Animal Info - Telefomin Roundleaf Bat

(Other Names: Barong Irian, Flalok, Telefomin Horseshoe Bat, Telefomin Leaf-nosed Bat)

Hipposideros corynophyllus

Status: Vulnerable

1. Profile
2. Tidbits
3. Status and Trends (IUCN Status, Countries Where Currently Found, History of Distribution, Threats and Reasons for Decline)
4. Data on Biology and Ecology (Weight, Habitat, Birth Season, Diet, Behavior, Social Organization)
5. References

Profile

The Telefomin roundleaf bat is a brown, long-haired, medium-sized species of its type, with a long forearm and short tail. It weighs approximately 16 g (~ 1/2 oz) and its head-body length is slightly less than 60 mm (2.4"). It has only been found in mountainous areas at altitudes from 1500 - 1800 m (4900 - 5900‘). The Telefomin roundleaf bat is exclusively a cave-dweller, roosting deep in limestone caves, and it is insectivorous. It is solitary or lives in small groups. Both males and females have been found in the same cave.

The Telefomin roundleaf bat was first identified by scientists in 1978. Only a handful of specimens have been found in a limited area of the island of New Guinea. The reasons for its limited distribution are not yet known.

Tidbits

*** The term "Telefomin" in its name refers to the area of Papua New Guinea where this bat appears to be concentrated. The name "horseshoe" bat comes from the fact that the lower part of the nose-leaf, which covers the upper lip and around the nostrils, is horseshoe-shaped in these bats.

*** Etymology of the scientific name of the Telefomin roundleaf bat (also called the "Telefomin horseshoe bat"): genus name ("Hipposideros") - "horseshoe" (Greek), a reference to the horseshoe-shaped nose-leaf; species name ("corynophyllus") - "club-leaf" (Greek), a reference to the projections on its nose-leaf (Flannery 1995).

Status and Trends

IUCN Status:

1996 - 2004: Vulnerable (Criteria: A2c, D2) (Population Trend: Decreasing) (IUCN 2004)

Countries Where the Telefomin Roundleaf Bat Is Currently Found:

2004: Occurs in Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea (IUCN 2004).

History of Distribution:

The Telefomin roundleaf bat was first identified by scientists in 1978. Only a handful of specimens are known from the Central and Eastern portions of the island of New Guinea. It appears to be largely restricted to the Telefomin area of Sandaun Province in Papua New Guinea. (Flannery 1995, Bonaccorso 1998)

Threats and Reasons for Decline:

The reasons for its limited distribution are not yet known.

Data on Biology and Ecology

Weight:

Weight: Males: 14.7 - 17.1 g (0.53 - 0.61 oz) (avg. 16.0 g (0.57 oz)) (n=5); Females: 14.0 - 17.5 g (0.50 - 0.63 oz) (avg. 16.1 g (0.58 oz)) (n=5) (Flannery 1995).

Habitat:

The Telefomin roundleaf bat has been found in mountainous areas at altitudes from 1500 - 1800 m (4900 - 5900‘). It roosts deep in limestone caves. (Flannery 1995, Bonaccorso 1998)

Birth Season:

Very little is known about the Telefomin roundleaf bat's reproduction. Two immature individuals weighing 10.6 and 12.5 g (0.38 and 0.45 oz) were collected on April 12 (Flannery 1995).

Diet:

The Telefomin roundleaf bat is insectivorous.

Behavior:

The Telefomin roundleaf bat is exclusively a cave-dweller (Flannery 1995).

Social Organization:

The Telefomin roundleaf bat is solitary or lives in small groups. Both males and females have been found in the same cave (Flannery 1995).

References

Bonaccorso 1998, Flannery 1995, IUCN 1996, IUCN 2000, IUCN 2003a, IUCN 2004, Nature Cons. Indo., Nowak 1999

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