Platyrrhinus brachycephalus (Rouk & D.C. Carter, 1972)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 563

166.

Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat

Platyrrhainus brachycephalus

French: Sténoderme a téte large / German: Kurzkopf-Breitnasenfledermaus / Spanish: Platirrino de cabeza ancha

Taxonomy. Vampyrops brachycephalus Rouk $8: D. C. Carter, 1972 ,

“ 3 mi. [= 4-8 km] S Tingo Maria, 2400 ft. [= 732 m], Huanuco, Peru.”

Within three weeks of this description, C. ©. Handley, Jv. and KR. C. Ferris in 1972 described Vampyrops latus, and after comparisons, it was deemed to be a junior synonym. Nevertheless, subspecies V. latus saccharus by the same authors is considered distinct. For a long time, P. brachycephalus was confused with P. helleri or its associated taxa. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.b.brachycephalusRouk&D.C.Carter,1972—AmazonianBasininColombia,Ecuador,Peru,Brazil,andBolivia.

P. b. saccharus Handley & Ferris, 1972 — NE Venezuela and the Guianas.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 54-62 mm (tailless), ear 14-17 mm, hindfoot 8-12 mm, forearm 36:4-40-7 mm; weight 12-1-13-9 g. The Short-headed Broad-nosed Batis small. Dorsum is chocolate-brown to gray. Median dorsal strip runs from top of head to rump and is more contrasting on dark individuals. Two pairs of well-delimited white facial stripes are evident: one pair supraocular and one pair subocular. Ventral fur is tricolored. Noseleat is simple, brown, and white yellowish on edges of horseshoe, base of spear, and borders of ears. Uropatagium is short, usually with densely haired fringe along edge, but it is variable. I' can be in contact or not, M' protocone is well developed, and anterolingual edge of P, has two well-developed accessory cuspulids (looks serrated). Skull and rostrum are short. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 30 and FN = 56.

Habitat. Humid and subhumid dense primary and secondary tropical forests, coastal areas, forest fragments, savannas in Amazonia, and babassu palm ( Attalea , Arecaceae ) forests near water streams at elevations of 100-700 m.

Food and Feeding. The Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat is frugivorous and prefers fruits of Cecropiasp. ( Urticaceae ), Ficus sp. ( Moraceae ), and Vismia sp. ( Hypericaceae ). One individual was captured underJacaratia digitata ( Caricaceae ), presumably feeding from it.

Breeding. Reproduction of Short-headed Broad-nosed Bats coincides with rainy seasons, probably with bimodal polyestry depending on localities. Pregnant females have been captured in July-November in Peru, and two females were captured with single embryos in August. In Venezuela, one pregnant female was captured with one embryo in February, and juveniles and an adult lactating female were captured in October.

Activity patterns. Short-headed Broad-nosed Bats roost in hollow trees and caves and under leaves in trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat roosts in groups of 3—10 individuals.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Habitat loss occurs in parts of the distribution of the Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat, but it is not considered a major threat. Information about natural history of the Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat could be difficult to discern because it was included under Heller's Broad-nosed Bat ( P. helleri ) before 1972.

Bibliography. Carter & Rouk (1973), Charles-Dominique et al. (2001), Gardner (2008c), Graham (1987), Handley & Ferris (1972), Reis, Fregonezi et al. (2013), Reis, Peracchi et al. (2017), Rouk & Carter (1972), Solari (2015).

Figures

165. White-lined Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus lineatus), 166. Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhainus brachycephalus), 167. Heller's Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus helleri), 168. Matapalo Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus matapalensis), 169. Recife Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus recifinus), 170. Guianan Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus guianensis), 171. Incan Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus incarum), 172. Slender Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus angustirostris), 173. Brown-bellied Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrriunus fuscrventris), 174. Alberico’s Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus albericoi), 175. Greater Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus vittatus), 176. Choco Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus chocoensis), 177. Thomas’s Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus dorsalis), 178. Bufty Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus infuscus), 179. Darien Broad-nosed Bat (Platyriunus aquilus), 180. Eldorado Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus aurarius), 181. Ismael’s Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus ismaeli), 182. Quechuan Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus masu), 183. Shadowy Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus umbratus), 184. Western Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinus nitelinea), 185. Velvety Fruit-eating Bat (Enchisthenes hart), 186. Honduran White Bat (Ectophylla alba)

Subspecies and Distribution. P.b.brachycephalusRouk&D.C.Carter,1972—AmazonianBasininColombia,Ecuador,Peru,Brazil,andBolivia. P. b. saccharus Handley & Ferris, 1972 — NE Venezuela and the Guianas.