Velvet bats
| Velvet bats | ||||||||||||
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Molossus currentium |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Molossus | ||||||||||||
| Geoffroy , 1805 |
The velvet bats ( Molossus ) are a genus of bulldog bats that is native to Central and South America.
description
The velvet bats reach a head-to-trunk length of 50–95 mm. They have a long tail, 20–70 mm in length and weigh between 10 and 30 grams. The coat color varies from reddish brown, hazel brown and dark brown to black. The genus Molossus looks very similar to the genera Tadarida and Molossops , but differs in terms of skull shape and tooth structure. An important feature of this genus are the ears, the base of which converges at the forehead.
Way of life
The velvet bats occur in different tropical habitats and feed exclusively on insects. They belong to those bats that fly out before sunset to look for food. Due to their narrow, long wings, they are fast but not very agile hunters who rely on open air space and therefore usually only hunt at great heights. Colonies often consist of several hundred individuals and can be found in caves, crevices, hollow logs and buildings.
Types and distribution
The German names follow TCH Cole and M. Wrobel.
- Aztec velvet bat ( Molossus aztecus ): southern Mexico to Nicaragua
- Barnes velvet bat ( Molossus barnesi ): southern Mexico to Colombia
- Coiba velvet bat ( Molossus coibensis ): southern Mexico to Brazil
- Velvet Bonda bat ( Molossus currentium , formerly M. bondae ): west and south of Mexico to north of Costa Rica
- Molossus fentoni : Ecuadorian Amazon Basin, Guyana and probably in the Amazon Basin in between
- Great velvet bat , also Pallas's velvet bat ( Molossus molossus ): southern Costa Rica to Suriname
- Miller velvet bat ( Molossus pretiosus ): Honduras to Venezuela
- Red velvet bat , also black velvet bat ( Molossus rufus , formerly M. ater ): Mexico to Argentina
- Sinaloa velvet bat ( Molossus sinaloae) : Mexico to Paraguay and Suriname
M. rufus was often referred to as M. ater , which led to confusion with another bat species, Eumops ater . M. currentium is mostly called M. bondae in the literature . However, since M. currentium is the older name, it is preferred today.
Distribution area of Molossus aztecus
Distribution area of Molossus barnesi
Distribution area of Molossus coibensis
Distribution area of the velvet velvet bat ( Molossus currentium )
Distribution area of the great velvet bat ( Molossus molossus )
Distribution area of Molossus pretiosus
Distribution area of the red velvet bat ( Molossus rufus )
Distribution area of Molossus sinaloae
literature
- RM Nowak: Walker's Bats of the World :, Johns Hopkins Univ. Pr., ISBN 0-8018-4986-1
Web links
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 .
- ^ Murray Wrobel: Elsevier's Dictionary of Mammals . Elsevier 2006, ISBN 978-0-444-51877-4 .
- ↑ Livia O. Loureiro, Burton K. Lim and Mark D. Engstrom. 2018. A New Species of Mastiff Bat (Chiroptera, Molossidae, Molossus ) from Guyana and Ecuador. Mammalian Biology. 90; 10-21. DOI: 10.1016 / j.mambio.2018.01.008
- ^ PG Dolan 1989. Systematics of Middle American mastiff bats of the genus Molossus. Special Publications of the Museum of Texas Tech University 29. pp. 1-71.