New Zealand long-tailed bat
| New Zealand long-tailed bat | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Chalinolobus |
| Species: | C. tuberculata |
| Binomial name | |
| Chalinolobus tuberculata (Forster, 1844) | |
The New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculata), also known as the long-tailed wattled bat or pekapeka-tou-roa (Māori), is one of 15 species of bats in the genus Chalinolobus variously known as "pied bats", "wattled bats" or "long-tailed bats". It is endemic to New Zealand, but is closely related to five other species of wattled or lobe-lipped bats in Australia and elsewhere.
The bat's echolocation calls include a relatively low frequency component which can be heard by some people. It can fly at 60 kilometres per hour and has a very large home range (100 km²). An aerial insectivore, it feeds on small moths, midges, mosquitoes and beetles primary along forest edges. It weighs 8-12g.
Females give birth to a single pup during the summer and provide sole care for their young, gathering with other females in maternity roosts of up to 120 individuals. These subcolonies move to new trees almost every day, breaking apart into smaller groups or reforming into larger ones. In some areas limestone caves are also used but mainly as a night roost between feeding bouts.
References
- O'Donnell, C. 2008. Chalinolobus tuberculatus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. Downloaded on 13 October 2010.
External links
- NZ Department of Conservation Bat Site
- Canterbury Nature Site
- DoC 1995 distribution map on page 4