Old World Fruit Bats: Pteropodidae
Queensland Tube-nosed Bat (nyctimene Robinsoni): Species Accounts
Physical characteristics: Queensland tube-nosed bats are also called eastern tube-nosed bats. These bats have nostrils shaped like tubes that jut out about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters). Researchers do not yet understand the purpose of these tubes. Their head and body length is 3 to 5.1 inches (7.5 to 13 centimeters) with a tail length of 0.8 to 1 inch (2 to 2.5 centimeters). These bats have light brown fur with a dark stripe down the back. Their wings are brown with yellowish spots.
Geographic range: Queensland tube-nosed bats are found in eastern Australia.
Female Queensland tube-nosed bats typically have one offspring per year. A baby is shown here, hanging on a branch.
Habitat: These bats live in tropical rainforests and subtropical rainforests.
Diet: These bats feed on fruit.
Behavior and reproduction: Queensland tube-nosed bats roost on branches of trees that have thick vegetation. They are solitary and do not appear to roost in groups. The bats often fly very close to the ground as they search for food. Queensland tube-nosed bats are polygamous with one breeding season. Females generally have one offspring per year. Gestation is approximately four to five months.
Queensland tube-nosed bats and people: By clearing these bats' natural habitats, people have caused the population of this bat to decline.
Conservation status: Queensland tube-nosed bats are not listed as threatened by IUCN. They are listed as vulnerable in Australia's New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act. ∎
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Books:
Fenton, Brock M. Bats. New York: Checkmark Press, 2001.
Fenton, Brock M. The Bat: Wings in the Night Sky. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 1998.
Nowak, Ronald M. "Old World Fruit Bats." Walker's Mammals of the World 5.1 Online. http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/walkers_mammals_of_the_world/chiroptera/chiroptera.pteropodidae.html (accessed on July 2, 2004).
Richardson, Phil. Bats. London: Whittet Books, 1985.
Ruff, Sue, and Don E. Wilson. Bats. New York: Benchmark Books, 2001.
Periodicals:
Petersen, David. "Wait Until Dark." Backpacker (October, 1993): 24.
"Plants, Bats Magnify Neurotoxin in Guam." Science News (December 6, 2003): 366.
Thewissen, J. G. M., and S. K. Babcock. "The Origin of Flight in Bats." Bioscience (May 1992): 340–345.
Web sites:
Craig, P., ed. "Flying Foxes (Fruit bats)." Natural History Guide to American Samoa. http://www.nps.gov/npsa/book/index.htm (accessed on July 2, 2004).
"Digital Morphology." National Science Foundation Digital Library at the University of Texas. http://www.digimorph.org (accessed on July 2, 2004).
"Discover the Secret World of Bats." Bat Conservation International, Inc. http://www.batcon.org (accessed on July 2, 2004).
"Fruit bats." The Wild Ones. http://www.thewildones.org/Animals/fruitBat.html (accessed on July 2, 2004).
Lemke, Thomas O. "Marianas Fruit Bats Near Extinction." Bat Conservation International, Inc. http://www.batcon.org/batsmag/v3n1-1.html (accessed on July 2, 2004).
"Mammals of the CNMI" Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. http://www.cnmidfw.org/wildlife/index.html (accessed on July 2, 2004).
Additional topics
- Old World Fruit Bats: Pteropodidae - Dwarf Epauletted Fruit Bat (micropteropus Pusillus): Species Accounts
- Other Free Encyclopedias
Animal Life ResourceMammalsOld World Fruit Bats: Pteropodidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Old World Fruit Bats And People, Conservation Status, Marianas Fruit Bat (pteropus Mariannus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET