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{{Short description|Species of bat}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Pygmy long-eared bat
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=McKenzie, N. |author2=Lumsden, L.F. |author3=Parnaby, H. |author4=Milne, D.J. |date=2020 |title=''Nyctophilus walkeri'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T15011A22003303 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T15011A22003303.en |access-date=16 November 2021}}</ref>
| taxon = Nyctophilus walkeri
| authority = [[Oldfield Thomas|Thomas]], 1892<ref name="Thomas1892" />
| range_map= Distribution of Nyctophilus walkeri.png
| synonyms =
}}

The '''pygmy long-eared bat''' ('''''Nyctophilus walkeri''''') is a [[vesper bat]], found in the north of the Australian continent. An insectivorous flying hunter, they are one of the tiniest mammals in Australia, weighing only a few grams and one or two inches long.

==Taxonomy ==
''Nyctophilus walkeri'' is a species of genus ''[[Nyctophilus]]'', long-eared microbats allied to the common and diverse bat family [[Vespertilionidae]].<ref name="ALA" /> The description was published by [[Oldfield Thomas]] in 1892,<ref name="AFDsp" /><ref name="Richards2012" /> and continued to be widely recognised by subsequent authorities. The type specimen was collected at the [[Adelaide River]] in the Northern Territory.<ref name="Jackson2015" /> The collector of the specimen was noted by the author, [[Marine engineering|marine engineer]] and [[entomologist]] [[James John Walker (entomologist)|James John Walker]], and the epithet ''walkeri'' proposed to commemorate his extensive field collections.<ref name="Thomas1892" /><ref name="Beolens2011" /> The description of Thomas nominated this as the third species of the genus, comparing it to his earlier description for ''[[Nyctophilus microtis]]'', published in 1888.<ref name="Thomas1888" /> The type for the genus, once regarded as monotypic, was ''[[Nyctophilus timoriensis]]'', named as the Australian long-eared bat.<ref name="Thomas1892" />

Other names for the species include Territory long-eared bat and little Northern Territory bat.<ref name="QLDgov" />

== Description ==
The smallest of the genus, they weigh {{convert|3|to|7|g}} and have a tibia that is {{convert|30|to|36|mm}}.<ref name="Richards2012" /> The measurement of the head and body of the type, an adult female preserved in alcohol, is around {{convert|45|mm}} in length.<ref name="Thomas1892" /> The light colour of the fur is fawn at the back and creamy at the ventral side. The wings are brown, the much darker shade of the [[Patagium|membrane]] is intersected with paler skin over the bats arm and finger bones.<ref name="Richards2012" />

==Distribution and habitat ==
They are found in the north of Western Australia in the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] region and across the [[Top End]] of the continent.<ref name="Richards2012" /> They are common at the [[Drysdale River National Park]] and the [[Mitchell River National Park (Western Australia)]] (Mitchell Plateau).<ref name="Andrew2015" /> They are also recorded in the eastern state of [[Queensland]] at Lawn Hill Gorge in the [[Boodjamulla National Park]],<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021" /> noisily occupying the Livingstonia palms while roosting.<ref name="Andrew2015" />

The habitat is rocky outcrops close to open or flowing water or in dense associated vegetation of ''[[Pandanus]]'', ''[[Melaleuca]]'', and ''[[Livistona]]'' woodlands or forest.<ref name="iucn status 16 November 2021" /><ref name="Andrew2015" />

== Ecology ==
One of four species of ''Nyctophilus'' found in its range, and along with the mangrove dwelling ''[[Pipistrellus westralis]]'' and northern cave''[[Vespadelus caurinus]]'' bat species, amongst the smallest mammals in Australia.<ref name="Richards2012" />

Little is known of the habits of the pygmy long-eared bat, it is recorded in association with permanent water at the nearby riparian vegetation.<ref name="AMfacts" /> The species has the ability for slow and manoeuvrable flight, which gives a fluttering appearance while foraging over water or in densely vegetated environs.<ref name="Andrew2015" /> The diet is beetles, wasps and bugs. Pastoral and agricultural activities threaten the habitat of the species, changes in land use that reduce refuge and foraging opportunities by degradation of the vegetation.<ref name="AMfacts" /> It is classified as least concern in Queensland and the Northern Territory state conservation listings.<ref name="QLDgov" /><ref name="ALA" />

==References==
{{Reflist|1|refs=

<ref name="Beolens2011">{{cite book |last1=Beolens |first1=B. |last2=Watkins |first2=M. |last3=Grayson |first3=M. |title=The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles |date=2011 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=9781421401355 |page=279 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3ovZoFyLhzkC&pg=PA279 |language=en |quote=A mammal is named after him}}</ref>

<ref name="Richards2012">{{cite book |last1=Richards |first1=G.C. |last2=Hall |first2=L.S. |last3=Parish |first3=S. (photography) |title=A natural history of Australian bats : working the night shift |date=2012 |publisher=CSIRO Pub |isbn=9780643103740 |pages=14, 166}}</ref>

<ref name="ALA">{{cite web |title=''Nyctophilus walkeri'' Thomas, 1892: Pygmy Long-Eared Bat |url=https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:ae42e989-ee6a-4945-97c7-c993594de31b#overview |website=Atlas of Living Australia |publisher=[[Australian Government]] |access-date=16 January 2019 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

<ref name="AFDsp">{{cite web |title=Species ''Nyctophilus walkeri'' Thomas, 1892|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Nyctophilus_walkeri/complete |website=[[Australian Faunal Directory]] |access-date=16 January 2019 |language=en |date=2018-12-04}}</ref>

<ref name="AMfacts">{{cite web |title=Pygmy Long-eared Bat |url=https://australianmuseum.net.au/learn/animals/bats/pygmy-long-eared-bat/ |website=The Australian Museum |access-date=20 January 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="Thomas1888">{{cite journal |last1=Thomas |first1=Oldfield |title=XXVIII.—Description of a new bat of the genus Nyctophilus |journal=The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology |date=1888 |volume=2 |issue=9 |series=6 |pages=226 |doi=10.1080/00222938809460915 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/62829 |issn=0374-5481}}</ref>

<ref name="Thomas1892">{{cite journal |last1=Thomas |first1=Oldfield |author-link1=Oldfield Thomas |title=Description of a third species of the genus Nyctophilus |journal=The Annals and Magazine of Natural History; Zoology, Botany, and Geology |date=1892 |volume=9 |series=6 |issue=53 |pages=405–406 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/59713#/summary |issn=0374-5481|doi=10.1080/00222939208677346 }}</ref>

<ref name="Jackson2015">{{cite book |last1=Jackson |first1=Stephen |last2=Jackson |first2=Stephen Matthew |last3=Groves |first3=Colin |title=Taxonomy of Australian Mammals |date=2015 |publisher=Csiro Publishing |isbn=9781486300136 |page=269 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RPznCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA269 |language=en}}</ref>

<ref name="QLDgov">{{cite web |title=Species profile |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=940 |website=Environment, land and water (Qld) |publisher=des.qld.gov.au |access-date=21 January 2019 |language=en-AU |date=20 October 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Andrew2015">{{cite book |last1=Andrew |first1=D. |title=Complete Guide to Finding the Mammals of Australia. |date=2015 |publisher=CSIRO Publishing |isbn=9780643098145 |page=330}}</ref>


}}

{{Vespertilionidae|V.|Ny.}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1832072}}

[[Category:Bats of Australia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Northern Territory]]
[[Category:Nyctophilus]]
[[Category:Mammals described in 1892]]
[[Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas]]

Pygmy long-eared bat - Revision history

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