Pipistrellus aladdin

Pipistrellus aladdin, the Turkestan pipistrelle, is a species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in Central Asia and Afghanistan. It is assessed as data-deficient by the IUCN.

Taxonomy
It was described as a new species in 1905 by British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The holotype had been collected near Isfahan, Iran by Richard Bowen Woosnam during an expedition led by Arthur Churchill Bailward. Its taxonomic status has since been debated: various authors have considered it a full species or a subspecies of the Indian pipistrelle (P. coromandra) or the common pipistrelle (P. pipistrellus). Its status remains in dispute as of 2023, and it is considered invalid by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System.

Description
It is similar in appearance to the common pipistrelle but it has lighter fur. The edge of its wing and tail flight membranes is white. Individuals have a total length of 69-82 mm and a forearm length of 27-35 mm. It weighs 3.4-5.6 g.

Biology
Pipistrellus aladdin is insectivorous, consuming small moths and flies.

Habitat and distribution
The bat is found in Afghanistan, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

It inhabits open woodland, semi-desert, farmland, rural gardens and urban areas, and roosts mainly in buildings, trees, cracks in cliffs and caves.