Order Chiroptera

1
Order Chiroptera

• Lab 11 - Bats

2
Lab Objectives

• Learn the two suborders of bats.
• Learn the three families of bats found in North
  America.
• Hopefully have a mist netting night within the
  next 2 weeks.

3
Suborders

• Megachiroptera
• 1 Family, 42 Genera, and 166 sps.
• Can not use throat-based echolocation
• Lack tragus

• Microchiroptera
• 16 Families, 135 genera, and 759 sps.
• Can echolocate
• Have a tragus

4
Key to FamiliesModified from Jones and Manning
1992
Pteropodidae 2 Mormoopidae 3 4 5 Noctilionidae P
hyllostomidae Vespertilionidae Molossidae
1 2 3 4 5

• Two claws on wing.
• One claw on wing...
• Ridges on lower lip, braincase broader than
  long...
• Lips not as above, braincase longer than
  broad..
• Leafnose present, premaxillae fused anteriorly,
  incisors 2/2, 2/1, 2/0, 1/2
• Leafnose not present, premaxillae not fused,
  incisors 2/3, 1/3, 1/2
• Possess large feet, incisors 2/1
• Feet not as above, incisors 2/2, 2/0, 1/2..
• Tail enclosed in membrane along total length,
  palate broadly emarginated anteriorly, premolars
  1/2, 1/3, 2/2, or 2/3..
• Tail partly free of membrane, palate partly or
  not emarginated, premolars 2/2

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Family Pteropodidae

• Rousettus aegyptiacus
• Habitat From lowlands to mountains in ancient
  tombs, temples, rock crevices, and date
  plantations in the Middle East and Africa
• Food Fruit juices and flower nectar
• Reproduction Mate in June-Sept, gestate 4
  months, and have 1-2 young in Oct-Dec.
• Trivia Possess limited tongue clicking
  echolocation. Important pollinators.

6
Family Mormoops

• Mormoops megalophylla
• Ghost-faced bat, Leaf-chinned bat
• Habitat Desert shrub to tropical forest,
  roosting in caves, mines, tunnels, and buildings
  from Texas and Arizona south to Peru.
• Food Insectivore
• Reproduction Pregnant in March-June, lactate
  from June-August. Mating time unknown.
• Trivia Largely colonial, forming groups up to
  500,000 individuals.

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Family Noctilionidae

• Noctilio leporinus
• Fisherman bat, bulldog bat
• Habitat Roost in rock crevices near streams or
  water in From Mexico to Brazil
• Food Fish and aquatic insects
• Reproduction Mate Nov-Dec, birth in May-June,
  and lactate 3 months
• Trivia Capture fish by dragging gaff-like feet
  through water after detecting a fish near the
  surface.

8
Family Phyllostomidae

• Artibeus lituratus
• Desmodus rotundus
• Leptonycteris curasoae

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Artibeus lituratus

• Great Fruit-eating bat
• Habitat Mexico south to Brazil and Argentina
• Food Fruit, mostly figs when available, as well
  as mangos, avocados, and bananas.
• Reproduction Births in Mar-Apr, a postpartum
  estrus, a second round of births in Jul-Aug. A
  second postpartum estrus, delayed blastocyst from
  Sept-Nov, then normal development for birth in
  Mar-Apr.
• Trivia Rapidly digest food, passing through the
  GI tract in 15-20 minutes. Important in
  dispersing fruit seeds throughout the rainforests.

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Desmodus rotundus

• Common vampire bat
• Habitat In US., only found once in Texas. It is
  found in caves from Mexico south to central Chili
  and Argentina.
• Food Blood from large mammals, about 20 ml per
  night.
• Reproduction Generally breed year round, with
  birth peaks in Apr-May and Oct-Nov, followed by
  postpartum estrus.
• Trivia Very social animals, they roost in
  colonies from 20-100, although up to 2,000 has
  been reported. Practice reciprocal altruism, in
  that one bat will regurgitate food for another if
  they have already done so, or may do so. Many
  bats in Mexico suffer from Mexican vampire
  control programs, that involved dynamiting known
  bat caves incase they were vampires.

