Sauromys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| South African Flat-headed Bat | ||||||||||||
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The genus Sauromys contains a single species, the South African Flat-headed Bat S. petrophilus and is found in central-southern Africa including the countries of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and a small part of western Mozambique.
Head and body length is 50-60 mm, tail length is 30-40 mm, and forearm length is 35-42 mm; weight is 9-22 grams. The upper parts are brownish gray to tawny olive and the underparts are paler.
This species differs from the closely related Tadarida in the flattened skull as well as some dental and other small structural details though is closer to Mormopterus in the flattened skull detail. Day time roosting is often beneath slabs of rock or in crevices outdoors rather than in caves where its flattened skull appears to be an adaptation. More than four bats are never found sleeping together.
