The little forest bat (Vespadelus vulturnus) is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found only in south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a tiny bat often weighing less than 4 g (0.14 oz) (males in some areas weigh as little as 2.5 g (0.088 oz)).[2] It is sometimes referred to as Australia's smallest mammal,[3][4] although the Northern or Koopmans Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus westralis, is possibly smaller, weighing on average around 3 g (0.11 oz).[2] It is the smallest bat in Tasmania[5]
The little forest bat is one of the most commonly observed bats in south-eastern Australia, it is found in a variety of habitats including Eucalypt woodlands and forests as well as in rural, semi-rural and some urban areas. It is an insectivore and roosts in tree hollows.[2][3]
Females become sexually mature in their first year and males in their second year. It is assumed the males wake from torpor and mate with the females during winter. A single pup is born in spring (October–November).[6]
Identification
The little forest bat is very small with pale grey or brownish fur. The tragus is usually white and the skin on the face, feet and forearm is usually pinkish. Adults usually weigh between 2.5 and 5 g (0.088 and 0.176 oz) and the forearm is usually less than 30 mm (1.2 in) (mean =28.5 mm (1.12 in)). The wingspan can range up to 15 cm (5.9 in) and the body length is up to 5 cm (2.0 in).[7] Females are slightly larger than males.[2]
The echolocation call of the little forest bat is regionally variable, in New South Wales the characteristic frequency of search phase calls is between 42.5 and 53 kilohertz depending on the region where it is found.[10][11] This is more than double the maximum frequency of the human hearing range and cannot be heard without the assistance of a bat detector.
References
^Lumsden, L.F.; Reardon, T.B.; Armstrong, K.N. (2020). "Vespadelus vulturnus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T7945A22119049. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T7945A22119049.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^ abcdVan Dyck, Steve; Strahan, Ronald, eds. (2007). The mammals of Australia (3rd ed.). Sydney: New Holland Publishers. p. 572. ISBN978-1-877069-25-3. OCLC 225635210.
^ abCampbell, Susan; Lumsden, Linda F.; Kirkwood, Roger; Coulson, Graeme (2005). "Day roost selection by female little forest bats (Vespadelus vulturnus) within remnant woodland on Phillip Island, Victoria". Wildlife Research. 32 (2): 183. doi:10.1071/WR04039.
^Willis CK, Turbill C, Geiser F (October 2005). "Torpor and thermal energetics in a tiny Australian vespertilionid, the little forest bat (Vespadelus vulturnus)". Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 175 (7): 479–86. doi:10.1007/s00360-005-0008-0. PMID 16088391. S2CID 21710868.
^. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
^Tidemann, CR (1993). "Reproduction in the Bats Vespadelus-Vulturnus, V-Regulus and V-Darlingtoni (Microchiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in Coastal South-Eastern Australia". Australian Journal of Zoology. 41: 21. doi:10.1071/zo9930021.
^. Biodiversity Snapshots. Museum of Victoria. Archived from the original on 27 February 2011.
^Sue Churchill (2008) Australian bats (Reed New Holland, Frenchs Forest) p. 177.
^"The Action Plan for Australian Bats - Taxonomy and Selection of Taxa for This Action Plan". from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
^"Bat calls of NSW - region-based guide to the echolocation calls of Microchiropteran bats". from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
^Law BS, Reinhold L, Pennay M (2002). "Geographic variation in the echolocation calls of Vespadelus spp. (Vespertilionidae) from New South Wales and Queensland, Australia". Acta Chiropterologica. 4 (2): 201–215. doi:10.3161/001.004.0208.
