Mystacinidae
Encyclopedia
Mystacinidae is a family of unusual bat
s, the New Zealand short-tailed bats. There is one living genus
, Mystacina, with two extant species, one of which is believed to have become extinct in the 1960s. They are medium-sized bats, about 6 centimetres (2.4 in) 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 of the claws, which may aid in digging or climbing. They are omnivorous
, eating fruit and carrion in addition to ground-dwelling arthropod
s. They also eat pollen and nectar, which they are able to collect with their extensible tongue
s. They sometimes chew out burrows in rotting wood, but can also roost in rock crevices or the burrows of seabirds.
They give birth once each summer, to a single young. They are able to hibernate
during the winter.
The family also contains the extinct genus Icarops known from Miocene
fossils found in Australia
.
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, the New Zealand short-tailed bats. There is one living genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, Mystacina, with two extant species, one of which is believed to have become extinct in the 1960s. They are medium-sized bats, about 6 centimetres (2.4 in) 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 of the claws, which may aid in digging or climbing. They are omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, eating fruit and carrion in addition to ground-dwelling arthropod
Arthropod
An arthropod is an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton , a segmented body, and jointed appendages. Arthropods are members of the phylum Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others...
s. They also eat pollen and nectar, which they are able to collect with their extensible tongue
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular hydrostat on the floors of the mouths of most vertebrates which manipulates food for mastication. It is the primary organ of taste , as much of the upper surface of the tongue is covered in papillae and taste buds. It is sensitive and kept moist by saliva, and is richly...
s. They sometimes chew out burrows in rotting wood, but can also roost in rock crevices or the burrows of seabirds.
They give birth once each summer, to a single young. They are able to hibernate
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
during the winter.
Species
- New Zealand Greater Short-tailed BatNew Zealand greater short-tailed batThe New Zealand Greater Short-tailed Bat was one of two species of New Zealand short-tailed bats, a family unique to New Zealand. It lived on the North and South Islands in prehistoric times and historically lived on small islands near Stewart Island/Rakiura. Short-tailed bats were as adept at...
, Mystacina robusta (believed extinct) - New Zealand Lesser Short-tailed BatNew Zealand Lesser Short-tailed BatThe Lesser Short-tailed Bat, Mystacina tuberculata or Pekapeka-tou-poto in Māori, is one of only two species of short-tailed bats in the family Mystacinidae, which is endemic to New Zealand.-Description:...
, Mystacina tuberculata
The family also contains the extinct genus Icarops known from Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
fossils found in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Further reading
- Daniel. M. (1985). "New Zealand's unique burrowing bats are endangered". Bats Magazine 2 (3).
- Weinstein, B. and P. Myers (2001). "Mystacinidae". Animal Diversity Web. Accessed 6 February 2009.