New Caledonian wattled bat
{{Short description|Species of bat}}
{{speciesbox
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Chalinolobus
| species = neocaledonicus
| authority = Revilliod, 1914
| synonyms ={{species list
| Chalinolobus gouldii neocaledonicus| Revilliod, 1914}}
}}
The New Caledonian wattled bat (Chalinolobus neocaledonicus) is a species of vesper bat, family Vespertilionidae. It is found only in New Caledonia.
Taxonomy
The New Caledonia wattled bat was first described by Swiss naturalist Pierre Revilliod in 1914. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Gould's wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii), but evidence for synonymy is weak.{{cite book |title= Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference |volume= 2|editor= Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder |publisher= JHU Press |year= 2005 |isbn= 9780801882210 |page= 484}}
Its species name "neocaledonicus" comes from Ancient Greek néos meaning "new" and the Neo-Latin rendering of "Caledonia," caledonicus; the species name refers to New Caledonia where this species is found.{{cite book| last=Revilliod| first=P.| year=1914| chapter=Les mammifères de la Nouvelle-Caledonie et des Îles Loyalty| title=Nova Caledonia. Forschungen in Neu-Caledonien und auf den Loyalty-Inseln| volume=1|pages=355–357|url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6259569}}
Description
It is a small species of bat, with a head and body length of only {{convert|50.5|mm|in|abbr=on}}.
Its forearm is {{convert|35.3|mm|in|abbr=on}} long, and its tail is {{convert|33|mm|in|abbr=on}} long.
Its ears are relatively long, at {{convert|12|mm|in|abbr=on}}
Its dental formula is {{DentalFormula|upper=2.1.2.3|lower=3.1.2.3}}, for a total of 32 teeth.
Range and habitat
It is one of nine species of bat found in New Caledonia.
It is among the three species of bat endemic to the territory.{{cite journal|doi=10.1177/0959683611409783|title=Late-Holocene bats of Mé Auré Cave, New Caledonia: Evidence of human consumption and a new species record from the recent past|journal=The Holocene|volume=22|pages=79–90|year=2011|last1=Hand|first1=Suzanne J|last2=Grant-Mackie|first2=Jack A}}
Conservation
It is considered endangered by the IUCN.
It meets the criteria for this assessment because its area of occupancy is less than {{convert|500|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}, there are fewer than six known localities of occurrence, and its habitat is declining in quality and extent.
Sources
{{reflist}}
{{Vespertilionidae|V.|V.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q305068}}
Category:Mammals of New Caledonia
Category:Endemic fauna of New Caledonia