Mystacinidae
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| Mystacinidae Fossil range: Recent |
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The New Zealand short-tailed bats are the Mystacinidae family of bats. There is one genus, Mystacina, with two species. They are medium-sized bats, about 6 cm in length, with grey, velvety fur.
Mystacinids are the most "un-batlike" family of bats. They spend much of the time on the ground, instead of flying, and are unique in having the ability to fold their wings into a leathery membrane when not in use. Another distinctive feature of the group is an additional projection on some the claws, which may aid in digging or climbing. They are omnivorous, eating fruit and carrion in addition to ground-dwelling arthropods. They also eat pollen and nectar, which they are able to collect with their extensible tongues. They sometimes chew out burrows in rotting wood, but can also roost in rock crevices or the burrows of seabirds[1].
They give birth once each summer, to a single young. They are able to hibernate during the winter[2].
[edit] Species
- New Zealand Greater Short-tailed Bat Mystacina robusta (believed extinct)
- New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed Bat Mystacina tuberculata
[edit] References
- ^ (1984) in Macdonald, D.: The Encyclopedia of Mammals. New York: Facts on File, 805. ISBN 0-87196-871-1.
- ^ Fenton, M. Brock (2001). Bats. New York: Checkmark Books, 129-130. ISBN 0-8160-4358-2.
- Weinstein, B. and P. Myers. 2001. "Mystacinidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed May 27, 2005 at [1].
- Daniel. M. 1985. New Zealand's Unique Burrowing Bats Are Endangered. [2].
