Natal long-fingered bat

Species of bat

Natal long-fingered bat
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Miniopteridae
Genus: Miniopterus
Species:
M. natalensis
Binomial name
Miniopterus natalensis
A. Smith, 1834
Map
Natal long-fingered bat distribution
  Extant (resident)
  Possibly extant (resident)

The Natal long-fingered bat (Miniopterus natalensis) is a species of vesper bat in the family Miniopteridae. It can be found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is found in dry savanna, moist savanna, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, caves, and hot deserts.[1]

While Natal long-fingered bats normally prey on insects, they can sometimes prey on fish. For this, the long-fingered bats have been able to use their primary ability to react to a disappearing target in order to catch moving fish by reaching deeper in the water when a fish dives.[2]

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b Monadjem, A.; Griffin, M.; Cotterill, F.P.D.; Jacobs, D.; Taylor, P.J. (2017). "Miniopterus natalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T44862A22073129. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T44862A22073129.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ^ Aizpurua, Ostaizka; Alberdi, Antton; Aihartza, Joxerra; Garin, Inazio (2016). "Fishing technique of long-fingered bats was developed from a primary reaction to disappearing target stimuli". PLOS ONE. 11 (12): e0167164. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1167164A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167164. PMC 5156352. PMID 27973529.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Species of genus Miniopterus
Fossils
Eurasia and Australia
  • Little bent-wing bat (M. australis)
  • Eastern bent-wing bat (M. fuliginosus)
  • Southeast Asian long-fingered bat (M. fuscus)
  • M. macrocneme
  • Western bent-winged bat (M. magnater)
  • Intermediate long-fingered bat (M. medius)
  • Australasian bent-wing bat (M. orianae)
  • M. pallidus
  • Philippine long-fingered bat (M. paululus)
  • Small bent-winged bat (M. pusillus)
  • Loyalty bent-winged bat (M. robustior)
  • Common bent-wing bat (M. schreibersii)
  • Shortridge's long-fingered bat (M. shortridgei)
  • Great bent-winged bat (M. tristis)
Mainland Africa and nearby islands
  • African long-fingered bat (M. africanus)
  • Lesser long-fingered bat (M. fraterculus)
  • Greater long-fingered bat (M. inflatus)
  • M. maghrebensis
  • M. mossambicus
  • Least long-fingered bat (M. minor)
  • Natal long-fingered bat (M. natalensis)
  • M. newtoni
Madagascar and Comoros
Taxon identifiers
Miniopterus natalensis


Stub icon

This bat article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e