Hey guys had you imagine a big bat on your dreams but
never dreamed the smallest one. Yes, there is a bat which is part of list of
smallest animals on Earth. Yes today we are going to see one of the Smallest Creatures
in world.
Scientific
classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia Order: Chiroptera
Family: Craseonycteridae Genus: Craseonycteris
Species: C. thonglongyai
Let’s know about this small and beautiful animal .The
Kitty’s hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), sometimes referred to as
the bumblebee bat due to its diminutive size, was discovered in 1970s and could
arguably be the world’s smallest mammal, depending on how size is defined.
Kitti's
hog-nosed bat is about 29 to 33 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in) in length and
2 g (0.071 oz) in mass. hence the common name of "bumblebee bat". It is the smallest species
of bat and may be the world's smallest mammal, depending on how size is
defined. The main competitors for the title are small shrews; in particular, the Etruscan shrew may be lighter at 1.2
to 2.7 g (0.042 to 0.095 oz) but is longer, measuring 36 to
53 mm (1.4 to 2.1 in) from its head to the base of the tail. The bat
has a distinctive swollen, pig-like snout with thin, vertical nostrils. Its
ears are relatively large, while its eyes are small and mostly concealed by
fur. Its teeth are typical of an insectivorous bat. The dental formula is 1:1:1:3 in the upper
jaw and 2:1:2:3 in the lower jaw, with large upper incisors. Kitti's
hog-nosed bat roosts in caves in limestone hills, far from the entrance.
While
many caves contain only 10 to 15 individuals, the average group size is 100,
with a maximum of about 500. Individuals roost high on walls or roof domes, far
apart from each other. Bats also undertake seasonal migration between caves.
Kitti's hog-nosed bat has a brief activity period,
leaving its roost for only 30 minutes in the evening and 20 minutes at dawn.
These short flights are easily interrupted by heavy rain or cold temperatures.
During this period, the bat forages within fields of cassava and kapok or
around the tops of bamboo clumps and teak trees, within one kilometre of the
roosting site. The wings seem to be shaped for hovering flight, and the gut
contents of specimens include spiders and insects that are presumably gleaned
off foliage.
Nevertheless, most prey is probably caught in flight.
Kitti's
hog-nosed bat is the only extant species in the family Craseonycteridae, which
is grouped in the superfamily Rhinolophoidea as a result of molecular testing.
Based on this determination, the bat's closest relatives are members of the
families Hipposideridae and Rhinopomatidae. As of the species' most
recent review in 2008, Kitti's hog-nosed bat is listed by the IUCN as
vulnerable, with a downward population trend.
Soon after the bat's discovery in
the 1970s, some roosting sites became disturbed as a result of tourism, scientific
collection, and even the collection and sale of individuals as souvenirs.
However, these pressures may not have had a significant effect on the species
as a whole, since many small colonies exist in hard-to-access locations, and
only a few major caves were disturbed. Another potential risk is the activity
of local monks, who have occupied roost caves during periods of
meditation.Currently, the most significant and long-term threat to the Thai
population could be the annual burning of forest areas, which is most prevalent
during the bat's breeding season.
In addition, the proposed construction of a
pipeline from Myanmar to Thailand may have a negative impact. Threats to the
Myanmar population are not well known.In 2007, Kitti's hog-nosed bat was identified
by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered project as one of its
Top 10 "focal species".
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