Insular single leaf bat

The insular single leaf bat[1] or Lesser Antillean long-tongued bat[2] (Monophyllus plethodon) is a species of leaf-nosed bat. It is found on the Lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean Sea.

Insular single leaf bat
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Phyllostomidae
Genus: Monophyllus
Species:
M. plethodon
Binomial name
Monophyllus plethodon
Miller, 1900

Taxonomy

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The insular single leaf bat was described as a new species in 1900 by Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. The holotype had been collected by P. McDonough in Saint Michael, Barbados.[3]

Three subspecies are recognized: M. p. plethodon, M. p. luciae, and M. p. prater,[4] with the Puerto Rican long-nosed bat (M. p. prater) extinct.[5]

Description

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It is a large member of the genus Monophyllus. It can be distinguished from similar species by its crowded upper premolars. The forearm is 38.8–45.7 mm (1.53–1.80 in) long; the total body length is 67–84 mm (2.6–3.3 in); and the tail is 8–16 mm (0.31–0.63 in) long. It weighs about 12.5–17.2 g (0.44–0.61 oz). The dental formula is 2.1.2.32.1.3.3 for a total of 34 teeth.[4]

Range and habitat

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The insular single leaf bat is distributed widely throughout the Lesser Antilles, occurring in Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados; Bermuda; the Caribbean Netherlands; Dominica; Guadeloupe; Martinique; Montserrat; Saint Barthélemy; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Martin, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It utilizes a variety of habitats including forests and agricultural landscapes at elevation os 0–550 m (0–1,804 ft) above sea level.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Rodriguez Duran, A.; Davalos, L. (2018). "Monophyllus plethodon". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T13719A22112320. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T13719A22112320.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Monophyllus plethodon — Lesser Antillean Long-tongued Bat". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  3. ^ Miller Jr., G. S. (1900). "The Bats of the Genus Monophyllus" (PDF). Proceedings of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 2: 35.
  4. ^ a b Homan, J. A.; Jones, J. K. (1975). "Monophyllus plethodon". Mammalian Species (58): 1–2. doi:10.2307/0.58.1.
  5. ^ ALLEN, Glover M. "Full text of "Extinct and vanishing mammals of the western hemisphere, with the marine species of all the oceans"". Internet Archive. Retrieved 2014-12-12.