New World Leaf-nosed bat edit

New World Leaf-nosed bats
 
Artibeus
Scientific classification  
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Superfamily: Noctilionoidea
Family: Phyllostomidae
Gray, 1825
Subfamilies

Brachyphyllinae
Carolliinae
Desmodontinae
Glossophaginae
Phyllonycterinae
Phyllostominae
Stenodermatinae

 
The Lesser Long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) gets nutrients from the nectar and pollen of cacti

The New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) are found from southern North America to South America, specifically from Mexico to northern Argentina. They are ecologically the most varied and diverse family within the order Chiroptera. Most species are insectivorous, but the phyllostomid bats include true predatory species as well as frugivores (subfamily Stenodermatinae and Carolliinae). For example, the false vampire (Vampyrum spectrum), the largest bat in the Americas, eats vertebrate prey including dove-sized birds. Members of this family have evolved to use food groups such as fruit, nectar, pollen, insects, frogs, other bats, and small vertebrates, and, in the case of the vampire bats, even blood.

Both the scientific and common names derive from their often large, lance-shaped noses, greatly reduced in some of the nectar- and pollen-feeders. Because these bats echolocate nasally, this "nose-leaf" is thought to serve some role in modifying and directing the echolocation call. Similar nose-leaves are found in some other groups of bats, most notably the Old World leaf-nosed bats.

 
Vampire bat
 
Honduran White Bat (Ectophylla alba) is a species of white New World Leaf-nosed bat with a broad, pointy nose-leaf

New World leaf-nosed bats are usually brown, grey, or black, although one species is white. They range in size from 4 to 13.5 cm (1.6 to 5.3 in) in head-body length, and can weigh from 7 to 200 g (0.25 to 7.05 oz). Most roost in fairly small groups within caves, animal burrows, or hollow trees, although some species aggregate in colonies of several hundred individuals.[1] They do not hibernate, although some species have been reported to aestivate.[2][3]

Evolution edit

The second most diverse group of mammals behind rodents, bats—order Chiroptera—are uniquely the only group of mammal that has evolved the ability to fly.[4] First appearing in the Eocene epoch, they are believed to have evolved from an arboreal gliding ancestor possibly originating in South America.[4][5] It is thought that the membrane comprising the bat wing, along with the uropatagium—the membrane stretching between the legs aiding in flight stabilization—was adapted from an earlier membrane used for gliding.[4][6]

 
Vampire Bat Skull

The Phyllostomidae family, also known as New World leaf-nosed bats, is among the most ecologically diverse mammal families, and displays more morphological variation than most other mammalian families. This variation is measured by diversity in skull morphology and diet-related characteristics: Phyllostomidae is comprised of species that have evolved physical modifications for insectivory, frugivory, hematophagy, nectarivory, and omnivory.[7][8] The nose-leaf—a distinctive characteristic of the family—is thought to have evolved to reflect dietary and foraging behavior of different species of Phyllostomidae and is related to echolocation.[9] With an evolutionary history tracing back to the Oligocene, fossil and phylogenetic evidence suggests the family originated about 30 million years ago.[5] Leaf-nosed bats evolved from Yangochiroptera and Miniopteridae with sister groups also evolving from this group. Phyllostomidae consists of 55 genera and about 180 species.[8][10]

Description edit

 
Basic Leaf-Nosed Bat body outline
 
The vampire bat's nose-leaf does not extend past the body line of the animal.
 
Commerson’s leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros commersoni) has a short blunt nose-leaf.

New World Leaf-nosed bats are bilaterally symmetric and endothermic mammals[11] characterized by an elaborate outgrowth of skin on their nose, called a nose-leaf, which is believed to aid in echolocation.[12] The nose-leaf can be adorned with a vertical, concave upward leaf and/or multiple accessory leaves, varying by species.[13] Leaf-nosed bats lack a tail,[12] have triangular shaped ears with pointed or rounded tips,[14] typically range from 4 cm to 13.5 cm in body size, and can have wingspans of up to 90 cm or more.[15]

 
Dwarf little fruit bat (Rhinophylla pumilio) has a long, pointed nose-leaf.
 
The lesser false vampire bat's (Megaderma spasma) nose-leaf is wide with a rounded tip. This bat also has rounded ears.

