Brachyphylla cavernarum — Details

Geographic Range

Brachyphylla cavernarum is found on Puerto Rico and throughout the Lesser Antilles south to St. Vincent and Barbados (Nowak, 1994).

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

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Physical Description

Morphology

Physical Description

On average, B. cavernarum ranges from 65-118 mm in length, with a forearm length of 51-69 mm. The upper parts are ivory yellow in color with hairs that are tipped with sepia. Patches on the shoulders, neck and sides are paler and the underside is brown.

The muzzle is conical shaped and the lower lip has a V-shaped groove that is edged by tubercles. The nose leaf is vestigial, and the ears are small and separate. The tail is vestigial and concealed in the base of the interfemoral membrane, which is well developed. The molar teeth are broad and well ridged (Nowak, 1994).

Average mass: 45 g.

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology

The biology of this bat is poorly known. Individuals have been observed in a variety of habitats ranging from the xeric Guanica State Forest to the mesic Luquillo Experimental Forest, in Puerto Rico. It roost in caves; however, it is present in some habitats where cave are absent, indicates that it can uses other roosts. Its diet consists of insects, pollen, and especially fruit (like mango, papaya, and sapodilla). It forages in the canopy or take fruit that has to fallen to the ground. Information about it reproductive patters are fragmentary (Gannon et al., 2005). Twelve females from the Island of Caicos carried similar-sized fetuses in March (Buden, 1977), and on St. Croix from one colony gave birth during a three-week period in late May and early June (Bond and Seaman, 1958; Nellis and Ehle, 1977 in Gannon et al. 2005). They have also been found roosting in buildings and other man-made structures (Allen, 1939).

Systems

Terrestrial

Source: IUCN

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Habitat

B. cavernarum roost in caves in Puerto Rico and other Caribbean Islands. The name contains the word "caverna", referring to the caves in which they live. They have also been found roosting in buildings and other man-made structures (Allen, 1939). B. cavernarum emerge in the evening to forage in forested tropical habitats.

Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest

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Trophic Strategy

Food Habits

Brachyphylla cavernarum is opportunistic in feeding habits, consuming fruit, pollen, flowers, nectar and insects. They are considered primarily nectarivores (Nowak, 1994).

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Associations

Known predators

Brachyphylla cavernarum is prey of:
Epicrates inornatus
Diptera
Secernentia nematodes
Streblidae
Labidocarpidae
Macronyssidae

Based on studies in:
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)

Source: SPIRE

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Known prey organisms

Brachyphylla cavernarum preys on:
pollen
fruit

Based on studies in:
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Source: SPIRE

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Life History and Behavior

Reproduction

Brachyphylla cavernarum reproduces sexually. Births occur most often during a three week period in late May and early June. The colonies during this time consist mostly of females with one offspring. There are very few males or non-reproductively active females found in maternity colonies (Allen, 1939).

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Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Brachyphylla cavernarum

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

Source: Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD)

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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment

Red List Category

Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version

3.1

Year Assessed

2008

Assessor/s

Rodriguez, A. & Dávalos, L.

Reviewer/s

Medellín, R. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Schipper, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Justification

Listed as Least Concern in view of its abundance within its restricted distribution, its presumed large population, occurrence in a number of protected areas, tolerance to some degree of habitat modification, and because its habitat is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History

1996

Lower Risk/least concern

Source: IUCN

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Conservation Status

Brachyphylla cavernarum is not currently considered at risk of becoming endangered although habitat modification, cave disturbance, and extermination by humans may pose significant threats to population status.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

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Trends

Population

Population

It is one of the most commons fruit-eating bats in some Caribbean Islands (Gannon et al., 2005).

Population Trend

Unknown

Source: IUCN

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Threats

Major Threats

There are no major threats at present.

Source: IUCN

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Management

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions

Found in protected areas.

Source: IUCN

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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

It is not likely that these bats significantly impact humans negatively, though they may be accused of damaging fruit crops (Nowak, 1994).

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Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

No specific benefits of B. cavernarum have been identified, although it is quite likely that they are responsible for the pollination of tropical plants, especially fruiting trees (Nowak, 1994). Their guano can also be harvested to be used as fertilizer.

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Wikipedia

Antillean Fruit-eating Bat

The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) is one of two leaf-nosed bat species belonging to the Brachyphylla genus. The species occurs in the Caribbean from Puerto Rico to St. Vincent and Barbados. Fossil specimens have also been recorded from New Providence, Bahamas.

