121.

Loria’s Free-tailed Bat

Ozimops loriae

French: Tadaride de Loria / German: Loria-Bulldogfledermaus / Spanish: Murciélago rabudo de Loria

Other common names: Loria’s Mastiff Bat, Little Northern Mastiff Bat

Taxonomy. Nyctinomus loriae Thomas, 1897,

“Kamali,” close to the mouth of the Kemp Welch River, Papua New Guinea.

As currently defined, Ozimops loriae is confined to Papua New Guinea after its former races cobourgianus and ride: were elevated to species level. It was included in the novel subgenus Ozimops, elevated to genus level by S. M. Jackson and C. P. Groves in 2015. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from a few locations in SE coastal Papua New Guinea, in and around the National Capital District, Port Moresby, and Central Province.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 48-50 mm, tail 27 mm, ear 11 mm, hindfoot 5- 3-8 mm, forearm 32-34 mm; weight 6-13 g. Loria’s Free-tailed Bat is the smallest free-tailed bat in Papua New Guinea. Fur is pale gray brown, paler on underside. Upperlip is wrinkled. Wings are long, narrow, and tapered and black brown. Ears are not joined by a membrane, and are triangular with smooth margins. Adult males have a gular pouch.

Habitat. Known only from.low-elevation savanna woodlands between sea level and 100 m, including the urban settlements of Port Moresby.

Food and Feeding. Loria’s Free-tailed Bat probably forages for flying insects in open areas or above the forest canopy. Based on wing morphology, flight is presumed to be direct and fast, with limited maneuverability.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. Loria’s Free-tailed Bats have been reported roosting in hollows in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Australian Museum has nine Loria’s Free-tailed Bat specimens collected from a single roost in a tree hollow, at Laloki in Central Province, Papua New Guinea. The roost contained at least nine individuals of mixed sexes.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List (as Mormopterus loriae), because there is insufficient information on the species’ range and population size (both of which appear very small), or on possible threats.

Bibliography. Bonaccorso (1998), Jackson & Groves (2015), Reardon et al. (2014).