Pallid long-eared bat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pallid long-eared bat
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	Vespertilionidae
Genus:	Nyctophilus
Species:	N. daedalus
Binomial name
Nyctophilus daedalus Thomas, 1915
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Synonyms
Nyctophilus bifax daedalus

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Nyctophilus daedalus is a type of bat that lives in northern Australia. It's also known as the northern long-eared bat. This bat belongs to a family called Vespertilionidae, which are often called "common bats" or "evening bats." They are flying mammals, meaning they have fur and give birth to live young, just like us!

About Its Name

This bat was first described by a scientist named Oldfield Thomas in 1915. He was studying different types of bats in a group called Nyctophilus. Sometimes, scientists thought this bat was a subspecies of other long-eared bats, like the eastern long-eared bat or Gould's long-eared bat. But now, it's recognized as its own unique species. The first bat specimen used to describe this species was collected by Knut Dahl in July 1894. It was found near the Daly River in the Northern Territory. Other bats of this type were also found on Melville Island and at Port Essington. It's important to know that the name northern long-eared bat can also refer to another bat species, Nyctophilus arnhemensis. So, it can be a bit confusing!

What Does It Look Like?

The northern long-eared bat looks a lot like the eastern long-eared bat. It has brown fur on its back, which can be light or dark. Its belly fur is usually much lighter. This bat has small, fleshy bumps behind its nostrils. Unlike some other bats in its group, it doesn't have a strong ridge on its nose. Its forearm, which is like its lower arm, measures between 37 and 46 millimeters long. These bats are quite light, weighing only about 7 to 13 grams. That's about as much as a few paper clips!

Where It Lives and What It Likes

You can find Nyctophilus daedalus in the Top End of Australia. It also lives in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions in the northwest part of the continent. The bats in the Pilbara region live quite far away from other groups. These bats prefer to live in wetter forest areas. This includes monsoon forests and areas near rivers. They like to rest in tree hollows, which are holes in trees. They also roost under the leaves of trees, especially near the bottom of pandanus plants. You can even find a group of these bats living in the Holmes Jungle Nature Park. This park is close to Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory.