Actual sword nose
| Actual sword nose | ||||||||||||
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Real sword nose ( Lonchorhina aurita ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Lonchorhina aurita | ||||||||||||
| Tomes , 1863 |
The real sword nose ( Lonchorhina aurita ) is a bat species from the family of leaf noses (Phyllostomidae) which is native to Central and South America. The Greek generic name “Lonchorhina” is made up of “loncho” (= spear) and “rhinos” (= nose) and, like the German generic name, refers to the shape of the nasal blade. The Latin species name "aurita" means something like "equipped with ears".
description
The actual sword nose is a slender, medium-sized bat with a long, pointed nosepiece , which is typical of this genus and many other species from the leaf-nosed family . The nasal blade is lance-shaped and has a groove in the middle. With a body weight of 10 to 16 g, the real sword nose is larger than its sister species Lonchorhina orinocensis and Lonchorhina fernandezi and smaller than Lonchorhina marinkellei . The fur is reddish to dark brown. The ears are pointed and about as long as the head. The tragus extends beyond the middle of the ear.
Way of life
The real sword nose occurs in the tropical rainforest , feeds on insects and, like most bats, is nocturnal. During the day the species hangs in groups of up to 500 individuals in caves and hollow trees, where it is often found together with bats of other genera such as Carollia , Desmodus , Pteronotus , Mormoops , Anoura , Natalus or Myotis . Pregnant animals have been observed during the dry season, but nothing is known about the reproduction of the sword nose.
distribution and habitat
The real sword nose occurs from southern Mexico to Brazil . The IUCN has rated the species as harmless thanks to its wide distribution.
literature
- S. Lassieur, DE Wilson (1989): Lonchorhina aurita . In: Mammalian Species . No. 347, pp. 1-4.
