. Traps were checked several times in the nights. Bats were taken out from the traps and kept in a cloth bag individually. Sex, age and species of all captured bats were identified in the field station. All bats were released after processed at the trapping sites except a few of them were kept as voucher specimens for further taxonomy work. Samples of wing membrane were taken from individuals with uncontained identification of species. All specimens are preserved in the museum of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and all tissue samples were preserved in the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sians Malaysia

This data present records of 57 morpho species of 22 genera of 8 families in the order Chiroptera

1. Chiroptera
   rank: order
2. Pteropodidae
   rank: family
3. Megadermatidae
   rank: family
4. Emballonuridae
   rank: family
5. Vespertilionidae
   rank: family
6. Rhinolophidae
   rank: family
7. Miniopteridae
   rank: family
8. Hipposideridae
   rank: family
9. Nycteridae
   rank: family

The sampling area covered 23 forest reserves in 8 states, including Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Penang, and Perak, in Peninsular Malaysia