1 Taxonomy
2 Physical description
3 Ecology
4 Behavior
5 See also
6 References

Taxonomy

Three subspecies of Brachyphylla cavernarum are recognized. Brachyphylla cavernarum cavernarum is the largest of the subspecies and occurs from St. Croix to St. Vincent. Brachyphylla cavernarum intermedia is of intermediate size and occurs in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands with the exception of St. Croix. Brachyphylla cavernarum minor occurs in Barbados and is characterized by its small size.^[2]

Physical description

The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat has white to yellow-white hair at the base with darker coloration in the dorsum. Mature individuals measure from 65 to 118 millimeters (2½ to 4⅝ inches) with a forearm length ranges of 51 to 69 millimeters (2 to 2¾ inches) in length. The average weight is 45 grams (1⅝ ounces).^[3]

Ecology

The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat occurs in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Lesser Antilles up to St. Vincent and Barbados. Individuals roost in a variety of settings which include unused buildings, caves, dense tree tops, crevices, large wells, and cliffs. Sites without direct sunlight are preferred by the species although large colonies have been found in sunlit areas. The species occurs in dry arborescent vegetation on St. John.^[2]

The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat has a varied diet which includes fruits, pollen, nectar, and insects. Fruits consumed in the wild include papaya, mango, Indian almond, manjack (Cordia spp.), royal palm, and sapodilla. In captivity the species has been observed consuming bananas, apples, pears, melons, peaches, and the flowers of the Kapok, sausage tree, royal palm, portia tree, and Jatobá. Confirmed insects consumed include one mite species (Macronyssidae), two batfly species (Streblidae), one tick species (Argasidae), and two bat-mite species (Labidocarpidae). These bats feed in the canopy of the forest and in the ground.^[2]

Behavior

The Antillean Fruit-eating Bat move out from the roost synchronically one hour after sunset and 20 minutes after the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis). This synchronization is also evident when returning to the roosts which happens just before the break of dawn.^[2]

References

^ Chiroptera Specialist Group (1996). Brachyphylla cavernarum. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 28 November 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Pierre Swanepoel and Hugh. H Genoways (15 December 1983). "Brachyphylla cavernarum" (PDF). Mammalian Species (American Society of Mammalogists) 205: 6. http://biomicro.sdstate.edu/pederses/batpdf/Brachyphylla.pdf. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
^ Mietzel, M. (2002). "Brachyphylla cavernarum". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Brachyphylla_cavernarum.html. Retrieved November 28, 2006.

Extant species of family Phyllostomidae

Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Mammalia · Infraclass: Eutheria · Superorder: Laurasiatheria · Order: Chiroptera

Subfamilies Brachyphyllinae, Carolliinae, Desmodontinae, Phyllonycterinae

Brachyphyllinae

Brachyphylla	Cuban Fruit-eating Bat (B. nana) · *Antillean Fruit-eating Bat (B. cavernarum)*

Carolliinae

Carollia (Short-tailed Leaf-nosed Bats)	Benkeith's Short-tailed Bat (C. benkeithi) · Silky Short-tailed Bat (C. brevicauda) · Chestnut Short-tailed Bat (C. castanea) · Colombian Short-tailed Bat (C. colombiana) · Manu Short-tailed Bat (C. manu) · C. monohernandezi · Seba's Short-tailed Bat (C. perspicillata) · Sowell's Short-tailed Bat (C. sowelli) · Gray Short-tailed Bat (C. subrufa)

Rhinophylla	Hairy Little Fruit Bat (R. alethina) · Fischer's Little Fruit Bat (R. fischerae) · Dwarf Little Fruit Bat (R. pumilio)

Desmodontinae
(Vampire Bats)


Desmodus	Common Vampire Bat (D. rotundus)

Diaemus	White-winged Vampire Bat (D. youngi)

Diphylla	Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (D. ecaudata)

Phyllonycterinae


Erophylla	Brown Flower Bat (E. bombifrons) · Buffy Flower Bat (E. sezekorni)

Phyllonycteris	Jamaican Flower Bat (P. aphylla) · Cuban Flower Bat (P. poeyi)

Subfamily Glossophaginae

Glossophagini

Anoura (Geoffroy's Long-nosed Bats)	A. aequatoris · Cadena's Tailless Bat (A. cadenai) · Tailed Tailless Bat (A. caudifera) · Handley's Tailless Bat (A. cultrata) · Tube-lipped Nectar Bat (A. fistulata) · Geoffroy's Tailless Bat (A. geoffroyi) · Broad-toothed Tailless Bat (A. latidens) · Luis Manuel's Tailless Bat (A. luismanueli)

Choeroniscus	Godman's Long-tailed Bat (C. godmani) · Greater Long-tailed Bat (C. periosus) · Minor Long-nosed Long-tongued Bat (C. minor)

Choeronycteris	Mexican Long-tongued Bat (C. mexicana)