11
Leptonycteris curasoae

• Long-nosed bat
• Habitat It is common in dry desert shrub from
  Mexico to Colombia and Venezuela. Sister species
  found in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
• Food Nectar and pollen mainly, with some fruit
  and insects.
• Reproduction Appear to breed in Oct-Nov, and
  birth in May. Nearly full grown young found in
  July.
• Trivia Mainly have been killed by vampire
  eradication programs, so that 2/3 of the genus is
  classified as endangered by the USDI.

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Key to Phyllostomidae

• Short rostrum, incisors 1/2, total teeth 20.
• Head with normal or long rostrum, total teeth 28
  or more
• Rostrum about same length of braincase, incisors
  2/2, total teeth 30
• Rostrum shorter than braincase, incisors 2/2,
  total teeth 36.

D. rotundus 2 L. curasoae A. lituratus
1 2
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Family Vespertilionidae

• Antrozous pallidus
• Corynorhinus rafinesquii
• Corynorhinus townsendi
• Eptesicus fuscus
• Lasionycteris noctivagans
• Lasiurus borealis
• Lasiurus cinereus
• Lasiurus intermedius
• Myotis californicus

• ? Myotis ciliolabrum
• ? Myotis thysanodes
• Myotis velifer
• Myotis lucifugus / occultus
• Myotis volans
• Myotis yumanensis
• Nycticeius humeralis
• Parastrellus hesperus

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Antrozous pallidus

• Pallid bat
• Habitat Lives and hibernates in caves and
  buildings in the southwestern United States.
• Food scorpions, centipedes, and other hard
  bodied insects
• Reproduction generally have twins born in late
  June.
• Trivia These bats commonly forage on the ground,
  and lift their prey to a culling station to
  remove the unwanted harder bits before eating..

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Corynorhinus rafinesquii

• Rafinesques Big-eared bat
• Habitat Lives and hibernates in caves and
  buildings in the southeastern United States.
• Food Mainly Lepidoptera
• Reproduction Single young born in late June.
• Trivia Can be distinguished from C. townsendi by
  having white tipped ventral fur and an accessory
  cusp on 1st incisor.

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Corynorhinus townsendi

• Townsends big-eared bat
• Habitat Uses caves for maternity colonies and
  hibernacula in the western United States and
  Mexico, as well as a few isolated colonies in the
  Eastern United States.
• Food Insects, almost entirely Lepidoptera
• Reproduction Single young, born in late June.
• Trivia Throughout their range, they commonly
  harbor winged batflies, or Streblidae.

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Eptesicus fuscus

• Big brown bat
• Habitat One of the most common bats in
  buildings. Occasionally use hollow trees in
  summer. Found throughout Southern Canada to
  northwestern South America.
• Food Insects, with preference for beetles,
  hemipterans, and homopterans.
• Reproduction Usually twin, born in June, and
  independent by August.
• Trivia Will hibernate in a number of mines,
  caves, and buildings, generally in small numbers.
  One of the most common bats in North America.

18
Lasionycteris noctivagans

• Silver-haired bat
• Habitat Females form small colonies in hollow
  branches, males roost under bark. All found
  along waterways from Alaska to Mexico
• Food Insects, seems to like moths and
  trichopterans
• Reproduction One or two young born in Jun-Jul.
  Most young born north of Indiana in Northern US
  and Canada
• Trivia Migrates to the south, but little is
  known about their hibernation.

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Lasiurus borealis

• Red bat
• Habitat A solitary tree bat, roosting in clumps
  of leaves throughout the eastern United States
• Food Insects, mainly moths, beetles, and true
  bugs.
• Reproduction Two to four young born about
  mid-June. Mate in the fall, and have delayed
  fertilization.
• Trivia The only sexual dimorphic bat in the
  United States. Migrates rather than hibernates.

20
Lasiurus cinereus

• Hoary bat
• Habitat A solitary tree bat that hangs in
  branches during the bat. Found over much of the
  northern and eastern United States, and migrate
  to Baja and Central America in the fall. Also
  found in Hawaii.
• Food Eat almost entirely moths, but will take
  some dipterans and trichopterans.
• Reproduction Two young born in mid-June.
• Trivia One of the largest of the eastern bats,
  possessing a very rapid and erratic flight.

