Little broad-nosed bat
| Little broad-nosed bat | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Scotorepens |
| Species: | S. greyii |
| Binomial name | |
| Scotorepens greyii (Gray, 1842) | |
The little broad-nosed bat (Scotorepens greyii) is a species of vesper bat. It is found only in Australia, where it is widespread over the northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory and most of Queensland and New South Wales. Little broad-nosed bats roost together in colonies of 2-20 bats. They roost in hollows in old,unused buildings and inside hollow fence posts. They have even been found roosting underneath the metal caps on top of telegraph posts. Little broad-nosed bats feed on flying insects, such as mosquitoes. They hunt for insects by flying along the edges of creeks and over waterholes, catching their prey in flight. They drink by skimming over the surface of the water. In southern Australia little broad-nosed bats mate before winter, with the females giving birth to twins in summer. Like many bats little broad-nosed bats are vulnerable to loss of roost sites and feeding grounds by forestry activities, and when land is cleared for agriculture and housing. Like most native Australian animals, little broad-nosed bats are protected.
References
- Chiroptera Specialist Group 1996. Nycticeius greyii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 19 July 2007.
- Little Broad-nosed Bat. Downloaded on 25 April 2013.