Lesser tube-nosed bat explained

The lesser tube-nosed bat (Nyctimene minutus) is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is native to two of the Maluku Islands (Spice Islands) in northern Indonesia.

Taxonomy

The lesser tube-nosed bat was described as a new species in 1910 by Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. The holotype had been collected by Alfred Russel Wallace in Tondano, Indonesia. Two subspecies are recognized, with Andersen also the taxonomic authority: N. m. minutus and N. m. varius.^[1]

Description

The lesser tube-nosed bat has a forearm length of approximately .

Range and status

The bat is endemic to the mountainous forests of Buru and Seram Islands in Maluku Province. It is not found on nearby Ambon Island. It has been documented at a range of elevations from above sea level. Its habitat is mid-montane forests.

In 2008, it was evaluated as a vulnerable species by the IUCN.

Notes and References

1. Kitchener. D. J.. Packer. W. C.. Maryanto. I.. 1993. Taxonomic status of Nyctimene (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) from the Banda, Kai and Aru Islands, Maluku, Indonesia–implications for biogeography. Records of the Western Australian Museum. 16. 3. 399–417.