Little forest bat

Little Forest Bat
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Vespertilionidae
Genus: Vespadelus
Species:
V. vulturnus
Binomial name
Vespadelus vulturnus
(Thomas, 1914)
Synonyms
  • Eptesicus vulturnus Thomas, 1914
  • Eptesicus pumilus vulturnus Thomas 1914
  • Vespertilio pygmaeus Becker 1858 (not Leach 1825)

The little forest bat (Vespadelus vulturnus) is a species of vesper bat in the family Vespertilionidae. It is found only in south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is a tiny bat often weighing less than 4 g (0.14 oz) (males in some areas weigh as little as 2.5 g (0.088 oz)). It is sometimes referred to as Australia's smallest mammal, although the Northern or Koopmans Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus westralis, is possibly smaller, weighing on average around 3 g (0.11 oz). It is the smallest bat in Tasmania