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Ghost Bat




  Name Ghost Bat
  Regnum Animalia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Mammalia
  Ordo Chiroptera
  Familia Megadermatidae
  Genus '' Macroderma ''
  Species '''''M gigas'''''
  Binomial ''Macroderma gigas''
  Binomial Authority ( Dobson , 1880)


The Ghost Bat (''Macroderma gigas'') is a Bat Endemic to Australia . It gets its name from the extremely thin skin on its wings that makes it appear somewhat ghostly at night. It has grey fur on its back and pale grey fur on its belly. The Ghost Bat has long, narrow wings and no tail. It has an average length of 11cm (10-25cm), although females are smaller than the males.

The Ghost Bat lives in caves and tunnels in mass numbers. It mainly consumes large Insect s, Frog s, Lizard s and other small animals including other bats. The Ghost Bat is the only Carnivorous bat in Australia. This species is considered to be vulnerable in the wild from destruction of caves for mining. It inhabits northern Australia from the east to the west coast. There are about 4000 to 6000 in the wild.

It uses its big eyes as well as Echolocation to find its prey. Once found, it swoops down and grasps the prey with its wings, killing its victim with its powerful bites.

Females give birth to one young in September or November once every year.


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BOOK REFERENCES

  • extreme science:chasing the ghost bat and other mysteries of nature byPeter Jedickle (Editor), Griffin Trade, copyright 2001

  • Bats, The Amazing Upside-downers by Phyllis J. Perry Franklin Watts/Grolier Publishing, copyright 1998