Sulawesi free-tailed bat explained

The Sulawesi free-tailed bat (Mops sarasinorum) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1899 by German biologist Christian Erich Hermann von Meyer. Von Meyer placed it in the now-defunct genus Nyctinomus with a binomial of N. sarasinorum.^[1] The eponym for the species name "sarasinorum" was Paul and Fritz Sarasin, a pair of Swiss cousins who conducted a research expedition in Sulawesi.^[2]

Description

It has a forearm length of approximately . Its fur color is variable, with individuals documented with blackish brown, blackish chestnut, or chesnut-brown.^[3] Individuals weigh approximately .^[4]

Range and habitat

It is native to Southeast Asia where it is found in Indonesia and the Philippines. It has been found at elevations up to above sea level.

Conservation

As of 2016, it is evaluated as a data deficient species by the IUCN.

Notes and References

1. von Meyer. C. E. H.. 1899. Nyctinomus sarasinorum. Säugethiere Vom Celebes- und Philippinen-Archipel. 7. 16–18.
2. Book: Beolens. B.. Watkins. M.. Grayson. M.. 2009. The eponym dictionary of mammals. limited. JHU Press. 357–358. 9780801895333.
3. Tate. G. H. H.. 1941. Molossid bats of the Archbold collections. American Museum of Natural History. 1142.
4. Hill. J. E.. Rozendaal. F. G.. 1989. Records of bats (Microchiroptera) from Wallacea. Zoologische Mededelingen Leiden. 63. 97–122.