Broad-eared bat
| Broad-eared bat | ||||||||||||
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| Nyctinomops laticaudatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Geoffroy , 1805) |
The broad-eared bat ( Nyctinomops laticaudatus ) is a species of bat from the family of bulldog bats , which is native to North and South America. The name is composed of the Greek Nyctinomops (means something like "animal that eats at night") and the Latin latis and caudata (= "long tail"). A synonym is Tadarida laticaudata (note the feminine Latin ending for this genus).
description
The broad-eared bat is smaller than the peale ( Nyctinomops aurispinosus ), the pocket ( Nyctinomops femorosaccus ) and the large cantilever bat ( Nyctinomops macrotis ). The coat color is chocolate brown with a lighter belly. The hair of the peritoneum has a light tip. The flight membrane is not hairy and slightly translucent. The ears are large, rounded and connected on the head at the inner corners. The tragus is short and square. The thigh and the upper part of the lower leg are covered on the abdomen by a fold of skin that extends from the genital region to the lower third of the lower leg. The muzzle is pointed and directed upwards, the lower lip has deep folds that extend over the lower lip. The nostrils are each surrounded by a tubular skin fold. The lower jaw is longer and more fragile compared to most other bulldog bats. The total length of this species averages 102 mm, the forearm length 43 mm and the weight 11.3 g.
Way of life
The wide-eared bat occurs in various tropical and subtropical habitats, including rainforests , cloud forests , bushland, mangrove forests , savannas and swamps . Like most bats, the animals are nocturnal. They feed on insects, mainly beetles and moths . During the day, the species hides in caves, crevices, buildings and walls. In Cuba , a colony was discovered between the compressed dead leaves of the Copernicia vespertilionum palm . The colonies reach a size of up to 1,000 individuals, depending on their location. The animals are in close physical contact with each other and communicate with chirping calls. The hanging place the broad-eared bat is divided occasionally with other bat species such as the Jamaican fruit bat ( Artibeus jamaicensis ) Artibeus lituratus , the commons vampire ( Desmodus rotundus ), Wagner's bonneted bat , mormopterus minutus , the black mouse ear ( Myotis nigricans ), Natalus stramineus which Peale - and the pocket free-tailed bat, Pteronotus parnelli and the Mexican bulldog bat ( Tadarida brasiliensis ). Well-known predators of the broad-eared bat are the barn owl ( Tyto alba ), the styx owl ( Asio stygius ) and slender boas (genus Epicrates ).
Reproduction
The females are seasonally monoestrous, with ovulation occurring during the rainy season. On the Yucatán Peninsula ( Mexico ) the females are pregnant between April and the end of June, in Cuba between June and July. Each female gives birth to only one young per year. Newborns weigh about a quarter of a full-grown animal (2.8 to 3.1 g) and are born without fur, but with bristle-like hair on the snout and feet. Ears and eyes are closed during childbirth, but open a few hours afterwards.
distribution and habitat
The broad-eared bat is relatively rare in the entire range with the exception of the Yucatán Peninsula . The species occurs from southern Mexico to northern Argentina and Cuba , although it has not been proven for Nicaragua and Costa Rica . The species is classified as harmless by the IUCN thanks to its wide distribution.
literature
- R. Avila-Flores, JJ Flores-Martínez, J. Ortega (2002): Nyctinomops laticaudatus . In: Mammalian Species , No. 697, pp. 1-6
swell
- ^ Theodor CH Cole: Dictionary of Mammal Names - Dictionary of Mammal Names . 1st edition. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2015, ISBN 978-3-662-46269-0 .
- ↑ Nyctinomops laticaudatus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .