The New Guinea long-eared bat (Nyctophilus microtis) is a small species of bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is endemic to the island of New Guinea, found only in Papua New Guinea and possibly also in the Indonesian part of the island.
Taxonomy
The species was first described by the British zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1888. Thomas recognized its affinity with Nyctophilus timoriensis, the name then ascribed to Australian long-eared bat taxa. His description was the first to indicate that the genus Nyctophilus was not monotypic, as had previously been thought. The holotype specimen was collected at Sogere, in southeastern New Guinea, by the Scottish explorer and naturalist Henry Ogg Forbes, and was deposited at the British Museum of Natural History in London.
Description
The New Guinea long-eared bat is a small vespertilionid bat. Like other members of the genus Nyctophilus, it is characterized by long ears that often greatly exceed the length of the head. The specific epithet microtis (from Greek mikros "small" + otos "ear") refers to its relatively smaller ears compared to other species in the genus.
Distribution and habitat
The species is found only on the island of New Guinea, with records from Papua New Guinea. Its distribution may also extend into the Indonesian region of Western New Guinea. It inhabits forested areas.
Conservation status
The New Guinea long-eared bat is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2021 assessment). The population trend is not well documented, but the species is not currently believed to be facing major threats across its range.
