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Home > New Zealand ecology > Mammals >

New Zealand's only native land mammals were three species of bat.  Two species of short-tailed bats, were the world's most terrestrial bats, and the result of the bat family's attempt to produce a mouse.  The lesser short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata is now the sole surviving member of the family Mystacinidae which is endemic to New Zealand.  The family is one of four in the superfamily Noctilionoidea which, with the exception of Mystacina is restricted to central and south America.  Mystacina is a sister taxa of the genus Icarops consisting of three early Miocene species in Northern Australia.  Mystacina probably dispersed to New Zealand with prevailing winds from Australia in the late Oligocene or early Miocene about 30 million years ago.

Greater short-tailed bat  Mystacina robusta

Since the time of Maori settlement in the 13th century until its last sighting in 1967, one of the two surviving members of the ancient Mystacinidae family, the greater short-tailed bat was known only from Big South Cape Island, and adjoining Solomans Island off Stewart Island.  It became extinct after rats got ashore from a fishing vessel.  Only fossils have been found at various locations in the North and South Islands where it was once widespread.
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Northern short-tailed bat
Mystacina tuberculata aupourica
Central short-tailed bat
Mystacina tuberculata rhyacobia
Southern short-tailed bat
Mystacina tuberculata tuberculata

Three very odd subspecies, the world's sole survivors of the Mystacinidae family, remain at 13 locations throughout New Zealand. They feed on the ground hopping and darting through the forest, with wings folded in a pouch, using their arms as front limbs. They are relatively poor fliers, normally flying two or three metres off the ground.  See more

Long-tailed bat  Chalinolobus tuberculatus

The long-tailed bat arrived more recently than the Mystacina bats, assumably by windblown flight from Australia across the Tasman Sea. It is a close relative of five wattled bat species widely distributed throughout the western Pacific.  It is New Zealand's smallest bat, is more common, and is very different than the unique short-tailed species.  It is a better flier with a large homing range, and is an aerial insectivore, still widespread throughout the country.
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Photo Credit Top right: Short-tailed bat cluster, Ohakune, B.D. Lloyd  Center middle: Short-tailed bat, Codfish Island, B.D. Lloyd  Center bottom: Long-tailed bat, Gisborne, Dick Veitch  Left 2nd down: Takahe  Left 5th down: Kokako  Left 6th down: Tusked weta  Left 7th down: Archey's frog, Crown Copyright © Department of Conservation.
Left 8th down: Kauri, Alexander Turnbull Library
Illustration Credit Center top: Greater short-tailed bat, Peter Schouten  Left 3rd down: Huia (male and female) Heteralocha acutirostris 1888, John Gerrard Keulemans 1842-1912, permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

New Zealand Threatened Species Classification