Noteworthy records of bats from Yemen with description of a new species from Socotra

New records of some previously rarely found bat species from Yemen are presented. Epomophorus labiatus and Neoromicia guineensis were recorded in Yemen for the first time, both species occur solely in the westernmost part of Yemen. The most important and/or numerous records were made for Rousettus aegyptiacus, Eptesicus nasutus, Hypsugo ariel, Scotophilus dinganii, Plecotus cf. balensis, Miniopterus natalensis, Tadarida aegyptiaca, and Chaerephon nigeriae. Additional distribution data are given also for Hipposideros tephrus, Taphozous perforatus, Coleura afra, Nycticeinops schlieffenii, and Chaerephon pumilus. Rousettus aegyptiacus was found in 15 new localities throughout the Yemeni mainland, it was previously known only from four sites localised in southwestern Yemen and in Hadramaut. Eptesicus nasutus, Plecotus cf. balensis and Chaerephon nigeriae had been known from one Yemeni site each. The former two species were recorded in one new locality each, C. nigeriae was found in three new sites in western Yemen. Five new sites in Hadramaut and easternmost Yemen are reported for Hypsugo ariel. The Socotran population previously attributed to the latter species was found to be distinct in several morphological characters and is here described as a separate species, Hypsugo lanzai sp. nov.