A golden bat from Bolivia has been described as a new species by scientists.
Myotis midastactus had previously been classified as another bat found in South America called Myotis simus.
But examination of a collection of museum specimens suggested the existence of a different species, thought to live only in Bolivia.
Its most distinctive characteristic is its golden-yellow, very short and woolly fur.
This bright colouration – which is unique among New World Myotis species – earned the bat its new name midastactus, after the Greek legend of King Midas and his golden touch.
In the wild, Myotis midastactus lives in the Bolivian savanna. It eats small insects and roosts during the day in holes in the ground, hollow trees and under thatched roofs.
