Hawaiian hoary bat
| Hawaiian hoary bat | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Lasiurus |
| Species: | L. semotus |
| Binomial name | |
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Lasiurus semotus (H.Allen, 1890) |
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The Hawaiian hoary bat or ʻōpeʻapeʻa (Lasiurus semotus) is an endangered species of hairy-tailed bat (family Vespertilionidae) that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Until 2015, they were considered a subspecies of the hoary bat, the most widespread bat in the continental United States. However, recent molecular research has shown that they form a distinct species. Since the continental hoary bat is also found on the islands, the Hawaiian hoary bat is now one of just three species of mammal that is endemic to the islands, the third being the Hawaiian monk seal. It is a federally listed endangered taxon of the United States.
The common name of the hoary bat was inspired by the hoary or "frosty" appearance of its fur, which is brown but frosted white on its back. The Hawaiian name, ʻōpeʻapeʻa ("half-leaf"), refers to the outline of the bat's body, which is shaped like half a taro leaf. The Hawaiian hoary bat weighs 14 to 18 g (0.49 to 0.63 oz). The female is larger than the male, with a wingspan of approximately 10.5 to 13.5 in (27 to 34 cm). It is a nocturnal insectivore. Relatively little is known about the life history of the species.
The fossil record indicates that the Hawaiian hoary bat was once present on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Molokaʻi, Maui, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi, but documented breeding remains only Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi. The complete loss of the bat from Oʻahu may have been caused by habitat loss as the human population grew in the 19th century, possibly hastened by pesticide use.
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