Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hipposideros
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| Species: |
maggietaylorae
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| Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat range | |
The Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat (Hipposideros maggietaylorae) is a type of bat that belongs to the Hipposideridae family. You can find this bat in West Papua (which is part of Indonesia) and also in Papua New Guinea.
Discovering the Bat and Its Name
This bat was first officially described as a new species in 1981. It was named by two scientists, James Dale Smith and J. Edwards Hill. The very first bat specimen used to describe the species, called the holotype, was found in 1979. It was collected from Lengmebung Cave on New Ireland Island.
The bat's special name, "maggietaylorae", honors Margaret (Maggie) Taylor. She helped pay for Smith's research trip to the Bismarck Archipelago in 1979. This trip allowed them to find and study new animals like this bat.
What Does It Look Like?
The Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat has forearms that are about 50.4 to 67.2 millimeters (or about 2 to 2.6 inches) long. It has thick, woolly fur. The fur on its head and neck is shorter than on the rest of its body.
Its fur is grayish-brown on its back. On its belly, the fur is grayish-white. This bat has a total of 30 teeth. It has one incisor, one canine, two premolars, and three molars on each side of its upper jaw. In its lower jaw, it has two incisors, one canine, two premolars, and three molars on each side.
Where Does It Live?
This bat lives on the large island of New Guinea. This includes both the part that belongs to Indonesia and the part that belongs to Papua New Guinea. It also lives on several smaller islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, which is part of Papua New Guinea. Scientists have found these bats living at heights up to about 116 meters (or 380 feet) above sea level.
Is It Safe?
As of 2021, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says that the Maggie Taylor's roundleaf bat is a least-concern species. This means that it is not currently in danger of disappearing. Scientists have not found any big threats that are harming this bat species.
