Rhinonicteris aurantia

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	HIPPOSIDERIDAE

Scientific Name:

Rhinonicteris aurantia

Species Authority:

(Gray, 1845)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Orange Leaf-nosed Bat

Taxonomic Notes:

The population in the Pilbara is distinct, and awaits formal description (presumably as either a subspecies or a separate species) (Churchill et al. 2008, Armstrong 2008).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

McKenzie, N. & Hall, L.

Reviewer/s:

Lamoreux, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team), Racey, P.A., Medellín, R. & Hutson, A.M. (Chiroptera Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

History:

1996	–	Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1994	–	Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Australia where it is found in northern and western Western Australia, Northern Territory, and north-western Queensland (Churchill et al. 2008).
Countries:	Native: Australia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species is rare and scattered within its habitat, but is locally common in Top End (Churchill et al. 2008).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species roosts in caves and old mine workings in colonies of 20 to 20,000 individuals (Churchill et al. 2008). Dry season roosts are normally in caves. In the wet season, bats disperse and use a diversity of roosts including caves, under buildings, and also probably in tree hollows (B. Thomson pers. comm.). The species likes very humid caves (N. McKenzie pers. comm.). It forages in nearby open woodland. Females give birth to a single young.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species roosts in caves and old mine workings in colonies of 20 to 20,000 individuals (Churchill et al. 2008). Dry season roosts are normally in caves. In the wet season, bats disperse and use a diversity of roosts including caves, under buildings, and also probably in tree hollows (B. Thomson pers. comm.). The species likes very humid caves (N. McKenzie pers. comm.). It forages in nearby open woodland. Females give birth to a single young.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species is very sensitive to cave disturbance due to visitation (B. Thomson pers. comm.). Large numbers have been killed by inappropriate cave gating in the past. Mine collapse is a major threat to old mines, at least in the Pilbara and Northern Territory regions (N. McKenzie and G. Richards pers. comm.). Mining is also threatening some natural roosts (N. McKenzie pers. comm.).

Major Threat(s):

This species is very sensitive to cave disturbance due to visitation (B. Thomson pers. comm.). Large numbers have been killed by inappropriate cave gating in the past. Mine collapse is a major threat to old mines, at least in the Pilbara and Northern Territory regions (N. McKenzie and G. Richards pers. comm.). Mining is also threatening some natural roosts (N. McKenzie pers. comm.).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is present in the Barlee Range Nature Reserve and other protected areas. Further studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, natural history, and threats to this species.

Conservation Actions:

It is present in the Barlee Range Nature Reserve and other protected areas. Further studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, natural history, and threats to this species.

Citation:	McKenzie, N. & Hall, L. 2008. Rhinonicteris aurantia. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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