90.

Small-toothed Long-eared Bat

Nyctophilus microdon

French: Nyctophile a petites dents / German: Kleinzahnige Langohrfledermaus / Spanish: Nictofila de dientes pequenos

Other common names: Small-toothed Bat

Taxonomy. Nyctophilus microdon Laurie & Hill, 1954,

“Welya, west of Hagen Range, central highlands, North-East New Guinea [= Papua New Guinea], 7,000 ft [= 2134 m].”

Nyctophilus microdon is the only representative of the highly distinctive microdon species group. There is apparently an unnamed species of Nyctophilus in Papua New Guinea that has similar glans penis morphology to N. microdon according to H. E. Parnaby in 2009. Monotypic.

Distribution. Much of C highlands of Papua New Guinea in Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, and Enga provinces.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 42-5-63 mm, tail 36-49 mm, ear 14-19-4 mm, hindfoot 7-10 mm, forearm 37-40-9 mm; weight 5-:8-9-5 g. The Small-toothed Long-eared Bat has very large ears and unique simple noseleaf consisting of two ridges, one further on muzzle and another immediately above nostrils, with vertical groove in middle and furred trough between them. Dorsal pelage is dark chocolate-brown (rich reddish brown according to Parnaby in 2009); venteris paler (hairs have pale gray-brown tips and chocolate-brown bases). Face, ears, and wing membranes are medium brown. Rostrum is short and blunt, with ridge across muzzle over nostrils that is moderately developed, consisting of two well-developed mounds joined in midline by obvious elastic membrane. Ears are very large and broad, with bluntly rounded tips, horizontal ribbing on inner surfaces, inward curved anterior edges, and smooth posterior edges (ears can fold back at top ofthick part of anterior edge); large and furred interauricular band crosses forehead between ears; tragus is enlarged, with roughly contoured lateral margin and truncated tip, being fairly straight on anterior margin. Glans penis is very small, with elongated urethral lappets and entirely unique distal structure. Baculum has moderately thin shaft in dorsal view; tip is bifurcated; and other details of baculum are not published but distinctive according to Parnaby in 2009. Skull is robust and broad; tympanic bullae are of moderate size; there is no sagittal crest, which is presentin all other species of Nyctophilus; and M? and lower molars are completely unreduced.

Habitat. Mid-montane and montane forests at elevations of 1600-3315 m.

Food and Feeding. The Small-toothed Long-eared Bat is probably an insect gleaner.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Small-toothed Long-eared Bat roosts in trees and caves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Small-toothed Long-eared Bats roost alone or in small groups.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List. The Smalltoothed Long-eared Bat appears to be more common than expected, and new specimens are turning up that extend its currently known distribution. Additional research is still needed, but a classification as Least Concern might be appropriate.

Bibliography. Bonaccorso (1998), Bonaccorso, Hamilton & Parnaby (2008b), Flannery (1995b), Helgen & Opiang (2009), Parnaby (2002a, 2009).