Nycteris thebaica
| Egyptian slit-faced bat | |
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| Nycteris thebaica | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Nycteridae |
| Genus: | Nycteris |
| Species: | N. thebaica |
| Binomial name | |
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Nycteris thebaica E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818 |
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The Egyptian slit-faced bat (Nycteris thebaica) is a species of slit-faced bat broadly distributed throughout Africa and the Middle East. It is a species of microbat in the family Nycteridae. There are six known subspecies.
Egyptian slit-faced bat gets its name from a deep slit that runs from the base of the ears to the nostrils, between the nose-leaves. The bats typically weigh between 6.5–9.7 g (0.23–0.34 oz), with females weighing up to 11.5 g (0.41 oz). The wings are broad, with a wingspan of 283 mm (11.1 in) and a low aspect ratio, allowing for high maneuverability and the ability to hover close to the ground.
The is dusky to reddish brown on top, while the underside is white to whitish gray. This bat has lighter fur than other members of the nycterid family. It has a long tail, reaching to 61 mm (2.4 in).
This species is able to thrive in a variety of tropical and temperate habitats throughout Africa and the Arabian peninsula. It can live in widely diverse habitats, including forests, caves, deserts, savannas, shrublands, and grasslands.
The uterine horns open into the vagina through separate vaginal canals, forming a uterus duplex. The placenta also lacks a hemophagous area, which aids in endocytosis and digestion of erythrocytes. The gestation period varies depending on climate, lasting 2–3 months in tropical areas while going up to 5 months in temperate climates. At birth, the young weighs about 50% of the mother’s weight. The females will carry the young between roosts to keep offspring safe from predators.
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Wikipedia