Peracchi's nectar bat explained
Peracchi's nectar bat (Lonchophylla peracchii) is a species of nectar-feeding bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It was first described from the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil.[1]
Description
The discovery of this species as distinct from Lonchophylla bokermanni has meant that the latter is restricted to a small area of the Cerrado, and might be endangered due to habitat destruction.[2]
Bat species in the genus Lonchophylla feed on nectar and differ from fruit-eating bats by having a long, extensible tongues and elongated skulls and muzzles, adapted to their feeding behaviour. L. peracchii is distinguished from L. bokermanni by its fur color and ear shape; the Cerrado species has a grayer hue and shorter, rounder ears.[3]
Further reading
- Teixeira, Tiago Souto Martins, et al. "First record of Lonchophylla peracchii Dias, Esbérard and Moratelli, 2013 (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in São Paulo state, Southeastern Brazil." Oecologia Australis 17.3 (2013).
Notes and References
- Dias. Daniela. Esbérard. Carlos Eduardo L.. Moratelli. Ricardo. A new species of Lonchophylla (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) from the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, with comments on L. bokermanni. Zootaxa. 3722. 3. 2013. 347–60. 1175-5334. 10.11646/zootaxa.3722.3.4. 26171531.
- Web site: Discovery of a new species of nectar-feeding bat from Brazil's Atlantic Forest reveals another critically endangered Brazilian Cerrado species. WildlifeExtra. WildlifeExtra. 25 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150526023934/http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/cerrado-bat.html#cr. 26 May 2015. dead.
- Web site: Millar. Natalie. New bat species discovered in Brazil leaves another at risk. Mongabay. 15 November 2013 . Mongabay. 25 May 2015.
