Schlieffen's serotine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schlieffen's serotine |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nycticeinops
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| Species: |
schlieffeni
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| Synonyms | |
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Nycticeius schlieffeni (Peters, 1859) |
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The Schlieffen's serotine (also called Schlieffen's bat) is a small bat that lives in Africa. Its scientific name is Nycticeinops schlieffeni. This bat is a type of vesper bat, which is a common family of bats found all over the world.
Scientists first described this bat in 1859. Since then, they have studied it a lot. Now, they know it is the only species in its group, called the Nycticeinops genus. The bat gets its name from Wilhelm von Schlieffen-Schlieffiennburg, who first collected a sample of it.
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What Does Schlieffen's Bat Look Like?
Schlieffen's serotine is a very small bat. Its body, from head to tail, is only about 4 to 5 centimeters long. That's about the length of your thumb! It weighs very little, usually between 3.7 and 5 grams. This is about the same weight as two pennies.
Its fur is usually brown on top. The fur on its belly is lighter, often pale grey or white. This bat has a wide, flat head. Its snout is short and wide, with only a few hairs.
The ears of the Schlieffen's bat are round. Inside its ear, there's a small, blunt part called a tragus. This bat also has a long tail, about 3 centimeters. A special flap of skin, called the uropatagium, connects its legs and tail.
Where Do Schlieffen's Bats Live?
Schlieffen's serotine bats live in many parts of Africa. You won't find them in the thick rainforests near the equator. Instead, they live in a wide area across the continent.
They are found from countries like Mauritania and Senegal in the west. You can also find them in Southern Africa, in places like Namibia and South Africa. They live in Kenya and Tanzania in the African Great Lakes region. These bats also live in the Horn of Africa, in countries like Ethiopia and Somalia. They even live in Egypt and parts of the Arabian peninsula.
Scientists once thought there were different types, or subspecies, of Schlieffen's bats. But after more studies, they found that all these bats are very similar. So, they are now considered just one single species.
Life and Habits of Schlieffen's Bats
Schlieffen's serotine bats like to fly and hunt near fresh water. They can be found near marshes, rivers, and lakes. They live in different places, like forests near rivers and open savannah areas.
Like most bats, they are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. During the day, they rest or "roost." They often hide in cracks in rocks or trees. Sometimes, they even find homes in old buildings or cellars.
These bats usually prefer to be alone. However, you might sometimes see them roosting in small groups of two or three bats.
Schlieffen's bats use echolocation to find their way around and hunt. This means they send out high-pitched sounds. These sounds bounce off objects and come back to the bat. The bat then uses these echoes to create a picture of its surroundings. Their calls are usually between 39 and 47 kilohertz.
They mainly eat beetles and caddisflies. They also eat smaller amounts of moths, bugs, and flies. One known animal that hunts Schlieffen's bats is the Bat Hawk.
Reproduction
Schlieffen's bats usually mate in June. But the female bats store the male's sperm inside their bodies. The eggs are not fertilized until August. This means the babies start growing later.
When it's time to give birth, female Schlieffen's bats usually have three young bats at once.
