Fun Greater Monkey-faced Bat Facts For Kids
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Heard of fruit bats or flying foxes? Confused about whether they are bats or foxes?
These are megabats constituting the family Pteropodidae from the order Chiroptera. Among 46 genera classified under the family is the genus Pteralopex.
The genus Pteralopex further comprises five different species including the Bougainville monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex anceps), Guadalcanal monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex atrata), greater monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex flanneryi), montane monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex pulchra), and New Georgian monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex taki).
Yes, monkey-faced bats do exist. Formerly considered conspecific to the Bougainville monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex anceps), this new species of bat was first documented by Kristofer Helgen in 2005.
This new species of Pteralopex is also listed under Systematics of the Pacific monkey-faced bats. This species endemic to the Solomon Islands in Papua New Guinea has its conservation status listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is at a high risk of facing extinction.
If the uniqueness of a greater monkey-faced bat makes you interested to read more about similar species, you can read about the vampire bat and the red bat.
Greater Monkey-Faced Bat Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a greater monkey-faced bat?
The greater monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex flanneryi) is an endangered species of megabat. It is closely related to other species belonging to the same genus including the Bougainville monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex anceps), Guadalcanal monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex atrata), montane monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex pulchra), and New Georgian monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex taki).
What class of animal does a greater monkey-faced bat belong to?
This species of greater monkey-faced bat belongs to the kingdom Animalia, class Mammalia, order Chiroptera, family Pteropodidae, and the genus Pteralopex.
How many greater monkey-faced bats are there in the world?
While the conservation status of species is known to be listed as Critically Endangered, the population is documented to be decreasing rapidly and is close to becoming extinct due to hunting and the habitat destruction of the forest.
There was only one individual in 1990 and was listed among the 35 species under the worldwide priority list of conservation by Bat Conservation International in 2015.
Where does a greater monkey-faced bat live?
The greater monkey-faced bat range is found to be endemic to the Solomon Islands in Papua New Guinea. It is found in Bougainville Island, Puruata Island, Buka Island, Choiseul Island, Santa Isabel Island, and Barora Fa Island. This species of megabats and microbats are native to Fiji.
What is a greater monkey-faced bat's habitat?
The greater monkey-faced bat habitat is primarily known to revolve around the lowland forest of the islands. It is found from elevations ranging from 0-656 ft (0-200 m) above sea level.
Who do greater monkey-faced bats live with?
Bats are gregarious species and are found living in camps. The conservation status is listed as Critically Endangered and is close to becoming extinct due to a declining population. There was just one individual recorded in 1990 that lived a solitary life.
How long does a greater monkey-faced bat live?
The life span of the population of the greater monkey-faced bat is unrecorded. A bowhead whale is reported to be the longest living mammal as it is known to live for around 100 years.
How do they reproduce?
While there is limited information available about the species, the highest population of juveniles is recorded around February, April, and September in the breeding season.
What is their conservation status?
The conservation status of the greater monkey-faced bat is listed as a Critically Endangered species under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. There have been several steps for conservation management initiated by the government and environmental conservation service.
Greater Monkey-Faced Bat Fun Facts
What do greater monkey-faced bats look like?
The greater monkey-faced bat is the largest among its genus Pteralopex. The fur over its pelage is short, while the forearm and shin are sparsely furred.
The fur is black with white-yellow hairs present throughout its chest. While the greater monkey-faced bat appearance is similar to the Bougainville monkey-faced bat (Pteralopex anceps), the Bougainville monkey-faced bat does not have white-yellow hairs around its chest. The double canine tooth and powerful jaws of the bat are unique characteristics that assist in breaking coconuts.
We've been unable to source an image of a greater monkey-faced bat and have used an image of a flying fox instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a greater monkey-faced bat, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
Whether the greater monkey-faced bat is cute or not is subjective. The description of this Critcally Endangered species makes it sound quite scary. This species is the only flying mammal attracting attention. Also, the bright eyes of this species of bats in the dark make this species even scarier.
How do they communicate?
While no specific information is available highlighting the communication mechanism of the greater monkey-faced bat, this species of bats communicate using sound waves. The species produces waves from its mouth and nose assessing the distance between itself and its prey.
Since this species of bat is frugivorous and does not prey upon other species, the waves produced assist the greater monkey-faced bat to communicate with members of the same species. Also, this species of bats use echolocation.
How big is a greater monkey-faced bat?
This species of greater monkey-faced bats is known to be the largest among its genus. The length of the bat ranges from 6.3–6.7 in (16-17 cm), while the wingspan varies up to 5 ft (1.5 m). On the other hand, the average length of bats residing in Fiji is recorded to be 4 in (10 cm).
How fast can a greater monkey-faced bat fly?
While the speed of the greater monkey-faced bat is not recorded, ghost bats are recorded to fly at a speed of 100 mph (161 kph).
How much does a greater monkey-faced bat weigh?
The greater monkey-faced bat weighs up to 1.7 lb (0.7 kg) and fruit bats are twice the weight of the greater monkey-faced bat.
What are the male and female names of the species?
The greater monkey-faced bat male and greater monkey-faced bat female do not have specific names specific for their sex.
What would you call a baby greater monkey-faced bat?
The greater monkey-faced bat baby does not have a specific name. Like all mammals, a baby bat is also called a pup.
What do they eat?
This species of bats are frugivorous as the greater monkey-faced bat diet primarily comprises coconuts.
Are they dangerous?
No, this species of bats do not possess any danger.
Would they make a good pet?
No, while bats are wild species and do not possess danger, there are no reports highlighting the behavior of the bats in captivity. They do not make good pets.
Did you know...
The greater monkey-faced bat was considered conspecific to the Bougainville monkey-faced bat until Helgen documented the species as a distinct and new creature.
It is speculated to be a close relative of the Guadalcanal monkey-faced bat.
Is the greater monkey-faced bat endangered?
Yes, the greater monkey-faced bat is listed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The species is at risk of becoming Extinct.
How did the greater monkey-faced bat get its name?
It is a bat with a face similar to a monkey and is the largest among its genus. This is how the greater monkey-faced bat name originated
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our hoary bat facts and Mexican free-tailed bat facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable greater monkey-faced bat coloring pages.
Second image by Rob Freijs
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As a skilled content writer, Gurpuneet has written and managed engaging content for multiple websites and companies. Driven by a passion for helping young people achieve their full potential, she brings a unique perspective to her work. She is currently pursuing a degree in Economics from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College Of Commerce. With extensive experience as a tutor, Gurpuneet has made a significant impact by providing guidance and academic support to students. Her dedication extends beyond tutoring as she has volunteered with Action India, where she offered medical assistance and educational aid to underprivileged communities. Additionally, Gurpuneet has contributed to the creation of student study guides for various educational agencies.
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