Glossophaga	Commissaris's Long-tongued Bat (G. commissarisi) · Gray Long-tongued Bat (G. leachii) · Miller's Long-tongued Bat (G. longirostris) · Western Long-tongued Bat (G. morenoi) · Pallas's Long-tongued Bat (G. soricina)

Hylonycteris	Underwood's Long-tongued Bat (H. underwoodi)

Leptonycteris (Saussure's Long-nosed Bats)	Southern Long-nosed Bat (L. curasoae) · Greater Long-nosed Bat (L. nivalis) · Lesser Long-nosed Bat (L. yerbabuenae)

Lichonycteris	Dark Long-tongued Bat (L. obscura)

Monophyllus	Insular Single Leaf Bat (M. plethodon) · Leach's Single Leaf Bat (M. redmani)

Musonycteris	Banana Bat (M. harrisoni)

Scleronycteris	Ega Long-tongued Bat (S. ega)

Lonchophyllini


Lionycteris	Chestnut Long-tongued Bat (L. spurrelli)

Lonchophylla	Bokermann's Nectar Bat (L. bokermanni) · Cadena's Long-tongued Bat (L. cadenai) · Chocoan Long-tongued Bat (L. chocoana) · L. concava · Dekeyser's Nectar Bat (L. dekeyseri) · Arched Nectar Bat (L. fornicata) · Handley's Nectar Bat (L. handleyi) · Western Nectar Bat (L. hesperia) · Godman's Nectar Bat (L. mordax) · Orcés’s Long-tongued Bat (L. orcesi) · L. orienticollina · Patton's Long-tongued Bat (L. pattoni) · Orange Nectar Bat (L. robusta) · Thomas's Nectar Bat (L. thomasi)

Platalina	Long-snouted Bat (P. genovensium)

Xeronycteris	Vieira's Long-tongued Bat (X. vieirai)

Subfamily Phyllostominae

Micronycterini

Glyphonycteris	Behn's Bat (G. behnii) · Davies's Big-eared Bat (G. daviesi) · Tricolored Big-eared Bat (G. sylvestris)

Lampronycteris	Yellow-throated Big-eared Bat (L. brachyotis)

Macrotus (Big-eared Bats)	California Leaf-nosed Bat (M. californicus) · Waterhouse's Leaf-nosed Bat (M. waterhousii)

Micronycteris (Little Big-eared Bats)	Brosset's Big-eared Bat (M. brosseti) · Giovanni's Big-eared Bat (M. giovanniae) · Hairy Big-eared Bat (M. hirsuta) · Pirlot's Big-eared Bat (M. homezi) · Matses' Big-eared Bat (M. matses) · Little Big-eared Bat (M. megalotis) · Common Big-eared Bat (M. microtis) · White-bellied Big-eared Bat (M. minuta) · Sanborn's Big-eared Bat (M. sanborni) · Schmidts's Big-eared Bat (M. schmidtorum)

Neonycteris	Least Big-eared Bat (N. pusilla)

Trinycteris	Niceforo's Big-eared Bat (T. nicefori)

Vampyrini


Chrotopterus	Big-eared Woolly Bat (C. auritus)

Lophostoma	Equatorial Round-eared Bat (L. aequatorialis) · Pygmy Round-eared Bat (L. brasiliense) · Carriker's Round-eared Bat (L. carrikeri) · Davis's Round-eared Bat (L. evotis) · Schultz's Round-eared Bat (L. schulzi) · White-throated Round-eared Bat (L. silvicolum) · Yasuni Round-eared Bat (L. yasuni)

Tonatia (Round-eared Bats)	Greater Round-eared Bat (T. bidens) · Stripe-headed Round-eared Bat (T. saurophila)

Trachops	Fringe-lipped Bat (T. cirrhosus)

Vampyrum	Spectral Bat (V. spectrum)

Lonchorhinini


Lonchorhina (Sword-nosed Bats)	Tomes's Sword-nosed Bat (L. aurita) · Fernandez's Sword-nosed Bat (L. fernandezi) · Northern Sword-nosed Bat (L. inusitata) · Marinkelle's Sword-nosed Bat (L. marinkellei) · Orinoco Sword-nosed Bat (L. orinocensis)

Macrophyllum	Long-legged Bat (M. macrophyllum)

Mimon (Gray's Spear-nosed Bats)	Golden Bat (M. bennettii) · Cozumelan Golden Bat (M. cozumelae) · Striped Hairy-nosed Bat (M. crenulatum) · Koepcke's Spear-nosed Bat (M. koepckeae)

Phyllostomatini


Phylloderma	Pale-faced Bat (P. stenops)

Phyllostomus (Spear-nosed Bats)	Pale Spear-nosed Bat (P. discolor) · Lesser Spear-nosed Bat (P. elongatus) · Greater Spear-nosed Bat (P. hastatus) · Guianan Spear-nosed Bat (P. latifolius)

