Ozimops cobourgianus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ozimops cobourgianus |
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Ozimops cobourgianus is a type of bat that eats insects. These flying mammals are also called "freetail bats" because their tails stick out from their wing membrane. You can find them along the north and west coasts of Australia. They were first discovered in 1959.
These bats like to live in mangrove forests and sleep in hollows inside mangrove trees. They also look for food in nearby eucalyptus or melaleuca woodlands. O. cobourgianus is a small bat, usually about 50 millimeters (2 inches) long. They weigh between 6 and 10 grams, which is about the same as a few paperclips. We don't know a lot about their daily lives yet.
About Its Name
Ozimops cobourgianus belongs to a group of bats called Ozimops. This group was created to help classify many new bat species, especially those found in Australia.
This bat was first described in 1959 by a scientist named David H. Johnson. He found a single bat specimen during a science trip in 1948. At first, he thought it was a subspecies of another bat found in New Guinea. Later, scientists realized it was its own unique species.
The first specimen was found at Black Rock Point, near the Cape Don lighthouse. This is on the Cobourg Peninsula in northern Australia. The name cobourgianus comes from this location.
What It Looks Like
Ozimops cobourgianus is a small bat. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, measures about 32 to 35 millimeters long. This bat weighs between 6.8 and 10.5 grams. Its head and body together are about 47 to 55 millimeters long. Its tail is about 30 to 36 millimeters long.
The fur on its head and back is light and creamy. The individual hairs are brown to orange at the top, with a gray-brown tint. The fur on its belly is lighter, a yellowish cream color. This lighter color extends from its body along its wings to its upper legs. It has a slightly lemon color around its upper lip. Its throat and chin are yellowish-gray.
Where It Lives and Its Home
Ozimops cobourgianus lives in coastal areas, sometimes up to 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) inland. You can find them from Shark Bay in Western Australia, all along the northern coast, to the border of the Northern Territory and Queensland.
They are not found in the very wet parts of the Kimberley region or the western Top End. In the western Kimberley, they live on offshore islands like Koolan, Lachlan, and Sunday Island. Here, they are only found along the edges of mangrove forests. In the Top End, they can be found further inland. They also live on the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory.
These bats are known to sleep in tree hollows of a specific mangrove species called Avicennia marina. Scientists have not yet found them roosting in any other types of places.
Life and Habits
We don't know much about how stable the population of Ozimops cobourgianus is. We also don't know how vulnerable they are to threats. The IUCN Red List, which tracks conservation status, says this bat is of least concern. This means it's not currently at high risk. However, this status is given carefully. This is because new buildings and tourism in coastal areas could threaten them.
There seem to be two groups of these bats that live far apart. They might use different types of habitats. The group in the northwest has been seen in large colonies. These might be related to breeding or raising their young. Records of these bats are not very common across their whole range. Sometimes, bats are not found in places where they were seen before. This suggests they might move around.
Ozimops cobourgianus bats are often seen gathering above the trees after sunset. About a hundred bats might gather before spreading out to find food in the nearby areas. The number of bats in a colony might change with the seasons or in different regions. This is because we have limited information about their habits.
The maternity season, when mothers give birth, is usually between December and February. They typically have one baby at a time. Scientists believe these bats live for about eight to ten years. They are thought to become adults and be able to have babies at around ten months old. This is based on what we know about similar bat species.
