The Natal free-tailed bat (''Mormopterus acetabulosus'') 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 family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats. It is endemic to the island of

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

. It is known from fewer than five locations in its range, but it is common at a few sites. It roosts in caves, and it is considered to be an endangered species due to disturbance of its cave habitat.

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1804 by French naturalist

Johann Hermann Johann, or Jean-Frederic, Hermann, or Herrmann, (31 December 1738 in Barr, Alsace – 4 October 1800 in Strasbourg) was a French physician and naturalist. In 1769 he was appointed professor of medicine at the School of Public Health of Strasbo ...

. Hermann placed it in the genus ''Vespertilio''. In 2008, the Natal free-tailed bat was

split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

into two taxa with the description of a new species, '' Mormopterus francoismoutoui''. The species is called the "Natal" free-tailed bat because of another species Hermann described, ''Dysopes natalensis'', named after the Natal Province of South Africa. ''Dysopes natalensis'' was later synonymized with the Natal free-tailed bat. Its

species name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

"'' acetabulosus''" is

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

for saucer-shaped.

Description

The Natal free-tailed bat is a very small species of bat. Its upper lip is very wrinkled. Its ears are small and connected in the back by a thin interaural membrane. Males have a

sebaceous gland A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. In humans, sebaceous glands occur in the greatest nu ...

, as with some other free-tailed bats, but they do not have an interaural crest. Its

dental formula Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiolog ...

is for a total of 30 teeth.

Range and habitat

It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

. There is one "doubtful" record from

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

and two records from

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

which may be

vagrants Vagrancy is the condition of homelessness without regular employment or income. Vagrants (also known as bums, vagabonds, rogues, tramps or drifters) usually live in poverty and support themselves by begging, scavenging, petty theft, tempora ...

Conservation

As of 2017, it is listed as

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

by the IUCN. From 1999–2017, its population likely declined by more than 80%. Its caves are being disturbed for tourism.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q741241 Mormopterus Mammals described in 1804 Bats of Africa Mammals of Mauritius Mammals of Réunion Taxa named by Johann Hermann