Miniopterus sororculus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Miniopterus sororculus |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Miniopteridae |
| Genus: | Miniopterus |
| Species: |
M. sororculus
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| Binomial name | |
| Miniopterus sororculus Goodman, Ryan, Maminirina, Fahr, Christidis & Appleton, 2007
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Miniopterus sororculus is a special type of bat. It lives only in the high forests of Madagascar, an island off the coast of Africa. People sometimes call it the Sororcula long-fingered bat.
Naming the Sororcula Bat
Scientists officially described Miniopterus sororculus in 2007. Before that, these bats were thought to be a different species, Miniopterus fraterculus.
The name sororculus means "little sister" in Latin. This name was chosen because the bat was once grouped with M. fraterculus, which means "little brother." It also hints that this bat is a bit smaller than another related bat in Madagascar, Miniopterus majori.
What Does it Look Like?
The Sororcula long-fingered bat is a medium-sized bat. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, is about 42 millimeters long.
Its fur is a rich, dark brown color. The hair on its upper body is a bit longer and silky. The fur is thick all over its body. Its belly fur is a little lighter brown than its back.
A special part of its ear is called the tragus. For this bat, the tragus is long and curved. It sticks out about 6 to 8 millimeters from the ear's base.
Like other bats, it has wings made of skin, called patagium. It also has a membrane between its legs, called a uropatagium. Both of these membranes are a very dark brown color.
Scientists estimate that a generation of these bats lasts about 5.5 years.
Where Does it Live?
These bats mostly live in the highlands of Madagascar. This means they are found in places that are high up, usually above 800 to 900 meters and sometimes as high as 2200 meters.
Sometimes, they are seen at lower elevations, even below 40 meters. However, most of them live above 950 meters. Bats found at lower places might be there for breeding or because they migrated from higher areas.
During the day, these bats often rest in rocky cracks or deep caves. These caves are usually near forests, even if those forests have been cut down. They have also been found in open areas like dry grasslands. One bat was even found resting in the attic of a building where people lived!
The Sororcula long-fingered bat often shares its home with Miniopterus majori. They can even be found resting together in the same daytime spots.
Is it Safe?
The IUCN Red List, which tracks how safe animal species are, lists Miniopterus sororculus as "least concern." This means scientists are not very worried about it right now.
This is because the bat is found across a wide area in the highlands of Madagascar. It can also live in places where humans have changed the environment. Scientists don't know if the number of these bats is going up or down.
 | Audre Lorde |
 | John Berry Meachum |
 | Ferdinand Lee Barnett |
