Yoda bat named as Happy.

What is it about?

The affectionately named Yoda bat gets a recognised as a new species and formally described. Most remote papuans have never seen star wars, so I used the local name: the (hamamas ) or happy tube nosed fruit bat. The species is very difficult to tell apart from other tube nosed fruit bats. The jaw is broader and rounder than other bats which gives the impression of a constant smile- the happy bat. It's formal name Nyctimene wrightae, sp. nov. is named after the conservationist and PNG capacity builder Dr. Deb Wight. Two similar looking species that had never been illustrations or photographed described early before 1910 also had to be rediscribed and photographed. Now these three species can be identified and their true distibutions and conservation status determined.

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Why is it important?

New species require formal names and methods to identify them. All biodiversity depends on knowing what species are where and how they interact with the environment. The Happy tube nosed fruit bat belongs to a group that has been known since 1769, but was not recognised. Now after 250 years this cryptic species very difficult to tell apart from its cousins can be identified and its ecology can be studied in the field.

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