Eastern Malagasy Sucker Footed Bat

Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

As with many species in Madagascar, the sucker-footed bat is facing habitat loss at a profound level. An estimated 80-90% of the native vegetation in Madagascar has been destroyed, and the human population is growing at ~3%/year. Only recently have efforts to slow this trend begun, with a focus on saving the forest on the Masoala Peninsula, the last large forest in Madagascar.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Though little is known about this species, it has been determined that it is an insectivore, feeding primarily on Microlepidopteran moths.

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )

Although it occurred in east Africa during the Pleistocene, this species is now endemic to the island of Madagascar. M. aurita is found primarily along the east coast of the island.

Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )

Other Geographic Terms: island endemic

M. aurita is known to inhabit the palm forests of Madagascar, including the forest on the Masoala Peninsula.

Habitat Regions: tropical

Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest ; scrub forest

As an adult, this bat is generally about 57mm in length (body and head); length of tail 48mm; forearm length 46-50mm. They are named for the sessile pads on their wrists and ankles, which allow them to attach by suction to leaf surfaces. (These pads are similar to those on the Thyroptera tricolor. Although these two species fulfill a similar ecological niche, their suction pads appear to have evolved separately.) Their ears are large and a tragus is present. They have wide lips, and the upper extends beyond the lower lip. On their thumb is a vestigial claw. Their long tail extends beyond the length of the uropatagium. They have moderately dense fur that is generally light brown to golden brown in color. The skull is broad, short and rounded. Dental formula is: (2/3 1/1 3/3 3/3) x 2 = 38

Range mass: 8 to 10 g.

Range length: 105 to 125 mm.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual

This rare and little studied bat is only known from a few specimens. What is known about it is that its remarkable suction pads enable it to cling to smooth vertical surfaces. Glands secrete a substance directly onto the surface of the suction pads to aid adhesion to a surface, creating a bond strong enough to support the bat's entire body weight. One specimen was found roosting in the uncoiled leaf of the palm Ravenala madagascariensis and therefore it is presumed to roost in palms and similar vegetation. It roosts with the head uppermost whilst using the tail as a prop (2) (3). The Old World sucker-footed bat possesses a complex echolocation system and produces remarkably long calls, used to hunt insects, in particular small moths (2).

At present there are no known conservation measures in place specifically for the Old World sucker-footed bat, however it does occur in at least one protected area; the Ankarafantsika National Park in the Mahajanga Province. The IUCN/SSC Chiroptera Specialist Group outlines a number of conservation actions recommended for this species including carrying out further research on distribution and abundance, using radio-tracking to establish roosting and foraging requirements, and designating critical areas as reserves (8).

This peculiar looking bat is one of only four sucker-footed bats in the world, and is found only on the island of Madagascar. Their prominent feature, and the origin of their name, is the horse-shoe shaped suction pads on the thumbs and soles. The Myzopoda sucker-footed bats differ from the other two sucker-footed bats in South America, as their suckers are not borne on small stalks. The large ears possess a tragus, and a unique small mushroom-shaped process lies at the base. The lips are wide, with the upper lip protruding significantly beyond the lower, and the thumb has a small vestigial claw. The fur varies from mid-brown to a rich golden-brown and is tinged with russet (2) (3). The long tail projects beyond the membrane that stretches between the arms, legs and elongated fingers to form the wings (4). The Old World sucker-footed bat was believed to be the only species in the genus Myzopoda until early 2007, when a new species (Myzopoda schliemanni) was discovered in Madagascar. It differs from Myzopoda aurita in the colour of its fur, its external measurements and features of the skull (5).

The Old World sucker-footed bat is thought to be restricted to rainforest and the 'savoka', or secondary forest (2) (3).

Endemic to Madagascar, the Old World sucker-footed bat has been found at a number of localities on the eastern coast, and at a couple of locations in western Madagascar (2) (6).

Classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List 2006 (1).

Like many other Malagasy species, the loss of forest habitat certainly poses a threat to the Old World sucker-footed bat. The forests of Madagascar face continuous and intensive pressure from encroaching agriculture, fire and over-exploitation, all intensified by growing human populations (7). However, the extent to which it may be impacted is hard to determine due to the lack of information regarding this species' behaviour and ecology. If the Old World sucker-footed bat roosts primarily in Ravenala, its roost sites may be secure as this palm species is more common in secondary, rather than primary, forest (8).

The Madagascar sucker-footed bat, Old World sucker-footed bat, or simply sucker-footed bat (Myzopoda aurita) is a species of bat in the family Myzopodidae endemic to Madagascar, especially in the eastern part of the forests. The genus was thought to be monospecific until a second species, Myzopoda schliemanni, was discovered in the central western lowlands. It was classified as Vulnerable in the 1996 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species but is now known to be more abundant and was reclassified in 2008 as of "Least Concern".

The bat is named for the presence of small cups on its wrists and ankles. They roost inside the rolled leaves of the traveller's tree, using their suckers to attach themselves to the smooth surface. Despite the name, it is now known that the bats do not use suction to attach themselves to roost sites, but instead use a form of wet adhesion by secreting a body fluid at their pads. The ankle and wrist pads of the bat are controlled by muscle contraction and allow the bat to separate the pads to reduce the adhesive effect. This allows the bats to climb with ease and to remove themselves from surfaces after sticking. Due to this property the Madagascar sucker-footed bat is one of the few bat species that roosts with its head up rather than upside down. This is so the bat does not accidentally lose control of the adhesive pads while it is sleeping due to the muscle tension associated with roosting upside down.

Because of their unique habitat, sucker-footed bats don't carry ectoparasites, due to the smooth surface of the Ravenala leaves being inhospitable to small arthropods The majority of sucker-footed bats caught in eastern Madagascar were within or close to stands of traveller's trees, and according to research, the maximum distance they will travel while foraging is about 1.8 km (1.1 mi). Sucker-footed bats feed largely on beetles and small moths.