Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Ozark Big-Eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae

Listing Status:   

General Information

Plecotus townsendii is a medium-sized bat with forearms measuring 39 to 48 millimeters (mm) long and weighing 7 to 12 grams. Total body length is 98 mm, the tail is 46 mm, and the hind foot is 11 mm long. This bat's long ears (over 2.5 centimeters) and facial glands on either side of the snout are quite distinctive. Fur is light to dark brown depending upon the age of the individual and the subspecies. The only other eastern bat that resembles the Ozark or the Virginia big-eared bat is P. rafinesquii (Rafinesque's big-eared bat). Rafinesque's big-eared bat has toe hairs that extend beyond the end of the toes and the dorsal fur is gray rather than brown. The belly fur of Rafinesque's big-eared bat is white or whitish rather than light brown or buff (Schmidly 1991, Barbour and Davis 1969). The Ozark and Virginia big-eared bats do not have overlapping ranges. Copulation occurs in the fall and winter and the females store the sperm until ovulation in late winter or spring. Gestation takes about 3 months and a single pup is born in May or June. Development is fairly rapid and the young are on their own within 2 months (Barbour and Davis 1969, Schmidly 1991, Kunz and Martin 1982).

Lead Region:  Southwest Region (Region 2)
Date Listed: Nov 30, 1979

  • States/US Territories in which the Ozark Big-Eared bat is known to occur:  Arkansas , Oklahoma
  • USFWS Refuges in which the Ozark Big-Eared bat is known to occur:  LOGAN CAVE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE , OZARK PLATEAU NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 4 of 4 )
Date Citation Page Title
04/21/2006 71 FR 20714 20716 5-Year Review of 25 Southwestern Species
11/30/1979 44 FR 69206 69208 ETWP; Listing of Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats as Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Determination
03/06/1979 44 FR 12382 12384 Requirement to Withdraw or Supplement Proposals to Determine Various U.S. Taxa of Plants and Wildlife as Endangered or Threatened or to Determine Critical Habitat for Such Species
12/02/1977 42 FR 61290 61292 Proposed Endangered Listing and Critical Habitat Determination for the Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats; 42 FR 61290 61292 (Plecotus townsendii virginianus, Plecotus townsendii ingens)

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
03/28/1995 Ozark Big-Eared Bat Revised Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final Revision 1
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 1 of 1 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
04/21/2006 71 FR 20714 20716 5-Year Review of 25 Southwestern Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    05/22/2008 Ozark Big-eared Bat 5-Year Review

    » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 1 of 1 )
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    12/02/1977 42 FR 61290 61292 Proposed Endangered Listing and Critical Habitat Determination for the Virginia and Ozark Big-eared Bats; 42 FR 61290 61292 (Plecotus townsendii virginianus, Plecotus townsendii ingens) Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Ozark Big-Eared bat

    » Petitions

    No petition findings have been published for the Ozark Big-Eared bat.

    » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: November 22, 2009