Strelkov's long-eared bat
Strelkov's long-eared bat is a species of vesper bat found in mountainous regions of Central Asia.
Taxonomy
It was described in 2006 based on specimens previously classified without justification as Ward's long-eared bat and later the grey long-eared bat. However, genetic and morphological evidence confirmed that these populations represented a distinct, previously undescribed species, and it was described as Plecotus strelkovi. Phylogenetic evidence supports it being a sister species to a group comprising Christie's long-eared bat, the Mediterranean long-eared bat, and the grey long-eared bat. It is accepted as a distinct species by the American Society of Mammalogists, the IUCN Red List, and the ITIS.The species is named in honor of Russian mammalogist Petr Petrovich Strelkov.