March 12, 2023
little, forest, little, forest, vespadelus, vulturnus, species, vesper, family, vespertilionidae, found, only, south, eastern, australia, including, tasmania, tiny, often, weighing, less, than, males, some, areas, weigh, little, sometimes, referred, australia,. The little forest bat Vespadelus vulturnus is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae It is found only in south eastern Australia including Tasmania It is a tiny bat often weighing less than 4 g 0 14 oz males in some areas weigh as little as 2 5 g 0 088 oz 2 It is sometimes referred to as Australia s smallest mammal 3 4 although the Northern or Koopmans Pipistrelle Pipistrellus westralis is possibly smaller weighing on average around 3 g 0 11 oz 2 It is the smallest bat in Tasmania 5 Little Forest BatConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder ChiropteraFamily VespertilionidaeGenus VespadelusSpecies V vulturnusBinomial nameVespadelus vulturnus Thomas 1914 SynonymsEptesicus vulturnus Thomas 1914 Eptesicus pumilus vulturnus Thomas 1914 Vespertilio pygmaeus Becker 1858 not Leach 1825 Contents 1 Biology and ecology 2 Identification 3 Echolocation call 4 ReferencesBiology and ecology EditThe little forest bat is one of the most commonly observed bats in south eastern Australia it is found in a variety of habitats including Eucalypt woodlands and forests as well as in rural semi rural and some urban areas It is an insectivore and roosts in tree hollows 2 3 Females become sexually mature in their first year and males in their second year It is assumed the males wake from torpor and mate with the females during winter A single pup is born in spring October November 6 Identification EditThe little forest bat is very small with pale grey or brownish fur The tragus is usually white and the skin on the face feet and forearm is usually pinkish Adults usually weigh between 2 5 and 5 g 0 088 and 0 176 oz and the forearm is usually less than 30 mm 1 2 in mean 28 5 mm 1 12 in The wingspan can range up to 15 cm 5 9 in and the body length is up to 5 cm 2 0 in 7 Females are slightly larger than males 2 The little forest bat is very similar in appearance and often confused with a number of other bats that it co occurs with sympatric including Vespadelus regulus Vespadelus darlingtoni Vespadelus baverstocki Vespadelus troughtoni Vespadelus pumilus and Scotorepens greyii Live bats can be differentiated from these species using a combination of size relative finger bone lengths and in males penis shape 8 Males have a distinctly shaped baculum There is some variation in the morphology of this species across its range with some taxonomists suggesting there may be cryptic species that have not yet been identified within the species 9 Echolocation call EditThe echolocation call of the little forest bat is regionally variable in New South Wales the characteristic frequency of search phase calls is between 42 5 and 53 kilohertz depending on the region where it is found 10 11 This is more than double the maximum frequency of the human hearing range and cannot be heard without the assistance of a bat detector References Edit Lumsden L F Reardon T B Armstrong K N 2020 Vespadelus vulturnus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T7945A22119049 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 2 RLTS T7945A22119049 en Retrieved 16 November 2021 a b c d Van Dyck Steve Strahan Ronald eds 2007 The mammals of Australia 3rd ed Sydney New Holland Publishers p 572 ISBN 978 1 877069 25 3 OCLC 225635210 a b Campbell Susan Lumsden Linda F Kirkwood Roger Coulson Graeme 2005 Day roost selection by female little forest bats Vespadelus vulturnus within remnant woodland on Phillip Island Victoria Wildlife Research 32 2 183 doi 10 1071 WR04039 Willis CK Turbill C Geiser F October 2005 Torpor and thermal energetics in a tiny Australian vespertilionid the little forest bat Vespadelus vulturnus Journal of Comparative Physiology B 175 7 479 86 doi 10 1007 s00360 005 0008 0 PMID 16088391 S2CID 21710868 Tasmania PWS Wildlife Bats Archived from the original on 21 July 2008 Retrieved 11 March 2008 Tidemann CR 1993 Reproduction in the Bats Vespadelus Vulturnus V Regulus and V Darlingtoni Microchiroptera Vespertilionidae in Coastal South Eastern Australia Australian Journal of Zoology 41 21 doi 10 1071 zo9930021 Little Forest Bat Biodiversity Snapshots Museum of Victoria Archived from the original on 27 February 2011 Sue Churchill 2008 Australian bats Reed New Holland Frenchs Forest p 177 The Action Plan for Australian Bats Taxonomy and Selection of Taxa for This Action Plan Archived from the original on 20 February 2008 Retrieved 12 March 2008 Bat calls of NSW region based guide to the echolocation calls of Microchiropteran bats Archived from the original on 2 March 2008 Retrieved 11 March 2008 Law BS Reinhold L Pennay M 2002 Geographic variation in the echolocation calls of Vespadelus spp Vespertilionidae from New South Wales and Queensland Australia Acta Chiropterologica 4 2 201 215 doi 10 3161 001 004 0208 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little forest bat amp oldid 1123376347, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
