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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
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| Est. World Population: | 1500-2000 |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Vulnerable |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
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| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
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The only recent capture of this species on Manus Island was in an area of relatively intact lowland rainforest. The capture and two acoustic recordings were made on narrow flight paths in areas with relatively dense understory. The only recent captures on New Britain were made along watercourses in disturbed environments and secondary regrowth, but these were recently converted areas (S. Hamilton pers. comm.) and it is not known whether the species can persist in these habitats.
Nothing is known of the feeding ecology or reproductive biology of the species but its morphology suggests that it is a slow flying ‘foliage gleaner,’ adapted to foraging in dense vegetation. Other species of Kerivoula roost singly or in small groups in old bird nests or epiphytes. The better-known species of Kerivoula all show a strong preference for intact closed forest habitats and a low tolerance for habitat degradation and fragmentation. Until shown otherwise, it should be assumed that populations of K. myrella will persist only in relatively intact forest habitat.All species of Kerivoula show a strong preference for intact closed forest habitats and a low tolerance for habitat degradation and fragmentation. Until shown otherwise, it should be assumed that populations of K. myrella will persist only in relatively intact forest habitat.
This species is endemic to Papua New Guinea. It was described from Manus Island in the remote Admiralty Group, north of the main island of New Guinea, and subsequently reported from several islands in the Bismarck Archipelago (the islands of New Britain, Duke of York, and Umboi) to the east. The two island groups are separated from each other by an open ocean passage of ca 250 km. The two known localities for K. myrella on Manus Island are near to sea level (Aplin et al. 2015, Armstrong et al. 2015). Those in the Bismarck Archipelago range from sea level to 500 m asl (Bonaccorso 1998). A specimen from Wetar Island, Indonesia, tentatively referred to this species by Hill and Rozendaal (1989) may represent K. hardwickii (F. Bonaccorso pers. comm.) and is not considered further under this assessment.
This species is not known to occur in any conservation area. Habitat protection is the only effective measures for its continued survival and degraded forests should be restored to provide future habitat. Additional research is needed for the species taxonomy, distribution, population status and trends, threats, and ecology.