Miniopterus australis
Tomes, 1858. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 125.


©2002

ORDER—CHIROPTERA
FAMILY—Vespertilionidae

COMMON NAME—Little bent-winged bat.

DISTRIBUTION—India to Australia and throughout the Philippines except Babuyan/Batanes group. Specimens from Bongao (UPLB), Bohol (USNM), Capiz (USNM), Catanduanes (USNM), Guimaras (FMNH), Leyte (USNM), Luzon [Bulacan (USNM), and Rizal (USNM) provinces], Mindanao (Davao del Norte [FMNH], Davao del Sur [FMNH], Maguindanao [FMNH], Zamboanga del Norte [FMNH]), Negros (FMNH), Panay (FMNH), Polillo (FMNH), and Siquijor (SU).

HABITAT—Roosts in caves in lowland areas from sea level to about 200 m in agricultural areas or second growth ( Heaney et al., 1991; Lepiten, 1995; Rickart et al., 1993; Sanborn, 1952; Taylor, 1934).

STATUS—Geographically widespread and common but dependent on caves.

COMMENT—Of the three size classes of bats of this genus that we have examined from the Philippines, all of the smallest can be referred to a single species; all appear to be this species, rather than M. pusillus (Koopman, 1993).

COMMENT ADDED IN 2005––Reported from caves in secondary and primary lowland forest at 50-450 m on Palawan Island (Esselstyn et al., 2004).

NOTE ADDED IN 2005--Documented in montane forest at 925 m elevation in Balbalasang, Kalinga Province (Heaney et al, 2004). Esselstyn et al (2004) found this species to be widespread in caves on Palawan.


©2002 (photograph by P. Heideman)

From left to right: Miniopterus tristis, Miniopterus schreibersi, and Miniopterus australis.


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©2002 Heaney et al., Mammals of the Philippines
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