Chocolate Wattled Bat vs Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat

Chalinolobus morio compared with Macronycteris commersonii

Key Differences

• Chocolate Wattled Bat is Least Concern while Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chocolate Wattled Bat	Commerson's Leaf-nosed 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	Vespertilionidae	Hipposideridae
Genus	Chalinolobus	Macronycteris
Species	Chalinolobus morio	Macronycteris commersonii

Evolutionary Relationship

Chocolate Wattled Bat and Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat share a common ancestor at the Order level: Chiroptera. (Bats)

Conservation Status

Chocolate Wattled Bat

LC — Least Concern

Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chocolate Wattled Bat	Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chocolate Wattled Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Chocolate Wattled Bat

The Chocolate Wattled Bat (Chalinolobus morio) is a small insectivorous bat in the family Vespertilionidae, endemic to Australia, where it is one of the more widespread members of the genus Chalinolobus — the wattled bats, named for the fleshy lobes (wattles) at the corners of the mouth. Chalinolobus morio is uniformly dark brown to chocolate-brown in colour, compact in build, and has the short, broad wings characteristic of bats that forage in cluttered forest environments at moderate to low altitudes. It is distributed across much of temperate and subtropical eastern Australia, southwestern Australia, and Tasmania, inhabiting diverse forest types from eucalypt woodland and mallee to tropical dry forest. The species roosts in tree hollows, bat boxes, and occasionally in buildings, sometimes forming small colonies. It feeds nocturnally on moths, beetles, mosquitoes, and other flying insects, using echolocation to detect and pursue prey. Like other hollow-dependent bats in Australia, populations are sensitive to the loss of large, old eucalypts with natural cavities. The IUCN classifies Chalinolobus morio as Least Concern given its broad distribution and relatively large population across Australia. Ongoing threats include hollow-bearing tree removal, roost disturbance, cat predation, and barbed wire entanglement.

Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat

<em>Macronycteris commersonii</em>, commonly known as Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat, is a chiropteran mammal in the family Hipposideridae. This species is assessed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it faces increasing pressures that could elevate its risk of extinction without conservation attention. Commerson's Leaf-nosed Bat typically inhabits a range of diverse ecosystems across sub-Saharan Africa, including forests, savannas, and areas near caves or rocky outcrops that serve as roosting sites. Like other hipposiderid bats, it uses echolocation to navigate and hunt in low-light conditions, often foraging for insects in open or semi-open environments after dark. Roost disturbance, habitat degradation, and human persecution are among the primary threats facing this species. The large, elaborately shaped noseleaf characteristic of the family helps focus echolocation signals during foraging. Populations are typically found roosting in caves, mines, and hollow trees in groups that may range from small colonies to large aggregations. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.