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Bats Are Beautiful Hugh H University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska State Museum 10-1978 Bats Are Beautiful Hugh H. Genoways University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Robert J. Baker Texas Tech University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Genoways, Hugh H. and Baker, Robert J., "Bats Are Beautiful" (1978). Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum. 175. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/museummammalogy/175 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Museum, University of Nebraska State at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Genoways & Baker, Carnegie Magazine (October 1978) 52(8). Copyright 1978, Carnegie Institute. Used by permission. Bats are Beautiful Dr. Hugh H. Genoways, Curator, Section of Mammals, and mines; the branches and hollows of trees; houses, barns, Dr. Robert J. Baker, Research Associate in the Section of and other man~made structures; rock crevices, under rocks, Mammals, and Professor of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech and many other places. University, discuss their research on the unique New World For the past six years, we have been studying bats of the bats of the family Phyllostomatidae. Their most recent Family Phyllostomatidae, the New World leaf~nosed bats. research trip to Jamaica was funded by the M. Graham These animals occur throughout the tropical portions of Netting Research Fund, through a grant from the Cordelia North and South America with a few species reaching as S. May Charitable Trust. far north as the Southwest of the United States. Some species The thought that "Bats are Beautiful" may bring a smile to also occur on the Caribbean islands, where we have been your face as you think of these ugly little creatures hanging conducting our most recent studies. During the summer of from the ceilings of haunted houses and flying around 1977 we, along with Dr. John W. Bickham of Texas A & M deserted bell towers at midnight. You may also remember University, visited the island of Jamaica to complete our 22 old wives tales such as "all bats have rabies" or "bats try studies of the bat fauna of the island. This work was supporte, to fly into women's hair." None of these things is completely by a grant from the M. Graham Netting Research Fund of true, and some of the tales have no basis in fact whatsoever. Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Actually, the 875 species of bats form a unique Order of The New World leaf~nosed bats, as the name implies, are mammals (those animals possessing hair at least somewhere characterized by a peculiar structure occurring on the top of on their bodies), since they are the only mammals capable of the nose. In many of the 137 species of the family, the true flight. The flying squirrel familiar to many vvestern structure is more or less leaf-shaped. However, this structure Pennsylvanians actually only glides from one place to is unique in each species and may be highly modified in some another. Bats occur almost everywhere in the world except species (as the accompanying photographs will show). The in the coldest regions, such as the Arctic, Antarctic, and structure may be extremely long in some species, such as the most remote oceanic islands. One reason that very little Tomes' long-eared bat, 'Lonchorina aurita: where it may be has been known about bats is that they are active at night, over 1% inches long, or nearly absent in some species such so they are difficult to observe. This association with as the Antillean cave bat, 'Brachyphylla cavernarum,' or darkness is one of the main factors in our association of bats the wrinkle-faced bat, 'Centurio senex.' with witches and devils, and our general misgivings about One of the truly unique features of this family is the wide them. However, in many areas the careful observer can see variety of foods that they are able to eat. This diversification bats in the evening just at twilight as they leave their daytime in food habits is believed to be the main evolutionary force roosts or dart about catching insects. In the daytime, bats allowing so many species to be formed and habitats to be seek refuge in a wide variety of places such as caves and occupied by members of the family. One of the subfamilies (a group of closely related speciesl, 1 - Waterhouse's Phyllostomatinae, eats primarily insects and other small big-eared bat animals, but will occasionally eat some fruits. One of the (Macrows waterhousii) hanging species, the spear-nosed bat ('Phyllostomus hastatus'), from the ceiling of has been known to eat small bats and mice as well as insects, a limestone cave whereas the fringelipped bat ('Trachops cirrhosus'J. takes on Jamaica. Another various species of lizards and frogs as well as insects. The member of this genus largest bat in the New World (wingspread 36 inchesl, the occurs in the South­ false vampire bat ('Vampyrum spectrum'), is a member of west of the United States. These members this subfamily. The primary food of this species is birds, of the subfami Iy which they hunt at night. These bats feed mainly on flock Phyllostomatinae species of birds, which they locate in night roosts, probably catch many of their by detecting their odor. prey insects and Members of the subfamily Glossophaginae feed upon arachnids on the ground. pollen. nectar, other flower parts, and insects. Species in this group have elongated snouts, some extremely so (see accompanying photographs of the long-tongued bat, 2 - On the head of 'Glossophaga soricina: and Antillean long-tongued bat, the greater round­ 'Monophyllus redmani'). This a[lows them to reach the eared bat (Tonatia bidens), a member pollen and nectar, particularly in trumpet-shaped flowers. of the Phyl­ These bats served as the primary pollinators, replacing bees, lostomatinae, can for some tropical plants, such as bananas. be noted part of the Some of the most common species of phyl1ostomatid white line that bats belong to the subfamily Stenoderminae. These bats extends down the feed mainly on fruits, such as mangos, papaya, bananas, back of the species. palm fruits, wild figs, and other wild fruits. This group is of considerable economic importance because many of Two members of the the fruits eaten by these bats are also eaten by humans. insect~eating sub­ The subfamily Phyl[onycterinae is confined to the family Phyllostoma­ islands located in the Caribbean Sea. We have been studying tinae. 3 - Hairy this unique group of bats since 1974. Members of this group spear-nosed bat (Mimon crenulatum) feed on fruit, pollen, nectar, and flower parts. has an elongated nose The vampire bats, with which a[1 of you will be familiar, leaf and large ears. are members of the subfamily Oesmodontinae. There are three species of vampires in this subfamily. All feed on blood. The common vampire ('Oesmodus rotundus') feeds mainly on blood of other mammals, whereas the hairy-legged vampire ('Oiphy[la ecaudata') and white-winged vampire ('Oiaemus youngii') feed mainly on the blood of birds. These bats 4 - The large southern spear-nosed bat (Phylloderma stenops) is about the fourth largest species of bat in the New World. 5 - Long-tongued bat, (Glossophaga soricina). and Antillean long­ tongued bat, (Monophyllus redmanil (6 - are members of the subfamily Glossophaginae. Note the elongated snouts of these species. Members of this subfamily use the elongated snouts and tongues to obtain pollen and nectar 24 from flowers. Three species of the subfamily Steno­ derminae. 7 - The Jamaican fruit-eating bat, (Artibeus jamaicensis). is one of the most common members of the family in most of the New World tropics. 8 - Neotropical leaf­ nosed bat. (Sphaero­ nycteris toxophyllum). is a rare species. Only males of this species have the highly modified nose leaf seen here. 9- Greater white·lined bat. (Chiroderma villosuml, and other members of the genus (Chiroderma) are characterized by large eyes. 10 - Jamaican fig­ eating bat, (Ariteus flavescens) is a rare species that occurs only on the island of Jamaica. Note the white spot on the shoulder of this species. 11 - Greater white­ lined tailless bat. (Vampyrodes caraccioloil, and several other members of the subfamily Stenoderminae are characterized by white lines on their backs. These three members feed by biting their prey with their razor-sharp teeth. The of the subfamily blood flom freely from the wound because the saliva of these Phyllonycterinae are bats contains an anticoagulant. The bats lap up the blood as confined to the it flows from the wound; they do not suck the blood of Antillean islands. Note the reduced nose their prey. leaf of all of these Our studies have centered on determining the answers to species. 12­ such questions as how many species of phyllostomatid bats are Antillean cave bat. there? What are their relationships to each other? Where do (Brachyphylla the different species of phyllostomatid bats occur? How did cavernarum.) 13­ Sufty flower bat, they get there? What chromosomes (cellular units that carry (Erophylla sezekorni). the hereditary material of living organisms) do each species 14 - Jamaican flower have? How did the bat faunas inhabiting the Caribbean bat, (Phyllonycteris islands develop? aphylla). What is the value of knowing thiS: kind of information? Phyllostomatid bats compose a major component of the ecosystems of the New World tropics.
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