Australasian bent-wing bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Australasian bent-wing bat |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Miniopterus
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| Species: |
orianae
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The Australasian bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae) is a type of bat. It belongs to a group called vesper bats. You can find these bats in Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.
Contents
About the Australasian Bent-Wing Bat
How This Bat Got Its Name
A British zoologist named Oldfield Thomas first described this bat in 1922. He gave it the scientific name Miniopterus orianae.
The bat was named after Oriana F. Wilson. She was the person who collected the first example of this bat on July 9, 1922. Oriana Wilson was also the wife of an Antarctic explorer, Edward Adrian Wilson.
Different Kinds of Bent-Wing Bats
For a while, people thought this bat was just a type of common bent-wing bat. But now, scientists agree it's its own special species. The Australasian bent-wing bat is different from the Eastern bent-winged bat.
There are three main groups, or subspecies, of the Australasian bent-wing bat:
- M. orianae bassanii: This is known as the southern bent-wing bat.
- M. o. orianae: This is the northern bent-wing bat.
- M. o. oceanensis: This is the eastern bent-wing bat.
Where Australasian Bent-Wing Bats Live
Bat Homes Across Australia
Each subspecies of the Australasian bent-wing bat lives in different areas:
- M. orianae bassanii (the southern bent-wing bat) lives in southwestern Victoria. It also lives in southeastern South Australia.
- M. orianae oceanensis (the eastern bent-wing bat) is found along the east coast of Australia.
- M. orianae orianae (the northern bent-wing bat) was first found near Casurina Bay. This area is about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Darwin, Northern Territory.
Protecting the Australasian Bent-Wing Bat
Helping Endangered Bats
Some types of the Australasian bent-wing bat need special protection.
- One subspecies, M. orianae bassanii, is in great danger. Since 2007, it has been listed as critically endangered in Australia. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
- Another subspecies, M. orianae oceanensis, is listed as vulnerable in Victoria. This is because we only know of one special cave where the mothers gather to have their babies. This type of cave is called a maternity cave. Protecting these caves is very important for the bats' survival.
