Montana Field Guide

Little Brown Myotis - Myotis lucifugus

Cinnamon-buff to dark brown above, buffy to pale gray below; hairs on back have long glossy tips; ear when laid forward reaches approximately the nostril; tragus about half as high as ear; calcar without keel; length of head and body 41-54 mm, ear 11.0-15.5 mm, forearm 33-41 mm; braincase rises gradually from rostrum; greatest length of skull 14-16 mm; length of upper toothrow 5.0-6.6 mm (Hall 1981).

Differs from m. sodalis in unkeeled calcar. differs from m. austroriparius in smaller size, glossy rather than dull pelage, and usual absence of a sagittal crest. differs from m. grisescens in banded dorsal hairs banded (vs. unicolored) and wing attached to the foot at the base of the toe rather than at the ankle. differs from m. velifer in smaller size, glossy rather than dull pelage, and lack of sagittal crest. differs from m. keenii and m. septentrionalis in shorter ears that do not extend beyond the nose when laid forward. differs from m. volans in smaller size, glossy rather than dull pelage, and unkeeled calcar. differs from m. yumanensis in larger size, larger skull (greatest length usually more than 14 mm rather than usually less than 14 mm), and usually glossy pelage rather than dull pelage. differs from m. thysanodes in absence of a conspicuous fringe of hairs along the edge of the interfemoral membrane. differs from m. californicus in larger size, unkeeled calcar, and skull rising gradually from rostrum. differs from m. leibii in larger size and unkeeled calcar. (hall 1981).

Montana Range

This species is probably migratory.

No available information

No available information

The little brown bat is often found in small to large summer colonies in which Yuma myotis and California myotis are sometimes found.(B68HOF01). The little brown bat forages over reservoirs.

No avaliable information