Heart-nosed bat
| Heart-nosed bat | ||||||||||||
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stuffed copy |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Cardioderma | ||||||||||||
| Peters , 1873 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Cardioderma cor | ||||||||||||
| ( Peters , 1872) |
The heart- nosed bat ( Cardioderma cor ) is a species of bat from the family of large-leaf noses (Megadermatidae). These animals are native to eastern Africa (from Ethiopia to Kenya to Tanzania and Zambia ).
features
Like all large-leaf noses, the heart-nosed bat is relatively large, it reaches a head body length of seven to eight centimeters and a weight of 21 to 35 grams. There is no sexual dimorphism in the species, so the males and females do not differ. Their long fur is uniformly colored blue-gray, the tail is missing.
The ears are quite large with a length of 35 to 39 millimeters and touch at the base in the middle of the head. The eyes are also relatively large. The animals owe their name to the heart-shaped nose sheet with a rounded top , which is small compared to that of other species.
distribution and habitat
The heart-nosed bat is distributed over a wide area in eastern Africa from the northeast of Sudan near the Red Sea to central Tanzania in the south and from the border region of Sudan and Uganda to the east of Somalia . The distribution area also includes parts of Kenya , Djibouti , Ethiopia , Eritrea and South Sudan .
Way of life
The habitat of these animals are low-lying drylands and coastal strips. During the day they sleep in groups of up to 80 animals in hollow baobab trees , crevices or abandoned buildings. In the evening they go in search of food by hanging on branches and lurking for prey . Each animal has its own hunting area, which is marked with chirping sounds. Once they have found a prey, they fall to the ground, catch it and fly back to their tree, where they eat it. Their diet consists of beetles , centipedes , scorpions , but also frogs and sometimes smaller bats.
Heart nose bats are likely to live in monogamous relationships, which is unusual for bats. Twice a year, during the rainy seasons (March – April and October – November) the female gives birth to a single young after a gestation period of around three months. This accompanies the mother on the hunt from the second month of life and is finally weaned at around three months. Life expectancy is not known.
Systematics
The first description of the heart-nosed bat comes from the German naturalist Wilhelm Peters as Megaderma cor from 1872, who a year later also described the monotypical genus Cardioderma with this species as a type species. It is assigned as a separate species and genus to the large-leaf noses (Megadermatidae). There is no distinction between subspecies.
The generic name Cardioderma is derived from the Latin names cardio for "heart" and derma for "skin".
Hazard and protection
The species is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as not endangered (least concern) due to its very large distribution area and large population. A decline in populations is also not assumed.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g Ryan Csada: Cardioderma cor . In: Mammalian Species . tape 519 , 1996, pp. 1–4 ( full text [PDF; 406 kB ]). Full text ( memento of the original from January 7, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Cardioderma cor in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: S. Mickleburgh, AM Hutson, W. Bergmans, 2008. Accessed July 15, 2012 found.
- ↑ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Cardioderma cor ( Memento of the original from March 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
literature
- Ryan Csada: Cardioderma cor . In: Mammalian Species . tape 519 , 1996, pp. 1–4 ( full text [PDF; 406 kB ]).
Web links
- Cardioderma cor in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: S. Mickleburgh, AM Hutson, W. Bergmans, 2008. Accessed July 15, 2012 found.