Big-eared Flying Fox vs Cluster Bat

Pteropus macrotis compared with Myotis sodalis

Key Differences

• Big-eared Flying Fox is Least Concern while Cluster Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-eared Flying Fox	Cluster Bat
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order same	Chiroptera (Bats)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)	Myotis
Species	Pteropus macrotis	Myotis sodalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-eared Flying Fox and Cluster Bat share a common ancestor at the Order level: Chiroptera. (Bats)

Conservation Status

Big-eared Flying Fox

LC — Least Concern

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-eared Flying Fox	Cluster Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-eared Flying Fox

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cluster Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Big-eared Flying Fox

The Big-eared Flying Fox (Pteropus macrotis) is a species in the genus Pteropus. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Cluster Bat

Myotis sodalis, the Indiana bat or cluster bat, is a medium-sized insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae endemic to the eastern United States. It is one of the most endangered bats in North America, listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. The species is named for its behavior of clustering in extremely dense hibernation groups—sometimes thousands of bats per square meter—in specific limestone caves and mines during winter. These few critical hibernacula make the species extremely vulnerable to disturbance and disease. Since 2007, Indiana bats have suffered severe mortality from white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation and causes mass starvation. During summer, Indiana bats roost under loose bark of dead trees and forage for insects over forested landscapes and riparian areas. Foraging individuals consume moths, beetles, and flying insects. Conservation efforts include cave gate protection, white-nose syndrome research, and summer habitat management on public and private lands across the eastern US.