Phyllostomus elongatus, E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 507

40.

Lesser Spear-nosed Bat

Phyllostomus elongatus

French: Phyllostome des sous-bois / German: Kleine Lanzennase / Spanish: Filostoma pequeno

Taxonomy. Phyllostoma elongatum E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1810 ,

type locality not given. Restricted by A. Cabrera in 1958 to Rio Branco, Mato Grosso, Brazil.

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Lowlands E of Andes in Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Amazonian Basin to SE Peru and N & C Bolivia, and E Brazil, also an isolated population in W Colombia and NW Ecuador.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 65-100 mm, tail 15-24 mm, ear 25-32 mm, hindfoot 14-20 mm, forearm 58-71 mm; weight 30-57 g. The Lesser Spear-nosed Bat is large and robust. Its morphology is very similar to the Greater Spear-nosed Bat ( P. hastatus ), but it is much smaller and less robust in all aspects. Fur is short, soft, velvety, and glossy; dorsal fur is brown to reddish brown; head, neck, and shoulders are often paler than back; venter is paler than back to fairly dark. Head is large; snout is broad and robust; face and noseleaf are black to dark brown; noseleaf is medium-sized, broad, and pear-shaped, with base horseshoe-shaped and entire free edge separated from upper lip; ears are medium-sized, broad, and triangular, with rounded tips; eyes are large; and chin has small tubercles forming a Vsshape. Wing membranes are blackish, but tips are sometimes white; caudal membrane is developed; calcar is longer than foot (more than 14 mm); and tail is short, reaching to middle of membrane or less. Teeth are strong and pointed. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 32 and FN = 58.

Habitat. Mainly evergreen forest habitats but also humid tropical to low subtropical forests, Andean foothills mainly in Amazonia, and humid tropical forest in Choco Ecoregion at elevations of 60-1100 m. The Lesser Spearnosed Bat is occasionally found in drier habitats near streams, semi-humid forests, and flooded savannas. It also occurs in terra firma forest; flooded forests; swamps; primary, secondary, selectively logged and gallery forests; forest edges; cultivated areas; and pastures. It usually flies low over streams and rivers.

Food and Feeding. Diet of the Lesser Spear-nosed Bat includes small vertebrates, flower parts, nectar, fruits, and large insects. In Peru, pollen has been found on it. In Bolivia, several families of insects occur in its diet ( Blattidae , Gryllidae , Reduviidae , Carabidae , Curculionidae , Hydrophylidae, Scarabaeidae , and Formicidae ), along with orthopterans, coleopterans, and other undetermined arthropods. In Brazil, fruit of Rollinia mucosa ( Magnoliales , Annonaceae ) was eaten. It is occasionally carnivorous; in Amazonas, Brazil, it was reported eating ajuvenile of Seba’s Short-tailed Bat ( Carollia perspicillata ).

Breeding. Reproductive female Lesser Spear-nosed Bats have been found in June in Colombia and July-August in Peru. In western Ecuador, mothers with young attached to their nipples have been recorded in November and February. In northern Brazil, several pregnant and lactating females were caught at beginning of rainy season.

Activity patterns. The Lesser Spear-nosed Bat is nocturnal and aerial. It emerges from its roosts at complete darkness and forage for c.2 hours before returning to roosts. In Bolivia, it has been captured in mist net at 18:00-20:00 h. Echolocation calls are 51-4-78-2 kHz. It roosts in hollow trees, culverts, and tunnels and under bridges.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Lesser Spear-nosed Bats roost in aggregations, divided up into smaller social units consisting of permanent harems of a single male and up to twelve females and their young and groups of non-breeding males. This social structure is very similar to that of the Greater Spear-nosed Bat. In Esmeraldas, Ecuador, a colony of ¢.200 individuals was found sharing space with Seba’s Short-tailed Bats. In Beni, Bolivia, an individual was found roosting in a tree hollow of Gallesia integrifolia (Phytolaccaceae) , sharing space with Seba’s Short-tailed Bats, Common Vampire Bats ( Desmodus rotundus ), and Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats ( Glossophaga soricina ).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Lesser Spear-nosed Batis fairly common and widespread. Its conservation status is considered stable and is found at several protected areas.

Bibliography. Aguirre (2002), Aguirre & Teran (2007), Aguirre, Lens & Matthysen (2003), Albuja (1999), Cabrera (1958), Fischer et al. (1997), Gardner (1977b), Handley (1976), Hill (1965a), Nogueira, Peracchi & Moratelli (2007), Rivera et al. (2015), Tirira (2017), Tuttle (1970), Williams & Genoways (2008).

Figures

24. Long-legged Bat (Macrophyllum macrophyllum), 25. Fringe-lipped Bat (Trachops cirrhosus), 26. Striped Hairy-nosed Bat (Gardnerycteris crenulatum), 27. Keenan's Hairy-nosed Bat (Gardnerycteris keenani), 28. Koepcke’s Hairy-nosed Bat (Gardnerycteris koepckeae), 29. Kalko’s Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma kalkoae), 30. Pygmy Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma brasiliense), 31. Carriker’s Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma carrikeri), 32. Schulz’s Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma schulzi), 33. Western Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma occidentale), 34. Davis's Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma evotis), 35. White-throated Round-eared Bat (Lophostoma silvicola), 36. Greater Round-eared Bat (Tonatia bidens), 37. Stripe-headed Round-eared Bat (Tonatia saurophila), 38. Pale-faced Bat (Phylloderma stenops), 39. Pale Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus discolor), 40. Lesser Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus elongatus), 41. Greater Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus hastatus), 42. Guianan Spear-nosed Bat (Phyllostomus latifolius), 43. Woolly False Vampire Bat (Chrotopterus auritus), 44. Southern Golden Bat (Mimon bennettii), 45. Cozumelan Golden Bat (Mimon cozumelae), 46. Spectral Bat (Vampyrum spectrum)

Distribution. Lowlands E of Andes in Colombia , Venezuela , the Guianas, Amazonian Basin to SE Peru and N & C Bolivia , and E Brazil , also an isolated population in W Colombia and NW Ecuador .