Makira roundleaf bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Makira roundleaf bat |
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| Conservation status | |
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Hipposideros
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| Species: |
demissus
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The Makira roundleaf bat is a special kind of bat. It's also known as the Makira leaf-nosed bat. Its scientific name is Hipposideros demissus. This bat lives only on the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It belongs to a family of bats called Hipposideridae.
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Discovering the Makira Bat
A scientist named Knud Andersen first described this bat. He was from Denmark. That was in 1909. Another naturalist, Albert Stewart Meek, had collected the bat in 1908. For a while, some thought it was a type of diadem leaf-nosed bat. But now, most scientists agree it's its own unique species.
What the Makira Bat Looks Like
These bats are fairly small. Their forearm, which is part of their wing, is about 67 millimeters long. That's about 2.6 inches.
The fur on their back is dark brown. Each hair has three colors. It's dark brown at the bottom, then light brown or whitish in the middle. The very tip of the hair is dark brown again. They also have two lighter stripes on their back. These stripes run along the edges of their wings. The fur on their belly is not as bright.
Where the Makira Bat Lives
The Makira roundleaf bat lives only on one island. This island is called Makira. It is part of the Solomon Islands. These bats like to sleep in dark, quiet places. They often roost in caves. They also use other underground areas as their homes.
Protecting the Makira Bat
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says this bat is endangered. This means it is at high risk of dying out. There are only a few places on Makira island where these bats are known to live.
The island of Makira often has strong storms called cyclones. These storms can cause a lot of damage. They could harm the places where these bats live. This makes it even harder for the Makira roundleaf bat to survive.
