Murina suilla
Murina suilla is the smallest of the four species of Murina that we catch at Krau Wildlife Reserve.
Murina suilla resting on a small branch
Distribution of Murina suilla
Physical Description
Nose: The Murina are called the “tube-nosed” bats because they have very distinctive tubular nostrils.
When you look down on the nose of Murina from above, you can clearly see the tubular nostrils sticking out either side of the muzzle
Ears: Rounded with a sharply pointed tragus within.
Tail: The tail is very long and the tail membrane large, and at each ankle, there is a thin rod of cartilage called a calcar, to which the tail membrane is attached, which helps the bat control the position of the membrane in flight. Soft fine hairs cover the tail membrane. The bat uses the large tail membrane partly to help it brake during flight, but it also acts as a sort of scoop that helps the bat to catch insects. After successfully catching an insect, he will duck his head down and grab it from the tail membrane scoop with his mouth.
Fur: The fur of Murina suilla is long and soft, and on the upperparts and head it is orangy-brown, although the fur on the underparts is paler, grayish-white. The fur tends to extend to the parts of the wing membrane closest to the body, and there are fine hairs on the tail membrane as well.
This is one of the browner individuals of Murina suilla, but you can clearly see the paler underparts
Wings: The wings are blackish brown and broad, and Murina are unusual in that they seem to be able to hover in flight, a bit like a humming bird. The thumbs are also large in this species, and the bat seems to be quite good at using the long thumbs with the sharp claws on the end for climbing.
Size: This is the smallest of the Murina in Krau with an average forearm length of 30 mm and an average weight of 4 g.
Ecology
This species is mainly found in lowland forests with occasional individuals found in hill forests as well (up to 600 m above sea level). We know very little about this species because they are too small to radio-track, so we have yet to find a roost. It is possible that they form small social groups, because individuals in temporary captivity occasionally produce piercing calls audible to people. These are quite likely to be contact calls — efforts by the individual to contact its social group. They are much louder and lower in frequency than normal echolocation calls, so they should travel over greater distances, which is important for keeping in touch with your friends when flying in the dark forest!
Where they can be found
Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and nearby islands
