Natal long-fingered bat

The Natal long-fingered bat (Miniopterus natalensis) is a species of vesper bat in the family Miniopteridae. It can be found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is found in dry savanna, moist savanna, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, caves, and hot deserts.[1]

Natal long-fingered bat
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Miniopteridae
Genus: Miniopterus
Species:
M. natalensis
Binomial name
Miniopterus natalensis
A. Smith, 1834
Natal long-fingered bat distribution
  Extant (resident)
  Possibly extant (resident)

While Natal long-fingered bats normally prey on insects, they can sometimes prey on fish. For this, the long-fingered bats have been able to use their primary ability to react to a disappearing target in order to catch moving fish by reaching deeper in the water when a fish dives.[2]

References

  1. Monadjem, A.; Griffin, M.; Cotterill, F.P.D.; Jacobs, D.; Taylor, P.J. (2017). "Miniopterus natalensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T44862A22073129. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T44862A22073129.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. Aizpurua, Ostaizka; Alberdi, Antton; Aihartza, Joxerra; Garin, Inazio (2016). "Fishing technique of long-fingered bats was developed from a primary reaction to disappearing target stimuli". PLOS ONE. 11 (12): e0167164. Bibcode:2016PLoSO..1167164A. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167164. PMC 5156352. PMID 27973529.


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