Cluster Bat vs Gray-headed Flying Fox

Myotis sodalis compared with Pteropus poliocephalus

Key Differences

Cluster Bat is Near Threatened while Gray-headed Flying Fox is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cluster Bat	Gray-headed Flying Fox
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	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Myotis	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Myotis sodalis	Pteropus poliocephalus

Evolutionary Relationship

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

View Order: Chiroptera

Conservation Status

Cluster Bat

NT — Near Threatened

Gray-headed Flying Fox

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cluster Bat	Gray-headed Flying Fox
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Gray-headed Flying Fox

Habitat

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.