Arabian trident bat


The Arabian trident bat is a species of Old World leaf-nosed bat found in the Middle East.

Taxonomy and etymology

The Arabian trident bat was described as a new species in 2011.
It was distinguished as a result of a taxonomic split in the trident bat, A. tridens.
The holotype had been collected in 2005 in the Al Mahrah Governorate of Yemen.
Its species name "arabica" is derived from the Arabian Peninsula where it is found.

Description

Its forearm length is approximately.
The fur of its back is beige or a pale, brownish-gray.
The fur may have a yellowish or faint rusty tint.
Its belly fur is paler than its back fur.
Its flight membranes are also a pale, brownish-gray.

Range and habitat

It is found in the Middle East, with documented occurrence in southwestern Oman and southeastern Yemen.

Conservation

As of 2017, it is evaluated as a data deficient species by the IUCN.
It meets the criteria for this classification because it was only discovered relatively recently, and thus little is known about its biology and ecology.
Additionally, there is no estimate of its population size.