Spurrell's free-tailed bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spurrell's free-tailed bat |
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Mops
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| Species: |
spurrelli
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Spurrell's free-tailed bat (Mops spurrelli) is a small type of bat. It belongs to the Molossidae family, often called free-tailed bats. This bat was named after Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell. You can find it living in parts of Central and West Africa. It likes to live in forests that are either dry or moist and low-lying.
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How Spurrell's Bat Got Its Name
This bat was first described as a new species in 1911. A British scientist named Guy Dollman gave it its scientific name. He first placed it in a group called Xiphonycteris, which is a name no longer used today. The bat's species name, "spurrelli", honors Herbert George Flaxman Spurrell. He was the person who collected the very first bat of this kind. This first bat, an adult male, was found near Kumasi, Ghana. It was about 60 miles (97 kilometers) west of the city, at an altitude of about 700 feet (213 meters).
What Spurrell's Bat Looks Like
Spurrell's free-tailed bat is a small species. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, is about 27 millimeters (1.1 inches) long. Its fur is a rusty red color on its back. The fur on its belly is a buffy white color.
Its Teeth
This bat has a special arrangement of teeth. Scientists use a "dental formula" to describe this. For Spurrell's free-tailed bat, its dental formula is 1.1.2.31.1.2.3. This means it has 28 teeth in total. It has triangular ears and small feet. Its toes are also covered in hair.
Where Spurrell's Bat Lives
This bat lives in several countries in Africa. It has been found in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural homes are forests that are either dry or moist and located in lowlands.
Conservation Status
As of 2017, scientists have looked at Spurrell's free-tailed bat. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has decided it is a least-concern species. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
