The little pied bat (Chalinolobus picatus ) is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found only in semi-arid woodlands in eastern Australia.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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starts withThe little pied bat is the smallest bat of the genus. The coat is a glossy black with a slight grey wash ventrally. Along the sides is a pure white stripe that meets at the pubic area to form a ‘V’. Weighing between 4-8 g. There is no significant difference in appearance between the sexes of the species.
Little is known about the specifics of the anatomy and physiology of C. picatus.
It is known to range from north-western and south-western New South Wales, central and southern Queensland, eastern South Australia and north-western Victoria. However, they are only in a few large remnants of habitat that remain in these areas. Some specific places the little pied bat can be found include Willandra lakes NSW, Idalia National Park QLD, Sturt National Park NSW, Gluepot Reserve SA and Yarrara Flora and Fauna Reserve VIC.It often roosts in tree hollows of the various bushland trees of NSW and QLD such as semi-arid tall shrublands and vine forests, however, are often found in Eucalypt and Acacia open woodlands. The little pied bat is also found in abandoned buildings around these types of habitats.The colonies of little pied bats can range from a few individuals to 50 bats. Each bat generation is between 3–5 years. The population is decreasing.
There is little known about its behaviour, especially roosting behaviour and mating tactics. Further research is required in this area. It is presumed they are similar to most bats, having breeding seasons and nocturnal, thought they have been spotted during daylight.
It eats insects such as moths, beetles, wingless ants, cockroaches, stoneflies, katydids, crickets, cicadas, spiders, flies, termites and grasshoppers. They hunt mainly in the low and midrange areas of the canopy.
The little pied bat is facing population decline and threatened by habitat loss. Clearing for cotton in NSW over the last 50 years has reduced the range of its habitat by 10% and the clearance is ongoing. There is similar habitat loss in QLD however, the effects on the habitat for the little pied bat at this stage in unclear. Roost disturbance, timber harvesting in state forest lands and changing fire regimes are all potential threats to the Little Pied bat.The little pied bat is listed as Near Threatened due to its significant decline, probably due to substantial habitat conversion and range contraction. However, the rates of decline are less than 30% over 3 generations, so they do not qualify for Vulnerable.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...