21
Lasiurus intermedius

• Florida Yellow bat
• Habitat Roosts in Spanish moss and the leaves of
  cabbage palmetto in coastal southeastern United
  States to Central America.
• Food Insects, mainly flies and moths
• Reproduction Produce a litter of 2-4 young per
  year, mate in the fall, delayed fertilization
  until spring.
• Trivia Little is known about this species in
  North America.

22
Myotis californicus

• California myotis
• Habitat S. Alaska south to Baja California and
  East to the Chihuahuan Desert.
• Food Insects
• Reproduction Usually have 1 young in May to
  July.
• Trivia Tends to be found in wooded areas, this
  small myotis does not appear to be in any
  conservation risk. Most commonly confused with
  M. ciliolabrum.

23
Myotis ciliolabrum

• Western small-footed myotis
• Habitat Roost in desert mountains and caves in
  the southwestern United States.
• Food Insects
• Reproduction Usually have 1 young in May
  following sperm storage from fall mating.
• Trivia Rare in the Trans Pecos, this small
  myotis is more common farther west.

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Myotis lucifugus / occultus

• Little brown bat, southwestern LBB
• Habitat Maternity colonies in buildings rock
  crevices, hibernating in caves and mines in the
  winter. Found in the southwestern United States,
  mainly in New Mexico, Arizona, north to Colorado.
• Food Insects, particularly small moths, flies,
  and beetles.
• Reproduction Form maternity colonies into the
  thousands, mating in the fall or spring or both.
  Have delayed fertilization, and produce a single
  young in Jun-Jul.
• Trivia This morphologically variable species is
  one of the most common bats in North America. M.
  occultus is still under debate as to being a
  species or subspecies of M. lucifugus.

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Myotis thysanodes

• Fringed myotis
• Habitat lives and hibernated in caves, mine
  tunnels, and old buildings in the SW United
  States
• Food Insects, mainly small beetles
• Reproduction One young born in Jun-Jul.
  Probably have delayed fertilization.
• Trivia As with other Myotis, adult males and
  females do not roost together.

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Myotis velifer

• Cave myotis
• Habitat Live in caves and buildings from Kansas
  S to Honduras and W to California.
• Food Insects, most likely true bug, flies, and
  small beetles
• Reproduction generally one pup born in May
  following fall or winter sperm storage.
• Trivia An abundant bat in the Trans Pecos, this
  bat tends to be the most abundant large Myotis
  found locally.

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Myotis volans

• Long-legged myotis
• Habitat High, open woods and mountainous terrain
  from Alaska to Veracruz
• Food Insects, moths, flies, and beetles. A
  gleaner, consuming occasional spiders.
• Reproduction Single young born in Jun-Jul.
  Appear to mate late summer
• Trivia The status of this bat in Texas is
  largely unknown, but its broad distribution leads
  one to believe that they are alright.

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Myotis yumanensis

• Yuma myotis
• Habitat Lowland desert dweller in caves and
  buildings from Baja California and Texas N to
  British Columbia
• Food Insects, mainly moths, flies, and
  leafhoppers
• Reproduction Mate in fall and spring, delayed
  fertilization, have one pup in May-Jul.
• Trivia Locally abundant along the Rio Grande and
  other drainages. Also, a common bat found in
  local buildings.

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Nycticeius humeralis

• The Evening bat
• Habitat Maternity colonies in hollow trees or
  buildings in southern Canada, eastern United
  States, and southern Mexico.
• Food Eats beetles, hemiptera, homoptera, and
  moths
• Reproduction Have two young in June.
• Trivia Presumed to hibernate, but location is
  unknown. Generally in competition with E. fuscus.

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Parastrellus hesperus

• Western pipistrelle
• Habitat rocky cracks and crevices. Found from
  Washington State west to Oklahoma and south to
  Hidalgo, Mexico.
• Food Insects, especially small beetles and
  moths.
• Reproduction Two young born in Jun-Jul. Pups
  can fly after two weeks, and are abandoned by
  four weeks.
• Trivia A slow flyer, these bats will sometimes
  fly their young with them to switch roosts.

