Striped Leaf-nosed Bat (Macronycteris vittata) lives in desert scrub across Southern Africa. It feeds on insects and fruits. Its conservation status is Near Threatened.
Fascinating facts about the Striped Leaf-nosed Bat
- The striped leaf-nosed bat was once grouped with M. commersoni, a sister species now known only from Madagascar. commersoni's range is confined to that island, the striped leaf-nosed bat occupies a broad swathe of eastern and southern Africa, from Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya to Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia. This geographic separation helped taxonomists recognise them as distinct species.
- Molecular analyses carried out in 2017 prompted a taxonomic overhaul that moved the striped leaf-nosed bat from the genus Hipposideros into the resurrected genus Macronycteris. commersoni had previously been placed in Hipposideros, but DNA evidence showed they belong to a separate lineage, leading to the revival of Macronycteris for these African species. The change reflects the growing use of genetic data to clarify bat relationships.
- In its natural range the striped leaf-nosed bat chooses caves as its primary roosting sites, but it will also hang from tree branches or settle under the eaves of nearby buildings. These alternative roosts are used locally when caves are scarce, allowing the bats to exploit a variety of sheltered microhabitats across their distribution. Such flexibility helps maintain colonies throughout the areas they inhabit.
- It lives in woodland savannas, lowland tropical moist forests and can be found as high as 1700 m. Across eastern and southern Africa it also roosts in caves, and when caves are scarce it will hang from tree branches or settle under building eaves. Such flexibility lets colonies persist from Ethiopia and Kenya down to Namibia and Zimbabwe, even at the highest recorded elevations, exploiting both forested valleys and open savanna plateaus.
- The striped leaf-nosed bat has been found in parts of Kruger National Park in South Africa. Colonies are present in protected areas such as Tsavo National Park in Kenya.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSouthern Africa
HabitatDesert scrub
DietInsects and fruits
About the Striped Leaf-nosed Bat
In the velvety blackness of a desert night, the striped leaf-nosed bat unfurls its leathery wings, a delicate silhouette etched against the moonlit sky as it embarks on its nocturnal forays. With an uncanny ability to navigate the arid landscape, this enigmatic creature flits and weaves, its large ears twitching with every nuance of sound, homing in on the faint rustlings of insects that will sustain it through the night. As it dances through the darkness, its striped mask glints like a fleeting shadow, a testament to the remarkable adaptability of this fascinating, and still largely mysterious, flying mammal.
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