A rarely detected bat is confirmed on remote Flores Island

Acoustic surveys found two Azorean bat species on Flores, while genetic analysis identified the island’s pipistrelle as Pipistrellus maderensis.

Editorial illustration — not from the study.

The study combined sound recordings with genetic analysis to identify bats on Flores, part of the remote western Azores. Genetic testing of a pipistrelle specimen confirmed it as Pipistrellus maderensis and produced the first publicly available genetic reference for the species from the Azores.

Acoustic surveys at 10 sites detected both P. maderensis and the endemic Nyctalus azoreum. P. maderensis occurred across the island and made up 99.6% of recorded bat passes. N. azoreum was found only at a few sites in central and southern Flores, with activity patterns consistent with nighttime foraging.

Which bats were found

The researchers confirmed the presence of two bat species on Flores. Genetic analysis identified one pipistrelle specimen as Pipistrellus maderensis, a Macaronesian endemic, and provided the first publicly available genetic reference for the species in the Azores.

Acoustic monitoring at 10 sites detected both P. maderensis and Nyctalus azoreum. P. maderensis was recorded across the island and accounted for 99.6% of bat passes. N. azoreum was confirmed on Flores for the first time, but it was detected at only a few sites in the central and southern parts of the island and showed very low activity. No daytime activity was recorded during the study period.

Why Flores matters

The findings add to knowledge of bat distribution in the Azores, especially on a remote island where bats had been poorly documented. Detecting Nyctalus azoreum at sites where it had previously not been found suggests that earlier surveys may have missed it because it is difficult to detect, rather than because it was absent. The results support continued monitoring and conservation of small island bat populations.

Evidence and caveats

The study used two complementary forms of evidence: genetic analysis of a pipistrelle specimen and acoustic surveys at 10 sites. The genetic result directly identified the specimen, while the recordings established the occurrence and activity patterns of both species.

The abstract does not give the total number of recordings, the length of the monitoring period or the number of pipistrelle specimens genetically tested. Nyctalus azoreum had very low activity and was found at only a few sites, so acoustic non-detections cannot by themselves establish that the species is absent from other parts of Flores. No daytime activity was recorded during this study period, but the abstract does not indicate whether bats were monitored during all seasons or under all conditions.

Brain communication patterns separated autistic and non-autistic people with 91% accuracy

Researchers found that information flow between major brain networks differed between autistic participants and non-autistic controls. An artificial-intelligence system classified the two groups with a mean accuracy of 91% across cross-validation, but the study does not establish a clinical biomarker.

5 hours ago·3 views

Biology

A faster way to test designed proteins could bring each test down to $5

Researchers describe a streamlined workflow for producing and testing designed proteins at much greater scale than standard laboratory methods. By using pooled DNA and partial automation, the approach could characterize more than 1,000 designs at about $5 per construct.

2 days ago·35 views

Biology

Aging crickets call less, but their movement does not decline uniformly

A study tracking eight male crickets across their adult lives found that calling changed with age and declined as sleep-like behavior increased. Movement also varied across life stages and times of day, rather than showing a simple overall decline.

3 days ago·33 views