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Key to the Vespertilionidae
Ears large, 27-35mm long. Ears
small, less than 20mm long.. Fur
brightly or strikingly covered, fur extending
onto tail membrane. Fur
generally brown, or tricolored if small, fur not
extending on tail. Fur
yellow or reddish, 1 upper incisor, tail furred
total length. Fur black with silver hairs, 2
upper incisors, tail furred halfway down
length.. Dorsal fur drab, bat
small. Dorsal fur variable, bat
medium to large. Bat large, forearm gt
44mm... Bat smaller forearm
lt44mm. Tragus elongate and slender,
2 tiny premolars behind canine, 2 upper
incisors Tragus short and
rounded, first premolar enlarged, 1 upper
incisor... Body white to
yellow in color.. Body brown or
darker in color.

• 7
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Lasiurus
• L. noctivagans
• P. hesperus
• 5
• E. fuscus
• 6
• Myotis
• N. humeralis
• pallidus
• Corynorhinus

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
32
Key to Corynohinus
Tips of ventral hair buff, accessory cusp on 1st
incisor lackingC. townsendii Tips of ventral
hair white, accessory cusp on 1st
incisor...C. rafinesquii
Key to Lasiurus
Fur yellow brown, posterior section of tail
membrane sparely furred.. Fur red or
brown w/ white hair, tail membrane densely
furred...........................................
........... Tot length 91-112 mm, fur
reddish... Tot length 134-140 mm, fur brown
with white tips..
1 2
L. intermedius 2 L. borealis L. cinereus
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Key to Myotis
2 3 M. velifer M. thysanodes 4 5 M. volans M.
ciliolabrum M. californicus M. yumanensis M.
lucifugus / occultus
Forearm more than 40 mm. Forearm
less than 40 mm Uropatagium with
smooth margin... Uropatagium with
distinct fringe of hairs Bat with keeled
calcar. Bat without keeled
calcar. Medium bat w/ chocolate fur
on dorsal and ventral sides. Short rostrum.
hairy armpits Small bat with broad
rostrum. Distinct black mask across face, and
dorsal pelt caramel colored. Small bat
with narrow rostrum. No black mask, dorsal fur
light colored, but varies.. Small
to medium bat with tan dorsal fur, white/grey
ventral fur, light colored ears and membranes,
large feet (10mm) Small to medium bat with
reddish-brown dorsal fur and light colored (tan
to grayish brown) venter and BLACK ears and
membranes..
1 2 3 4 5
34
Family Molossidae

• Eumops perotis
• Nyctinomops macrotis N. femorosaccus
• Tadarida brasiliensis

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Eumops perotis

• Western Mastiff Bat
• Habitat Southwest United States to Brazil
• Food Large moths and insects
• Reproduction Mate in the spring, gestate about
  80-90 days and have 1 pup in Jun-Jul.
• Trivia A large free-tailed bat, capable of very
  rapid flight and long distances.

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Nyctinomops macrotis and femorosaccus

• Pocketed and Big free-tailed bats
• Habitat Found in Central America, South America,
  and the Caribbean. Northern extent of range is
  Texas border.
• Food Insects, mainly moths, flying ants, and
  other fliers.
• Reproduction Form nursery colonies in buildings,
  hollow trees, and caves. Mate in Feb-Mar, birth
  in June, postpartum estrus, mate again in
  Jun-Jul, and second birth in September.
  Generally only have one pup per birth, and nurse
  for 6 weeks.
• Trivia A fast flying bat similar to Tadarida
  brasiliensis. Little is known about the two
  species of Nyctinomops in our area, and therefore
  deserve more study.

37
Tadarida brasiliensis

• Brazilian free-tailed bat, Mexican free-tailed
  bat
• Habitat Found in caves, tunnels, mines, and
  buildings throughout the southern United States
  south to Chili and Argentina.
• Food An insect generalist.
• Reproduction No delayed fertilization. Gestate
  11-12 weeks. Single young born in May-Jun.
• Trivia Rapid flight, and may fly long before
  dark. Form the largest colonies of mammals in
  the world (20 million in Bracken Cave, Texas).
  Will also roost with other species of bats
  (Myotis velifer, Eptesicus fuscus, etc.) in
  unusual places, like bridges, highway culverts,
  and swallow nests.

38
Key to Molossidae
Forearm gt50mm, ears joined at midline, hair
bicolored Forearm lt50mm, ears not
joined as above, hair not bicolored.. Lo
wer incisors 3, upper molariform teeth
5 Lower incisor 2, upper
molariform teeth 4...
1 2
E. perotis 2 T. brasiliensis N. macrotis N.
femorosaccus