Biology and ecology edit

Like other bats, leaf-nosed bats are nocturnal foragers that use echolocation to locate food sources, though the food sources they are locating vary between species.[16] Many bats in family Phyllostomidae appear to have limited reliance on echolocation, likely because frugivorous bats do not need to quickly identify flying insects like many other bats.[9] Instead, these species of leaf-nosed fruit bats appear to use scent to identify their preferred food sources.[17]

When they are not foraging, leaf-nosed bats roost in abandoned buildings, caves, and beneath folded leaves depending on the species. Nearly every roosting option observed in bats is represented within this family, including species that prefer to roost alone in genus Mimon and Macrophyllum as well as species that roost with thousands of other individuals daily, such as those in genus Phyllostomus, Phyllonycteris and Desmodus.[18][19] [20]

Diet edit

Phyllostomidae demonstrates the most diverse dietary habits of any family of bats across the globe.[21] Because of this, general dietary patterns are categorized for each species. Furthermore, each individual species has a tendency to specialize in a particular type of diet. Dietary classification is based on the following groups: frugivore, nectarivore, insectivore, omnivore, or haematophagous.[22] However, categorizations are based only on primary consumption habits, therefore it is not uncommon to observe species that occasionally consume food items outside of their particular classification.[22] Usually, when leaf-nosed bats consume food outside of their primary dietary categorization, it is to ensure sufficient intake of nutrients that their primary food source may not provide. For example, nectar and ripe fruits provide sufficient amounts of carbohydrates and water, but are lacking in protein and fat.[23] In order to meet basic nutritional requirements, leaf-nosed bats that primarily feed on fruit and nectar must also ensure sufficient protein and fat intake by consuming insects or leaves.[23]

Most leaf-nosed bats are classified as insectivores and feed on a variety of small insects. Certain species with this classification will capture their prey either while in flight or from foliage in trees or on the ground. Carnivorous species feed on a variety of animals ranging from frogs to other bats. Desmodontinae falls into this general carnivorous category but is further distinguished by feeding exclusively on blood. In contrast, there are species in Phyllostomidae which feed exclusively on plants, gaining needed nutrients from fruits and leaves.[21]

Life History edit

 
Vampire bat infant
 
Tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum)

Leaf-nosed bats are gonochoric and partake in sexual copulation.[11] These bats can live for 20-30 years[24] and females become sexually active around two years of age.[25] Female ovulation occurs from October through September. After the female mates, the gestation period ranges from 8-9 months with an initial 3-5 month diapause period during which fetus growth is slowed; this diapause period is controlled by hormones.[25] The female gives birth to a single pup, which has both open ears and open eyes,[24] its first set of deciduous teeth,[26] and is fully furred at birth.[24]

Social systems edit

Among species that roost in groups, there is evidence for a social hierarchy with higher ranking individuals gaining access to preferred areas of the roosting site.[27] Solitary roosting bats on the other hand, live alone and maintain a strict fidelity to a single roosting site.[28] In some cases, males live alone or with harems while females prefer to roost with other individuals and their pups.[29] In nearly every species that has been studied, mothers and pups maintain a social bond that lasts beyond nursing.[28] It appears young bats can learn food preferences from their mothers and when they are reluctant to leave the nest, mothers will nudge the infants out of the roost.[30][17]

Range edit

 
Tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum) range
 
California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus)
 
Geographical distribution of the California leaf-nosed bat
 
Seba's short-tailed Bats (Carollia perspicillata)
 
Seba's Short-tailed Leaf-nosed Bat (Carollia perspicillata) range

New World leaf-nosed bats range from North America, in southern Arizona and the West Indies, to northern Argentina.[6][31] The family inhabits a diverse array of environments and habitats ranging from forests to deserts.[10]

 
California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus)

Human impact edit

Species of New World leaf-nosed bats that inhabit forested areas are greatly affected by agricultural intensification.[32] Specifically, it has been found that increased agricultural activity by humans causes negative conservation effects on these habitats and as a result reduces abundance and diversity of leaf-nosed bats that live there.[32] The California leaf-nosed bat in particular is susceptible to human disruption. This species is known to create large roosts in closed mine shafts due to their potential to provide warmth and isolation.[33] When humans enter the shafts or rework old mines, this disrupts the roosts of the leaf-nosed bats and has the potential to be detrimental to the population as a whole. [34]

Classification edit

The 192 described species within 56 genera are:

FAMILY PHYLLOSTOMIDAE

References edit

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