Biak roundleaf bat facts for kids
The Biak roundleaf bat or Geelvinck Bay leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros papua) is a type of bat. It belongs to the Hipposideridae family. This special bat lives only in certain parts of Indonesia. You can find it in the Biak Islands and the Cenderawasih Bay area of Papua Province, which is in Western New Guinea.
Quick facts for kids Biak roundleaf bat |
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Hipposideros
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| Species: |
papua
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How it Got its Name
Scientists first officially described this bat in 1886. Two naturalists, Oldfield Thomas from Britain and Giacomo Doria from Italy, worked together. They gave it its first scientific name, Phyllorhina papua. The name "papua" comes from Papua New Guinea. This is where the first bat specimen was found by a person named Odoardo Beccari.
What it Looks Like
The Biak roundleaf bat is quite small. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, is about 50.5 millimeters long. That's about 2 inches. A special feature of this bat is its nose-leaf. This is a unique skin structure on its nose. It helps the bat use echolocation to find its way around. The nose-leaf has two small flaps on the sides.
Daily Life of the Bat
This bat is nocturnal. This means it is active at night. During the day, it rests and sleeps. It likes to find safe, sheltered places to roost. Often, these places are caves.
Where it Lives and its Status
The Biak roundleaf bat is endemic to Indonesia. This means it is found only in Indonesia and nowhere else in the world. Its home includes several Indonesian islands. Some of these islands are Halmahera, Bacan, Gebe, Biak, Supiori, and Numfoor. It also lives on the Vogelkop Peninsula of New Guinea.
As of 2021, experts have checked on this bat. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says it is a "least concern" species. This is the lowest level of worry for a species. It means the bat is not currently in danger of disappearing.
