Recife Broad-nosed Bat
Encyclopedia
The Recife Broad-nosed Bat, Platyrrhinus recifinus, is a species of bat
from South America
. It is named for the city of Recife
in Brazil
, where it was first recorded by Oldfield Thomas
in 1901.
Previously considered "Vulnerable", the Recife broad-nosed bat was re-classified as of "Least Concern" by the IUCN in 2008. However, it is considered an endangered species in Brazil, where it is threatened with habitat loss. It has no recognised subspecies.
It has dark brown to greyish hair, which is paler on the underside than on the upper body. There are two broad bands of white fur on the upper surface of the head, forming clearly visible stripes, and narrower, less distinct stripes over the cheeks. The wing membrane between the legs has a U-shaped border, and has a hind border covered with dense hair.
, from Ceara
in the north to Santa Catarina
in the south. It is also found in the margins of the Cerrado
savannah and Caatinga
shrublands of Brazil, and there are disputed reports from as far afield as Guyana
and Surinam. The bat roosts in trees, and sometimes in caves, at altitudes between 200 and 1530 m (656.2 and 5,019.7 ft). Compared with some other bat species, roosts are relatively small, with from three to ten individuals at each site. They feed on fruit and flowers, especially fig
s and snake fingers
.
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It is named for the city of Recife
Recife
Recife is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in Brazil with 4,136,506 inhabitants, the largest metropolitan area of the North/Northeast Regions, the 5th-largest metropolitan influence area in Brazil, and the capital and largest city of the state of Pernambuco. The population of the city proper...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where it was first recorded by Oldfield Thomas
Oldfield Thomas
Oldfield Thomas FRS was a British zoologist.Thomas worked at the Natural History Museum on mammals, describing about 2,000 new species and sub-species for the first time. He was appointed to the Museum Secretary's office in 1876, transferring to the Zoological Department in 1878...
in 1901.
Previously considered "Vulnerable", the Recife broad-nosed bat was re-classified as of "Least Concern" by the IUCN in 2008. However, it is considered an endangered species in Brazil, where it is threatened with habitat loss. It has no recognised subspecies.
Description
The Recife broad-nosed bat is of average size for its subfamily, with a total body length of 58 to 93 mm (2.3 to 3.7 in), and a weight of 14 to 19 g (0.493835469471567 to 0.670205279997127 oz). Individuals from the northern part of the range are generally somewhat smaller than those from the south.It has dark brown to greyish hair, which is paler on the underside than on the upper body. There are two broad bands of white fur on the upper surface of the head, forming clearly visible stripes, and narrower, less distinct stripes over the cheeks. The wing membrane between the legs has a U-shaped border, and has a hind border covered with dense hair.
Distribution, habitat, and diet
The Recife broad-nosed bat primarily inhabits the Atlantic Forest of BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, from Ceara
Ceará
Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...
in the north to Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
in the south. It is also found in the margins of the Cerrado
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
savannah and Caatinga
Caatinga
Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
shrublands of Brazil, and there are disputed reports from as far afield as Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
and Surinam. The bat roosts in trees, and sometimes in caves, at altitudes between 200 and 1530 m (656.2 and 5,019.7 ft). Compared with some other bat species, roosts are relatively small, with from three to ten individuals at each site. They feed on fruit and flowers, especially fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s and snake fingers
Cecropia
Cecropia is a Neotropical genus presently consisting of sixty-one recognized species with a highly distinctive lineage of dioecious trees....
.