Phyllostomidae
Author
Don E. Wilson
Author
Russell A. Mittermeier
text
2019
2019-10-31
Lynx Edicions
Barcelona
Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats
444
583
book chapter
http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6458594
adeeb71f-7f8d-4e00-bc9f-35089363f76e
978-84-16728-19-0
6458594
51.
Gray's Long-tongued Bat
Glossophaga leachii
French:
Glossophage de Leach
/
German:
Leach-Blitenfledermaus
/
Spanish:
Gloséfago de Leach
Taxonomy.
Monophyllus leachii J. E. Gray
in
Hinds, 1844
,
Realejo, Chinandeja, Nicaraa
W. D. Webster and J. K. Jones, Jr. in 1980 recognized
leachii
as a distinct species of
Glossophaga
, after examination of the holotype. At that point, it was thought to include, as junior synonyms,
G. soricina alticola
named by W. B. Davis in 1944 and
G. morenoi
, which is now recognized as a valid species. Monotypic.
Distribution.
From C
Mexico
(
Jalisco
,
Colima
,
Michoacan
,
Morelos
, and
Tlaxcala
) S along the Pacific versant and associate highlands to NW
Costa Rica
Descriptive notes.
Head-body 49-61 mm, tail 5-11 mm, ear 12-15 mm, hindfoot 9-13 mm, forearm 35-39 mm; weight 9-11 g. Relative to external measurements, Gray's Long-tongued Batis the largest species of
Glossophaga
in Middle America. Dorsal hairs are bicolored, with light bases and dark tips; venter is conspicuously frosted. Dorsal fur is generally cinnamon-brown to olive-brown; venter is dull grayish brown (hazel-brown) to drab. Braincase is domed, and slope of rostrum is relatively abrupt. Rostrum and tongue are long, and noseleafis short, reduced, and triangular. Dental characteristics that differentiate Gray’s Long-tongued Bat from the Western Longtongued Bat (
G. morenoi
) are that, in the latter,size of I' is very similar to I? and clearly procumbent. Mandibular incisors are reduced, with occlusal surface almost circular and large median gap between pairs; there are small gaps between inner and outer teeth. X-chromosome is medium-sized metacentric, and Y-chromosome is minute acrocentric
Habitat.
Relatively xeric Pacific slopes in dry tropical, tropical deciduous, and pineoak forests, with marginal records barely extending into more mesic interior tropical evergreen forests from sea level up to elevations of ¢.
2380 m
. Gray’s Long-tongued Bat is usually mist-netted over streams orin fields of cultivated plants
Food and Feeding.
Gray's L.ong-tongued Bat preferably feeds on nectar and pollen.It visits flowers of
Pseudobombax
spp. (
Malvaceae
) and
Ipomoea
spp. (
Convolvulaceae
). It might eat some fleshy softfruits
Breeding.
Pregnant females, each with one embryo, have been recorded in February, April, June-September, and November and lactating females in February-March, June, and November. Gray's Long-tongued Bat seems to be bimodal polyestrous
Activity patterns.
Gray's Long-tongued Bats are nocturnal and roost in caves, culverts, and human constructions
Movements, Home range and Social organization.
Gray's Long-tongued Bats were found sharing a cave in
Morelos
with a single Mexican Long-tongued Bat (
Choeronycteris mexicana
Status and Conservation.
Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List
Bibliography.
Alvarez (1966), Davis (1944), Gardner (1986), Hoffmann & Baker (2001), Martinez & Villa (1938), Miller (1913b), Reid (2009), Villa (1964), Webster (1993), Webster & Jones (1980, 1984a).