Large lance nose
| Large lance nose | ||||||||||||
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Great lance nose ( Phyllostomus hastatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Phyllostomus hastatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Pallas , 1767) |
The great lance nose ( Phyllostomus hastatus ) is a species of bat from the family of leaf noses (Phyllostomidae). It is the largest representative within the genus of the lance nose and the second largest bat species in America .
description
The fur of the large lance nose is dark brown to reddish brown, with a darker flight membrane and also dark nosepiece and ears. It reaches a head-to-body length of 10 to 13 cm and a wingspan of up to 55 cm. It has a robust appearance with a weight of up to 150 g (average 76–112 g). Like most representatives of the leaf noses , the large lance nose also has a conspicuous nasal blade .
Way of life
During the day, colonies , which can contain several hundred animals, use hollow trees, buildings and caves as sleeping places. A colony is divided into groups ( harems ) consisting of young females of the same age, each of which is actively defended against competitors by an older, dominant male. The harem structures often persist for several years, even if a new male takes over as harem keeper. Young males without a harem form so-called “Bachelor groups” of up to 50 individuals.
During the feeding flights, females produce group specific calls to keep in touch with individuals in the same harem.
nutrition
Large lance noses are omnivores (omnivores) that feed on insects, small vertebrates (birds, rodents, small lizards, other bats), fruits, flowers, nectar and pollen. The animals are most active in the first hour after sunset. Early telemetry studies have shown that they move within a radius of up to 3 miles from their hanging site, but also return to it again and again at night to rest.
Reproduction
Females reach sexual maturity at around 16 months. Depending on the region, the females enter the oestrus phase once or twice a year . During the rearing of the young, the females often form large groups in which the young can suckle even with unrelated animals . The young are born with their eyes open.
distribution and habitat
The distribution of the great lance nose extends from Belize to northern Argentina , where it depends on primary and secondary rainforest . Despite the constant threat from habitat destruction, the IUCN assesses their population as stable and safe.
literature
- M. Santos, LF Aguirre, LB Vázquez, J. Ortega: Phyllostomus hastatus , Mammalian Species, No. 722 (2003): pp. 1-6
Web links
swell
- ↑ JW Boughman: Greater spear-nosed bats give group-distinctive calls , Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, No. 40 (1970): pp. 61-70
- ↑ TC Williams, JM Williams: Radio tracking of homing and feeding flights of a Neotropical bat, Phyllostomus hastatus , Animal Behavior, No. 18 (1970): pp. 302-309
- ^ GF McCracken, JW Bradbury: Social organization and kinship in the polygynus bat Phyllostomus hastatus , Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, No. 8 (1981): pp. 11-34
- ↑ Phyllostomus hastatus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species