Beelzebub's tube-nosed bat

Beelzebub bat
Beelzebub bat in flight
Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Suborder: Microchiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Murina
Species: M. beelzebub
Binomial name
Murina beelzebub
Son, Furey & Csorba, 2011

Beelzebub's tube-nosed bat (Murina beelzebub) , also Beelzebub bat or demon bat, is a species in the vesper bat family Vespertilionidae, found in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia, specifically the Quảng Trị and Gia Lai provinces of Vietnam.[1] They have tube-shaped nostrils (hence the name) which assist them with their feeding.[2]

The Beelzebub bat is one of 126 new species found in the Greater Mekong region during 2011.[3] There were two other tube-nosed bats found in Southeast Asia in 2011: Ashy-gray tube-nosed bat (Murina cineracea) and Walston's tube-nosed bat (Murina walstoni).[2][4][5] All three species are small for bats and M. beelzebub is medium-sized for a Murina bat.[2] These three new tube-nosed bats were discovered by a team from the Hungarian Natural History Museum (HNHM) and Fauna and Flora International (FFI).[6] All three of these bats live in tropical forests, making them endangered by deforestation.[6][7]

It was named "Beelzebub" and "demon" because of its coloration and fierce behavior, alluding the use of the term "Beelzebub" as reference to the underworld in Christian texts.[8] This bat is small enough to fit in a person's hand, weighing 5.3 and 6.0 grams (0.19 and 0.21 oz).[2] Its color pattern is unique for the regional habitat: a white underbelly, black head, and dark back.[9] It lacks the golden guard hairs so common in other members of the genus Murina.[2] Its behavior tends to "flight" before "fight" and it is also quite shy, avoiding human contact. However, if captured they can be very fierce.[10] As of 2013, there are still few details known about them and their ecology and it is suspected there are many more species of bats yet to be discovered in the region.[2][11]

Vespertilionid bats have many cryptic species. Eight new species were found in Southeast Asia between 2005-2009. The use of DNA technology has proved very useful in differentiating between the various species of Murina.[2][9]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Murina beelzebub.

References

  1. ↑ "Murina beelzebub - #1933". American Society of Mammalogists. 2013. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Csorba, Gabor; Son, Nguyen Truong; Saveng, Ith; Furey, Neil M. (2011). "Revealing Cryptic Bat Diversity: Three New Murina and Redescription of M. tubinaris From Southeast Asia" (PDF). Journal of Mammalogy (American Society of Mammalogists) 92 (4): 891–904. doi:10.1644/10-MAMM-A-269.1.
  3. ↑ "New Species Found: Walking catfish, Beelzebub bat and two-legged Lizard". Telegraph. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Walking Catfish, Demon Bat Among 126 New Mekong Species". Live Science. December 19, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ Venton, Danielle (September 2, 2011). "New ‘Demon’ Bat Species Found in Vietnam". Wired. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Catterick, Ally (September 2, 2011). "Three New Bat Species Discovered in Indochina". Fauna and Flora. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Beelzebub's Tube-Nosed Bat Discovered in Vietnam". World Wildlife Fund Australia. December 18, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Beelzebub's Tube-Nosed Bat Discovered in Vietnam". Space, Science, Robots. September 11, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Three New Species of Murina from Vietnam & Cambodia". Southeast Asian Bat Conservation Research Unit. September 19, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  10. ↑ Than, Ker (September 9, 2011). "New "Demon" Bat". National Geographic. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  11. ↑ Butler, Rhett (September 2, 2011). "New 'Demon' Bat Discovered in Vietnam". Environmental News Network. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
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