The small mouse-tailed bat (''Rhinopoma muscatellum'') is a species of

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most ...

in the Rhinopomatidae family. It is found in Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, and possibly Ethiopia, ranging from the

Sistan Basin The Sistan Basin is an inland endorheic basin encompassing large parts of southwestern Afghanistan and minor parts of southeastern Iran, one of the driest regions in the world and an area subjected to prolonged droughts. Its watershed is a syst ...

in Iran well into the

Helmand River The Helmand River (also spelled Helmend, or Helmund, Hirmand; Pashto/Persian: ; Greek: ' (''Etýmandros''); Latin: ') is the longest river in Afghanistan and the primary watershed for the endorheic Sistan Basin. It emerges in the Sanglakh ...

basin of south-western Afghanistan. Small mouse tailed bats have a wingspan of , a body length of and a tail the same length as its body. Their diet conists of flying insects which they eat whilst flying. This species was demonstrated as distinct from ''R. hardwickei'' based on mutually exclusive morphological features; the small mouse-tailed bat has a nearly unridged skull with small teeth and large cavities filled with fluid.

References

Rhinopomatidae Mammals of Afghanistan Mammals described in 1903 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Bats of Asia {{Bat-stub