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Overview
Brief Summary
Description
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Mammal Species of the World
- Original description: Peters, W., 1864. Berichtete uber einige neue saugethiere (Mormops, Macrotus, Vesperus, Molossus, Capromys), amphibien (Platydactylus, Otocryptis, Euprepes, Ungalia, Dromicus, Tropidodontus, Xenodon, Hylodes) und fische (Sillago, Sebastes, Channa, Myctophum, Carassius, Barbus, Capoeta, Poecilia, Saurenchelys, Leptocephalus,) p. 381. Monatsbericht des Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1864:381-399.
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Distribution
Range Description
As a species complex was previously much more widespread, local extinctions have occurred throughout most of its range (Davalos pers. comm.). Its area of occupancy is relatively small (Molinari pers. comm.).
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Geographic Range
Mormoops megalophylla, the ghost-faced bat, is found as far north as southern Arizona and Texas. It is present throughout most of Mexico and populations continue south to northwestern Peru and northern Venezuela (Rezsutek & Cameron, 1993).
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )
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National Distribution
United States
Origin: Native
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Present
Confidence: Confident
Type of Residency: Year-round
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Global Range: Southern Texas, southern Arizona, and Baja California south to northwestern Peru and northern Venezuela; Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles); Trinidad; Margarita Island (Venezuela) (Simmons, in Wilson and Reeder 2005). Elevations below 3,000 meters (Rezsutek and Cameron 1993).
Occurrence in Arizona is based on the records of only two specimens taken in 1954 (Hoffmeister 1986). In Texas, known from the Trans-Pecos, southern edge of the Edwards Plateau, and the South Texas Plains; range includes the Apache, Chisos, and Chinati mountains and the Sierra Vieja range; common resident in several caves in Uvalde, Kinney, Bexar, and Medina counties along the edge of the Edwards Plateau from fall through spring; records from the Trans-Pecos are from the warmer months of spring through fall (Schmidly 1991). Fossils are known from the Bahamas (Morgan 1989).
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Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
Mormoops megalophylla is a medium sized, reddish-brown to dark brown bat. They have large, rounded ears which join across the
forehead. Leaf-like appendages protrude from the chin. The tail projects dorsally from the uropatagium. No sexual dimorphism is noted; however, the basal metabolic rate is lower for females (Schmidly, 1991; The Mammals of Texas - Online Edition, 1994).
Range mass: 13 to 19 g.
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Size
Size in North America
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Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
This bat feeds on insects, chiefly moths, its prey usually has body lengths of 5 to 6 mm. It often forages over water, on forest edges, gaps, or open spaces. It roosts in deep caves, where it hangs singly, separated from their neighbors, in colonies of up to several thousand, but usually of only a few individuals. In north Amerca, large concentrations are found in caves in October and November, but disappear by January - such movements are not always seasonal. Females produce one young per year, between April to June. Nursing females roost separately for males and non-reproductive females (Ceballos and Galindo, 1984; Emmons and Feer, 1997; Reid, 1997; Rezsutek and Cameron, 1993; Villa-R., 1966).
Systems
- Terrestrial
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Habitat
Ghost-faced bats are typically found near desert shrub in caves, tunnels, mine shafts, and occasionally old buildings, especially where temperature and humidity are high (Schober & Grimmberger, 1997).
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune
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Comments: Various habitats from desert scrub and river floodplains (cottonwood/sycamore/willow) to pine/oak and tropical forests. In Peru, arid coastal regions with caves or mine shafts available as roost sites, orchards, and stands of Acacia and Prosopis. Occurs in lowland and upland areas. Colonies may be found in caves, abandoned mines, and tunnels during the day. Sometimes in buildings. Flies high to and from foraging sites. Young are born in nursery colonies in caves. In Venezuela, uses warm sites with minimal ventilation (see Rezsutek and Cameron 1993).
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Migration
Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).
Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.
A permanent resident in the U.S., but its occurrence at a given locality is unpredictable. Observers have noted this species' nomadic behavior in the U.S. and Mexico (Barbour and Davis 1969). In Texas, possibly migrates between Edwards Plateau wintering caves and Trans-Pecos summer range (Schmidly 1991).
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Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Not much is known about the food habits of the ghost-faced bat.
Large-bodied moths and other large insects have been found in the stomachs and intestines of individuals (Rezsutek & Cameron, 1993; Schmidly, 1991).
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Comments: Feeds on insects, especially large moths, caught in flight often just above ground level or above standing water.
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General Ecology
In Venezuela, males and nonreproductive females roost in caves separate from maternity colonies. In some areas may be one of the more abundant bats. Though thousands may congregate in a single cave, roosting individuals are not in contact with one another. Rabies may cause mass die-offs (see Rezsutek and Cameron 1993).
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Life History and Behavior
Cyclicity
Comments: Little written information available, but apparently does not hibernate. Emerges from roost soon after dark.
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Reproduction
Reproduction
There is a limited amount of data on the reproductive habits of ghost-faced bats. It is believed that mating begins in late December. One offspring is produced per year and is born between late May and early June. Lactating females have been found from
mid June until mid August (Schmidly, 1991).
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Little information available on U.S. populations. Females bear one young in June or July (also reported as probably late May or early June). Pregnant females have been collected in February in Campeche, Mexico. Lactating females have been recorded in Texas from June to early August. Colony size varies, up to 500,000.
