Chaerephon jobensis G. S. Miller 1902
- Dataset
- Molossidae
- Rank
- SPECIES
Classification
- kingdom
- Animalia
- phylum
- Chordata
- class
- Mammalia
- order
- Chiroptera
- family
- Molossidae
- genus
- Chaerephon
- species
- Chaerephon jobensis
activity
Activity patterns. Greater Northern Free-tailed Bats emerge from their roosts around twilight. Flight is direct and fast (average 24 km / h). They are most active in the first two hours after dusk, but remain active throughout the night. There is no distinct variation in activity between seasons. They roost in tree hollows, caves, cracks in cliffs, buildings, and cracks in bridges. Echolocation calls are very loud and of low frequency (16 - 23 kHz), and are audible to humans.
biology_ecology
Habitat. The Greater Northern Free-tailed Bat occupies a very large range of habitats from sea level up to 1400 m, including mangroves, monsoon forests, dry sclerophyll woodlands, tree-lined riparian areas, rainforests, lower montane forests, villages, and farmland.
biology_ecology
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Greater Northern Free-tailed Bat generally roosts in small colonies of ¢. 10 - 15 individuals or fewer; however, large colonies of up to 300 individuals have been found. Like White-striped Free-tailed Bats (Austronomus australis), Greater Northern Free-tailed Bats are very vocal when in the roost, and their audible social calls can often be heard by humans from some distance away, alerting observers to the location of roosts. Greater Northern Free-tailed Bats travel long distances each night from roosts to foraging grounds, and have been reported often flying in pairs.
breeding
Breeding. Obviously pregnant females have been caught in October and November; single young are born in December, and become independent in March-April.
conservation
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List, because of its very wide distribution, expected large population, and tolerance to a broad range of habitats, including human-modified habitats.
description
Descriptive notes. Head-body 52 - 71 mm, tail 31 - 45 mm, ear 16 - 21 mm, hindfoot 10 - 3 - 12 - 6 mm, forearm 43 - 50 mm; weight 10 - 5 - 13 - 5 g (nominotypicaljobensis); head — body 80 - 90 mm, tail 35 - 45 mm, ear 16 - 22 mm, forearm 46 - 52 mm; weight 20 - 30 g (colonicus). Fur of the Greater Northern Free-tailed Bat is short and dark gray brown to reddish brown, slightly grayer below. Lips are wrinkled and ears are large, round, and joined by band ofskin across head. Skull rises very slightly from rostrum to cranium, with slight sagittal crest.
discussion
Chaerephon jobensis has sometimes been considered to include C. solomonis and C. bregullae as subspecies but genetic research by S. Ingleby and D. Colgan in 2003 has demonstrated them to be distinct species. Race colonicus was not recognized as distinct by W. D. L. Ride in 1970, but was reinstated as a subspecies by Ingleby and Colgan in 2003. Two subspecies recognized.
food_feeding
Food and Feeding. The Greater Northern Free-tailed Bat captures flying insects above the canopy or in open areas. It has been observed capturing moths attracted to streetlights and moth-trapping light stations.
materials_examined
“ Ansus, Island of Jobie [= Yapen Island], Northwestern New Guinea [= Papua Province], ” Indonesia.
synonymic_list
Subspecies and Distribution. C. j. jobensisG. S. Miller, 1902 — Moluccas (SeramI), YapenI, ENewGuinea, andBismarckArchipelago (NewBritainI). C. j. colonicus Thomas, 1906 — N Australia fromjust N of Geraldton in Western Australia E to Rockhampton in C Queensland, including major offshore Is.
Name
- Synonyms
- Nyctinomus jobensis G. S. Miller 1902
- Homonyms
- Chaerephon jobensis G. S. Miller 1902
- Common names
- Caerepon de Miller in language.
- Greater Northern Free-tailed Bat in English
- Northern Free-tailed Bat in English
- Northern Mastiff Bat in English
- Tadaride de Miller in French
- Wrinkle-lipped Mastiff Bat in English
- Yapen-Bulldogfledermaus in German