Peters chin-leaf bat
| Peters chin-leaf bat | ||||||||||||
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Peters chin-leaf bat ( Mormoops megalophylla ) |
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| Mormoops megalophylla | ||||||||||||
| ( Peters , 1864) |
The Peters chin-leaf bat ( Mormoops megalophylla ) is a bat species from the family of chin-leaf bats (Mormoopidae) which is native to North and South America.
The generic name Mormoops is derived from the Greek "mormo" (= bogeyman). The species name megalophylla is derived from the Latin “mega” (= large) and “phyllum” (= leaf) and refers to the leaf-like skin flaps on the snouts of the animals.
description
The Peters chin-leaf bat is the larger of the two species of the genus Mormoops with a total length of 85 to 97 mm and an average forearm length of 54.5 mm . The connection between the ears of the Peters jaw-leaf bat is more pronounced than that of its sister species Mormoops blainvillei . The lobed growths on the face are striking in both species. Both Mormoops megalophylla and M. blainvillei have an unusual skull shape with the snout curved upwards. The forehead and muzzle form an angle of almost 90 °.
Way of life
Like most bats, the Peters chin-leaf bat is nocturnal and feeds on insects, with large moths being preferred to prey. During the day, the animals hang in colonies of up to 500,000 individuals in caves or mines. The individual animals keep a distance of 15 cm from one another and do not form dense clusters like other bats. Mormoops megalophylla flies out shortly after dark and does not return to the hanging place until about 7 hours later.
distribution and habitat
The Peters chin-leaf bat occurs from the southern United States through Mexico to Honduras as well as in Ecuador , Colombia and Venezuela . The IUCN estimates the species as safe thanks to its wide distribution and the presumably large populations, but points out that the species is susceptible to disturbance, especially through the commercial use of the caves.
literature
- M. Ruzsutek, GN Cameron (1993): Mormoops megalophylla. In: Mammalian Species . No. 448, pp. 1-5.
