The Action Plan for Australian Bats
Environment Australia, 1999
ISBN 0 642 2546 363
Recovery outlines and taxon summaries (continued)
Taxon summary: Hairy Rostrum Freetail Bat
Family: Molossidae
Scientific name: Mormopterus sp.(form sp. 6 in Adams et al. 1988)
Common name: Hairy Rostrum Freetail Bat
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Past range and abundance
Unknown
Present range and abundance
Only a small number of specimens are known and these require confirmation of identification. It is understood to be widely distributed from southern Northern Territory to central Queensland, but is common nowhere. Current knowledge of this taxon is very poor, and its rarity may reflect that the species is under threat.
Based on allozyme characters (Adams et al. 1988) and morphology (McKenzie unpub., Allison 1996, and Peterson 1985) this taxon is a good species and is distantly related to other Australian Mormopterus.
Habitat
Dry open woodland. Presumed to roost in tree hollows as do other small Mormopterus spp.
Current threats
None identified.
Recommended actions
- Complete and publish taxonomic studies.
- Undertake targetted surveys to clarify distribution and conservation status.
- Carry out ecological research to determine:
- habitat requirements;
- roost and maternity site selection;
- foraging strategy;
- population dynamics; and
- threatening processes.
- Review status based on knowledge gained through the above actions.
Bibliography
Adams M., Reardon T.R., Baverstock P.R. and Watts C.H.S. 1988. Electrophoretic Resolution of Species Boundaries in Australian Microchiroptera. IV. The Molossidae (Chiroptera). Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 40, 417–433.
Allison F.R. 1996. Distribution Maps of Bats of the Genus Mormopterus in Australia. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 7, 85–90.
Peterson R.L. 1985. A Systematic Review of the Molossid Bats Allied with the Genus Mormopterus (Chiroptera: Molossidae). Acta Zoologica Fennica 170, 205–208.
Author for the species
Terry Reardon
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