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Molecular Biology and Genetics
Molecular Biology
Barcode data: Mormoops megalophylla
There are 6 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank. Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species. See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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Download FASTA File
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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Mormoops megalophylla
Public Records: 5
Species: 18
Species With Barcodes: 1
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Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Justification
History
- 1996Lower Risk/least concern
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Conservation Status
Temperate North American bats are now threatened by a fungal disease called “white-nose syndrome.” This disease has devastated eastern North American bat populations at hibernation sites since 2007. The fungus, Geomyces destructans, grows best in cold, humid conditions that are typical of many bat hibernacula. The fungus grows on, and in some cases invades, the bodies of hibernating bats and seems to result in disturbance from hibernation, causing a debilitating loss of important metabolic resources and mass deaths. Mortality rates at some hibernation sites have been as high as 90%. While there are currently no reports of Mormoops megalophylla mortalities as a result of white-nose syndrome, the disease continues to expand its range in North America.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
- Cryan, P. 2010. "White-nose syndrome threatens the survival of hibernating bats in North America" (On-line). U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center. Accessed September 16, 2010 at http://www.fort.usgs.gov/WNS/.
- National Park Service, Wildlife Health Center, 2010. "White-nose syndrome" (On-line). National Park Service, Wildlife Health. Accessed September 16, 2010 at http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/wildlifehealth/White_Nose_Syndrome.cfm.
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National NatureServe Conservation Status
United States
Rounded National Status Rank: N2 - Imperiled
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NatureServe Conservation Status
Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure
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Trends
Population
Population Trend
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Threats
Threats
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Management
Conservation Actions
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems
Benefits
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
None known.
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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Large amounts of guano (feces) are produced by the large populations in Mexico. Guano is commonly used by locals as a fertilizer (/Mormoops megalophylla/ webpage).
Ghost-faced bats also reduce the number of insect pests present in the areas in which they forage.
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Wikipedia
Ghost-faced Bat
The Ghost-faced Bat (Mormoops megalophylla) is a bat in the genus Mormoops. It occurs in Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico. Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and in Texas in the United States.[1] Mormoops megalophylla is one of only two extant species within it genus, the other being Mormoops blainvillii. The Ghost-faced bat is distinguishable from its cousin, M. blainvillii because of its much larger size. These mammals are nocturnal and hunt using echolocation.
They get their name from the unusual appearance of their face. This ugly appearance is due to the flaps of skin that are found hanging on their chin and along their face. They also have a very poorly developed nose[2] and "large, round ears that join across their forehead".[3]
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Description
Pelage
These bats are medium in size. They have a reddish-brown to dark born appearance. The reddish color becomes more prominent as the pelage ages. This particular bat undergoes molting. Molting usually occurs between June and September. On the dorsal side, molting starts on the shoulders and spreads over the back whereas on the ventral side, molting usually begins under the wings, on the neck and chin and then spreads down across the abdomen.[2]
Facial Features
The faces of these bats have a smashed-in appearance. This appearance is because they do not have a well-developed nose.[2] Also their forehead arises abruptly from their nose.[3] Their faces are also composed of very thick dermis and muscle fibers and they have large, round ears that seem to join across the forehead. These four things together give the bat the odd appearance that it has.
Unique Characteristic
These bats maintain an unusually high body temperature. Their body temperatures are usually a few degrees higher than the ambient temperature. Because they maintain such a high body temperature, they are sensitive to temperatures that are colder than 10°C. They can only survive in these colder temperatures for a couple of hours before they succumb to hypothermia.
Biogeography
Modern Record
These bats are found in humid, arid, and semi-arid regions. They seem to prefer regions below a 3,000 m elevation. In the United States they have been found from southern Texas and Arizona through Baja California. They have also been found in Mexico through eastern Honduras and El Salvador. They then seem to skip the countries of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, or Panama. Records of these bats then resume along the Caribbean coast of South America in countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, and Trinidad and Tobago. There are also records of them along the Pacific coasts in Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru.[2]
Fossil Record
The earliest record of these bats is from the late Pleistocene. During the late Pleistocene the bats appeared to have a much broader range than they do today with fossils found as far north as Florida. Fossils have also been found in a lot of Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Aruba.
Ecology
As stated before these bats prefer warm climates. They tend to roost in large colonies. However, even though they roost in large colonies they don’t roost together in tight clusters. These bats are very particular in the fact that they roost about 15 cm apart from one another. When they leave their roosting spot (usually a cave, mine shaft, or tunnel) at night they fly in dense, fast-moving groups until they get to their feeding grounds where they disperse. These bats seem to prefer large-bodied moths as their main source of food. They are often found feeding over standing water. Because these bats tend to roost in larger colonies they are susceptible to parasites and rabies which have been known to wipe out entire colonies.[3]
Reproduction and Development
Very little is known about the reproduction and development of these bats. These bats only seem to carry one embryo at a time. They seem to give birth in the spring between March and June. Lactating females have also been observed between June and August.[2] Finally, because these bats are so sensitive to changes in temperature, the pregnant females seem to roost deeper in the caves than the rest of the colony. By roosting here these females and their young are in an area where the ventilation is minimized and there is high heat retention.
References
- ^ a b Dávalos, L., Molinari, J. Mantilla, H., Medina, C., Pineda, J. & Rodriguez, B (2008). "Mormoops megalophylla". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/13878. Retrieved 07 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Rezsutek, Michael and Guy N. Cameron. (1993). "Mormoops megalophylla". Mammalian Species (American Society of Mammalogists) (448): 1–5. http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-448-01-0001.pdf.
- ^ a b c Steinway, M. (2000). "Mormoops megalophylla". Animal Diversity Web. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Mormoops_megalophylla.html.
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Names and Taxonomy
Taxonomy
Comments: The subspecies in the U.S. is MEGALOPHYLLA, according to the latest taxonomic revision of the species (Smith 1972). Hall (1981) referred to this bat as AELLO MEGALOPHYLLA. Jones et al. (1992), Koopman (in Wilson and Reeder 1993), and Rezsutek and Cameron (1993) used the name Mormoops megalophylla. See Rezsutek and Cameron (1993) for nomenclatural discussion.
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