The lesser sac-winged bat or lesser white-lined bat (''Saccopteryx leptura'') is a

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

species of the family

Emballonuridae Emballonuridae is a family of microbats, many of which are referred to as sac-winged or sheath-tailed bats. They are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The earliest fossil records are from the Eocene. Descr ...

from

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

and Middle America.

Description

The lesser white-lined bat belongs to the genus ''

Saccopteryx ''Saccopteryx'' is a genus of sac-winged bats from Central and South America. The species within this genus are: * Antioquian sac-winged bat ''Saccopteryx antioquensis'' *Greater sac-winged bat The greater sac-winged bat (''Saccopteryx bilin ...

''. The bat is characterized by white stripes that run longitudinally down its back starting at the shoulders. Its pelage is typically brown and the bats are roughly in length. It is similar in appearance to ''

Rhynchonycteris naso The proboscis bat (''Rhynchonycteris naso'') is a species of bat found in South America and Central America. Other common names include Long-nosed proboscis bat, sharp-nosed bat, Brazilian long-nosed bat. and river bat It is the only species in ...

'' but is slightly smaller and with paler fur. Additionally, ''R. naso'' has white fur on its antebrachium which ''S. leptura'' does not. The lesser white-lined bat also has a characteristic odiferous gland on the distal portion of its arm. The gland opens up to the dorsal part of the wing. This opening is larger in the males than in the females. This species is sexually dimorphic, the female being larger than the male.

Habitat

The lesser white-lined bat is indigenous to northern South America as well as parts of Central America. The bat is found in heavily forested areas and typically roosts in trees. The lesser white-lined bat prefers open areas to roost and while they prefer trees they have also been known to roost inside buildings. They do not seem to have a preference of tree type but gravitate towards areas with heavy canopy cover. They do not need to roost near a body of water. Most bats of this species are located in low-elevation areas but can exist in areas up to 900 meters in elevation. The lesser white-lined bat may be found in areas with other bat species but they usually do not exist in the same foraging area. ''R. naso'' is found to forage above water at low elevations while the ''S. leptura'' forages higher around the tree canopy.

Diet and behavior

The lesser white-lined bat feeds primarily on aerial insects in the order

Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is a large order (biology), order of insects, comprising the sawfly, sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are Par ...

. This includes flying ants and other formicids. The bats forage in areas under tree canopies and use echolocation to hunt the flying insects. The bats don't change their calling frequency or their mouth size when using echolocation while hunting. When roosting, the bats usually form small groups anywhere from 2 to a 9. Additionally, the bats are thought to be monogamous. Females typically only produce one or two young per year. The young cannot fly for about the first twelve days after birth and are taken care of by the female for up to 18 months. Female bats in this species are known to defend their foraging areas but males are not.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1830297 Bats of South America Bats of Brazil Mammals of Colombia Saccopteryx Bats of Central America Mammals described in 1774