Lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata)

Description

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Lesser short-tailed bat fact file

• Description
• Biology
• Range
• Habitat
• Status
• Threats
• Conservation
• Find out more
• Glossary
• References
• Print factsheet

Lesser short-tailed bat description

The New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat is remarkable for the fact that it is the most terrestrial bat in the world; more at home on the forest floor than flying through the treetops ⁽⁴⁾. The tail is free of the wing membrane, and the wings can be folded beneath a leathery membrane when not in use so that the forearms act as front legs ⁽⁴⁾. The thumb has a large claw with a small talon, a feature unique amongst the smaller bats; the claws of the feet also have talons, to enable this bat to be agile on the ground and in the trees ⁽²⁾. The tiny lesser short-tailed bat is extremely furry and is a greyish brown colour on the upper surface whilst the underparts are paler ⁽²⁾. The muzzle is very short and the nostrils are oblong and vertically aligned ⁽²⁾. It is thought that the lesser short-tailed bat is the sole survivor of an ancient lineage; the greater short-tailed bat (Mystacina robusta) was last sighted in 1967 and is now believed to be Extinct ⁽³⁾.

Size

Head-body length: 6 - 8 cm ⁽²⁾

Forearm length: 4 - 4.5 cm ⁽²⁾

Lesser short-tailed bat biology

Very little is know about the fascinating lesser short-tailed bat. Small groups occupy hollow trees and caves to roost and it is thought that bats may use their teeth and claws to excavate burrows in a manner similar to rodents ⁽²⁾. Agile on the ground, short-tailed bats spend large amounts of time of the forest floor, feeding on insects, fruit and nectar ⁽³⁾. It is thought that this species is an important pollinator of the endangered woodrose (Dactylanthus spp.), a parasitic plant of roots on the forest floor ⁽³⁾. During the breeding season, males are thought to compete for females via a lek mating system in which they 'sing' from important positions to attract mates ⁽³⁾.

Lesser short-tailed bat range

Endemic to New Zealand, the lesser short-tailed bat is found on the North and South Islands as well as Little Barrier Island and smaller islands in the Stewart group ⁽²⁾. Three subspecies are currently recognised in different areas of the range: the kauri forest short-tailed bat, the volcanic plateau short-tailed bat, and the southern short-tailed bat ⁽³⁾.

Lesser short-tailed bat habitat

These bats are found in heavily forested areas; usually associated with native trees such as totara, kauri and beech ⁽⁴⁾.

Lesser short-tailed bat status

Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List ⁽¹⁾.

Lesser short-tailed bat threats

The lesser short-tailed bat is under threat from habitat destruction of the native forests within which it is found; 66% of New Zealand's lowland forest has been cleared to make way for development, farming and for timber extraction ⁽⁴⁾. The only native terrestrial mammal in New Zealand, these bats evolved without the threat of ground predators; however, when Europeans first arrived on the islands they brought with them rats and cats which decimated native fauna(including these unusual bats), and remain a pertinent threat today ⁽³⁾.

Lesser short-tailed bat conservation

The lesser short-tailed bat is fully protected within New Zealand and is listed as a Species of Highest Conservation Priority by the New Zealand Department of Conservation ⁽³⁾. The Department of Conservation Bat Recovery Plan aims to conserve all bat subspecies throughout their present range and to establish new populations where possible. Research into the complex social behaviour of this little-known mammal is also being conducted ⁽³⁾.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Find out more

For more information, see:

• New Zealand Department of Conservation's Bat Recovery Plan:
  http://www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/TSRP15.pdf
• EDGE of Existence:
  http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=56

Authentication

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Glossary

Endemic

A species or taxonomic group that is only found in one particular country or geographic area.

Lek mating system

System of mating in which males display collectively in an area known as a lek. Males compete for the best sites within the lek and females then choose whom to mate with on the basis of the display.

Subspecies

A different race of a species, which is geographically separated from other populations of that species.

References

1. IUCN Red List (February, 2003)
   http://www.redlist.org
2. Animal Diversity Web (February, 2003)
   http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/mystacina/m._tuberculata$narrative.html
3. WWF New Zealand (February, 2003)
   http://www.wwf.org.nz/earthsaver/es_21.cfm
4. New Zealand Department of Conservation (February, 2003)
   http://www.doc.govt.nz/Conservation/001~Plants-and-Animals/001~Native-Animals/Bats-(Pekapeka)/index.asp