HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: It is not known how this species colonised Ireland. In 1996 what was known as the common pipistrelle, Pipistrellus pipistrellus was found to be made up of two genetically distinct types each with its own distinct ultrasound frequency. The 'new' common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), echolocates at 45kHz while the soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) echlocates at 55kHz.

© Jon Russ 2001. Text refereed by Angela Ross & Lynne Rendle.

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