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).

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).

This species and family is endemic to the island of Madagascar (Goodman et al. 2007). It is found in the humid zone of eastern and north-eastern Madagascar and appears to be most common at elevations lower than 500 m (Schliemann and Goodman 2003) although it has been recorded at Andasibe (ca. 970 m).

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

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).

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.

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Terrestrial

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

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

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 )

Pads attach to smooth surfaces: Madagascar sucker-footed bat
 

Pads on wrists and ankles of bats attach to smooth surfaces via wet adhesion.

   
  "Individuals of most bat species hang head-down by their toenails from  rough surfaces, but Madagascar's endemic sucker-footed bat (Myzopoda aurita) clings head-up to smooth leaves using  specialized pads on its wrists and ankles. We investigated the adhesive  performance of 28 individuals and found that attachment performance on  brass was not affected by the presence or absence of a seal around the  pad–surface interface. Furthermore, on smooth acrylic, the wrist pads  were more than nine-fold weaker when lifted perpendicular to the surface  than when pulled parallel to it. The unimportance of a seal and the  difference in strength in those directions on a smooth surface are  characteristic of wet adhesion, but not of suction. Thus, despite its  name, the sucker-footed bat appears to adhere using wet adhesion. We  observed that when wrist pads were pushed anteriorly, they unpeeled  easily from the surface because of deformation of the pads. This most  likely permits rapid detachment during crawling, but would also cause  passive detachment if bats roosted head-down. This provides an  ecomorphological explanation to the head-up roosting behaviour of these  unique bats." (Riskin and Racey 2009:223)
  Learn more about this functional adaptation.

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

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

Population

Population Trend

Major Threats

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).

Conservation Actions

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).