Subfamily Stenodermatinae

Ametrida	Little White-shouldered Bat (A. centurio)

Ardops	Tree Bat (A. nichollsi)

Ariteus	Jamaican Fig-eating Bat (A. flavescens)

Artibeus (Neotropical Fruit Bats)	Subgenus Artibeus: Large Fruit-eating Bat (A. amplus) · Fringed Fruit-eating Bat (A. fimbriatus) · Fraternal Fruit-eating Bat (A. fraterculus) · Hairy Fruit-eating Bat (A. hirsutus) · Honduran Fruit-eating Bat (A. inopinatus) · Jamaican Fruit Bat (A. jamaicensis) · Great Fruit-eating Bat (A. lituratus) · Dark Fruit-eating Bat (A. obscurus) · Flat-faced Fruit-eating Bat (A. planirostris) Subgenus Dermanura: Andersen's Fruit-eating Bat (A. anderseni) · Aztec Fruit-eating Bat (A. aztecus) · Bogota Fruit-eating Bat (A. bogotensis) · Gervais's Fruit-eating Bat (A. cinereus) · Silver Fruit-eating Bat (A. glaucus) · Gnome Fruit-eating Bat (A. gnomus) · Solitary Fruit-eating Bat (A. incomitatus) · Pygmy Fruit-eating Bat (A. phaeotis) · Rosenberg's Fruit-eating Bat (A. rosenbergi) · Toltec Fruit-eating Bat (A. toltecus) · Thomas's Fruit-eating Bat (A. watsoni) Subgenus Koopmania: Brown Fruit-eating Bat (A. concolor)

Centurio	Wrinkle-faced Bat (C. senex)

Chiroderma (Big-eyed Bats)	Brazilian Big-eyed Bat (C. doriae) · Guadeloupe Big-eyed Bat (C. improvisum) · Salvin's Big-eyed Bat (C. salvini) · Little Big-eyed Bat (C. trinitatum) · Hairy Big-eyed Bat (C. villosum)

Ectophylla	Honduran White Bat (E. alba)

Enchisthenes	Velvety Fruit-eating Bat (E. hartii)

Mesophylla	MacConnell's Bat (M. macconnelli)

Phyllops (Falcate-winged Bats)	Cuban Fig-eating Bat (P. falcatus)

Platyrrhinus	Alberico's Broad-nosed Bat (P. albericoi) · P. angustirostris · P. aquilus · Eldorado Broad-nosed Bat (P. aurarius) · Short-headed Broad-nosed Bat (P. brachycephalus) · Choco Broad-nosed Bat (P. chocoensis) · Thomas's Broad-nosed Bat (P. dorsalis) · P. fusciventris · Heller's Broad-nosed Bat (P. helleri) · P. incarum · Buffy Broad-nosed Bat (P. infuscus) · Ismael's Broad-nosed Bat (P. ismaeli) · White-lined Broad-nosed Bat (P. lineatus) · Quechua Broad-nosed Bat (P. masu) · Matapalo Broad-nosed Bat (P. matapalensis) · Geoffroy's Rayed Bat (P. nigellus) · P. nitelinea · Recife Broad-nosed Bat (P. recifinus) · Shadowy Broad-nosed Bat (P. umbratus) · Greater Broad-nosed Bat (P. vittatus)

Pygoderma	Ipanema Bat (P. bilabiatum)

Sphaeronycteris	Visored Bat (S. toxophyllum)

Stenoderma	Red Fruit Bat (S. rufum)

Sturnira (Yellow-shouldered Bats)	Aratathomas's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. aratathomasi) · Bidentate Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. bidens) · Bogota Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. bogotensis) · Hairy Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. erythromos) · Choco Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. koopmanhilli) · Little Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. lilium) · Highland Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. ludovici) · Louis's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. luisi) · Greater Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. magna) · Mistratoan Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. mistratensis) · Talamancan Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. mordax) · Lesser Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. nana) · Tschudi's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. oporaphilum) · Soriano's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. sorianoi) · Thomas's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. thomasi) · Tilda's Yellow-shouldered Bat (S. tildae)

Uroderma (Tent-building Bats)	Tent-making Bat (U. bilobatum) · Brown Tent-making Bat (U. magnirostrum)

Vampyressa (Yellow-eared Bats)	Bidentate Yellow-eared Bat (V. bidens) · Brock's Yellow-eared Bat (V. brocki) · Melissa's Yellow-eared Bat (V. melissa) · Striped Yellow-eared Bat (V. nymphaea) · Southern Little Yellow-eared Bat (V. pusilla) · Northern Little Yellow-eared Bat (V. thyone)

Vampyrodes	Great Stripe-faced Bat (V. caraccioli)

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