- New Zealand Long-tailed Bat
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New Zealand Long-tailed Bat 
Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae Genus: Chalinolobus Species: C. tuberculata Binomial name Chalinolobus tuberculata
(Forster, 1844)The New Zealand Long-tailed Bat, Chalinolobus tuberculata (8-12g), also known as the Long-tailed Wattled Bat or Pekapeka-tou-roa (Māori), is one of 15 species of bats in the genus Chalinolobus variously known as "pied bats", "wattled bats" or "long-tailed bats". It is endemic to New Zealand, but is closely related to five other species of wattled or lobe-lipped bats in Australia and elsewhere.
The bat's echolocation calls include a relatively low frequency component which can be heard by some people. It can fly at 60 kilometres per hour and has a very large home range (100 km²). An aerial insectivore, feeding on small moths, midges, mosquitoes and beetles primary along forest edges.
Females give birth to a single pup during the summer and providing sole care for their young with other females in maternity roosts of up to 120 individuals. These sub colonies move to new trees almost every day, breaking apart into smaller groups or reforming into larger ones. In some areas lime stone caves are also used but mainly as night roost between feeding bouts.
References
- O'Donnell, C. 2008. Chalinolobus tuberculatus. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.3. Downloaded on 13 October 2010.
External links
Categories:- IUCN Red List vulnerable species
- Mammals of New Zealand
- Vesper bats
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