Nyctophilus major facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nyctophilus major |
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Nyctophilus timoriensis major Gray, 1844. |
Nyctophilus major, often called the western long-eared bat, is a special type of bat. You can find it living in the forests and woodlands of Southwest Australia. This bat is known for its really long ears, which help it hear its prey and navigate in the dark.
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About the Western Long-Eared Bat
Scientists first described this bat in 1844. For a long time, they thought it was just a different kind of Nyctophilus timoriensis bat. But in 2009, after more research, they realized it was unique enough to be its own species! This is like finding out two very similar-looking cousins are actually from different families.
There are also two main groups, or "subspecies," of this bat:
- Nyctophilus major major: This group lives only in the very southwest part of Australia.
- Nyctophilus major tor: This group is found more widely to the north and east.
People have given this bat many common names, like western, central, or greater long-eared bat. Long ago, local Indigenous people in Australia had their own names for bats like "bam-be" or "bar-ba-lon." These names were probably used for any small, insect-eating bat in the area.
What Does It Look Like?
The western long-eared bat is a small bat, but it's one of the larger ones in its group, called Nyctophilus. It belongs to the bat family Vespertilionidae.
Here are some of its cool features:
- Ears: Its ears are about 30 mm (1.2 in) long. That's pretty big for a bat its size! They also have special ridges inside. These big ears help the bat hear very well and steer while flying.
- Nose: It has a small, leaf-shaped bump on its nose. This is a simple shape, unlike some other bats that have a Y-shaped nose feature.
- Tail: Its tail is completely covered by a special skin flap called an interfemoral membrane.
- Fur: The fur on its back can be orange-brown to dark brown-grey. Its belly fur is usually lighter.
- Size: Its forearm (part of its wing) is between 38 to 48 millimetres (1.5 to 1.9 in) long. It weighs about 9 to 20 grams (0.32 to 0.71 oz). That's about the weight of a few grapes!
The two subspecies have slightly different average sizes:
- N. major major: Forearm is 42.5–48.4 mm (1.67–1.91 in). It weighs 12–16.5 g (0.42–0.58 oz). Females are a bit smaller than males.
- N. major tor: Forearm is 37.6–45.2 mm (1.48–1.78 in). It weighs 8.0–12.3 g (0.28–0.43 oz). Again, males are usually larger.
How It Lives
The western long-eared bat looks a lot like other large Nyctophilus bats, such as the Tasmanian long-eared bat and the southeastern long-eared bat. It's especially similar to the northern long-eared bat, but the western long-eared bat has slightly wider outer teeth.
These bats are great hunters! They fly around to catch insects in the air. They also hunt for insects on the ground, sometimes falling into traps set by scientists. Their flight looks a bit like a bird's, with quick, fluttering wing beats.
One amazing thing about Nyctophilus major is that it can go into a deep sleep, called torpor, during the Australian winter. This is like a mini-hibernation that can last for up to sixty days! It helps them save energy when food is scarce.
Where It Lives
You can find Nyctophilus major in Western Australia. They prefer areas with lots of rain in the southwest part of the continent. There's also a separate group of them living near the Eyre Bird Observatory.
Their favorite homes are in forests with very tall eucalypt trees, like karri, jarrah, tuart, and marri. They also live in woodlands with melaleuca, banksia, and sheoak trees, which often have thick bushes underneath.
These bats like to rest and sleep in safe spots. They often choose tree hollows, dense leaves, or even under the loose bark of trees like swamp paperbark and flooded gum that grow near water.
See also
In Spanish: Nyctophilus major para niños
