Arnhem sheath-tailed bat facts for kids

The Arnhem sheath-tailed bat (scientific name: Taphozous kapalgensis) is a special type of bat. It lives in the northern part of Australia, known as the Top End. People also call it the white-striped sheathtail because it has cool white stripes under its wings. You can see these stripes when the bat flies! This bat is quite rare, so we don't see it very often.

About the Arnhem Sheath-tailed Bat

What's in a Name?

The Arnhem sheath-tailed bat belongs to a group of bats called Taphozous. This group includes many different bat species found in Australia and other parts of the world.

Scientists John McKean and Gordon Friend first described this bat as a new species in 1979. They found the first bat specimen near the South Alligator River in the Northern Territory of Australia. The name "kapalgensis" means "belonging to Kapalga." Kapalga is the exact place where the first bat was found.

Besides Arnhem sheath-tailed bat, it's also known as the white-striped sheathtail-bat.

What Does it Look Like?

This bat has fur that is usually light or medium brown. It often has a hint of orange. The most unique feature is a wide, almost white stripe under its wing, on its side.

Its forearm (part of its wing) is about 57 to 63 millimeters long. Its wingspan, which is how wide its wings are when spread out, is around 420 millimeters (about 16.5 inches). The tail is about 21 to 22.5 millimeters long. Its head and body together measure 69 to 74 millimeters. Its ears are about 16 to 18 millimeters from base to tip.

On average, these bats weigh about 26 grams. That's about the same as a few quarters!

Like many bats, they use special sounds to find their way and catch food. This is called echolocation. They send out high-pitched sounds and listen for the echoes. This helps them "see" in the dark. Their echolocation calls are unique, but sometimes they can be tricky to identify.

When they fly, they can change direction very quickly. They chase their prey at high speeds. Arnhem sheath-tailed bats often fly and hunt above the trees. But they might also feed closer to open water.

Where Does it Live?

The Arnhem sheath-tailed bat mostly lives in the western parts of Australia's Top End. It might even live a bit further northwest. It's hard to find them, so sightings are rare.

The first time this bat was officially recorded was in the Alligator Rivers area. Local people told researchers that they also saw these bats near the Roper and Rose Rivers. These local people also said the bats sleep and hunt around pandanus trees in those areas.

Even though most sightings are in the Northern Territory, scientists think their home range might be bigger. They've found evidence of these bats in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. This was discovered by listening to their echolocation calls.

The places where these bats have been found are often near mangrove forests and floodplains. They also live in woodlands or small patches of monsoon forests. Sometimes, they feed near swamps filled with paperbark trees (a type of melaleuca tree).

Scientists believe these bats probably live in tree hollows. They haven't been seen in rocky areas, which other bat species prefer. However, one group of these bats was found sharing a cave with ghost bats. They might also roost in pandanus trees, possibly under old branches near the trunk.

Specific places where T. kapalgensis have been seen include swamps on blacksoil plains. They also live in open woodlands with trees like Corymbia papuana and Pandanus spiralis. They've also been found in more complex tropical eucalypt woodlands. These woodlands have trees like Corymbia papuana, Corymbia clavigera, and Eucalyptus tectifica.

Protecting This Bat

As of 2017, the IUCN says this bat is a least-concern species. This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing.

It's classified this way because its population seems to be stable. Also, scientists haven't found any big threats to its survival. Some of the areas where it lives are protected areas, which helps keep them safe.

However, in the Northern Territory, this species is listed as "near threatened." This means it's close to being at risk, so we need to keep an eye on it.

See also

In Spanish: Taphozous kapalgensis para niños