Indiana bat
| Indiana bat | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Vespertilionidae |
| Genus: | Myotis |
| Species: | M. sodalis |
| Binomial name | |
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Myotis sodalis Miller & Allen, 1928 |
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| Approximate range of the Indiana bat | |
The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is a medium-sized mouse-eared bat native to North America. It lives primarily in southern and midwestern states and in parts of the south of the United States and is listed as an endangered species. The Indiana bat is gray, black, or chestnut in color and is 1.2–2 inches and weighs 4.5 – 9.5 grams (0.16 – 0.34 oz.). It is similar in appearance to the more common little brown bat but is distinguished by its feet size, toe hair length, pink lips and a keel on the calcar.
Indiana bats live in hardwood forests and hardwood-pine forests. It is common in old-growth forest as well as in agricultural land like croplands and old fields. Overall, the bats mostly live in forest, crop fields, and grasslands. As an insectivore, the bat will eat both terrestrial and aquatic flying insects like moths, beetles, and mosquitoes and midges.
The Indiana bat is listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It has had serious population decline, estimated to be more than 50% over the past 10 years, based on direct observation and a decline on its extent of occurrence.
The length of the Indiana bat's head to the body is from 4.1-4.9 centimeters. The animal weighs about 1/4 an ounce. These bats are very difficult to distinguish from other species, especially the more common little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), unless examined closely. The size of the feet, the length of the toe hairs, and the presence of a keel on the calcar are characteristics used to differentiate the Indiana bat from other bats. Indiana bats live an average of 5 to 9 years, but some have reached 12 years of age. It can have fur from black to chestnut with a light gray to cinnamon belly. Unlike other common bats with brown hair and black lips, the Indiana bat has brown hair and pink lips, which is helpful for identification.
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Wikipedia