Little collared fruit bat facts for kids

The little collared fruit bat (Myonycteris torquata) is a special kind of bat that mostly eats fruit. It's a type of megabat, which means it's one of the larger bats. You can find this bat in many countries across Africa, like Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, and Uganda. It likes to live in warm, wet places like tropical forests and savannas.

Quick facts for kids Little collared fruit bat
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Pteropodidae
Genus:	Myonycteris
Species:	M. torquata
Binomial name
Myonycteris torquata Dobson, 1878
Little collared fruit bat range
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What Does the Little Collared Fruit Bat Look Like?

The little collared fruit bat gets its name from a unique feature. Adult bats have a noticeable "collar" of stiff, sticky hairs around their throat and neck. Their fur on their back is a dark chestnut brown and is quite long. However, the fur on their belly is shorter and a lighter color. Unlike some other fruit bats, this species does not have white tufts of fur near its ears or on its shoulders. This helps scientists tell it apart from its relatives.

Where Does This Bat Live and What Does It Do?

Scientists don't know a lot about the daily life of the little collared fruit bat. It seems to be a bat that prefers to live alone. You can usually find it in rainforests or where the forest meets the savanna. This bat often flies high up in the trees, but sometimes it comes down lower where people can see it. Not many of these bats have been found and studied, which might mean they are quite rare.

Studying Bats and Viruses

Scientists have studied the little collared fruit bat to learn more about viruses. They have found signs of the Ebola virus in this bat, as well as in two other types of African fruit bats. This means the bats have been exposed to the virus. However, even though they carry the virus, these bats do not seem to get sick from it. Researchers are still working to understand if these bats can pass the virus to humans or other animals.