The Matapalo broad-nosed bat (''Platyrrhinus matapalensis'') is a species of

leaf-nosed bat The New World leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) are found from southern North America to South America, specifically from the Southwest United States to northern Argentina. They are ecologically the most varied and diverse family within the order ...

described in 2005. It is found in South America.

Taxonomy and etymology

Before it was described, there were only 10 species recognized in the genus ''

Platyrrhinus ''Platyrrhinus'' is a genus of leaf-nosed bats in the tribe Stenodermatini of family Phyllostomidae. Twenty one species are known: * Alberico's broad-nosed bat, ''Platyrrhinus albericoi'' * Slender broad-nosed bat, ''Platyrrhinus angustirostri ...

''. With the description of ''P. matapalensis'' and other species since 2005, the total is now at least 20 species. ''P. matapalensis'' was described as the result of a taxonomic split in

Heller's broad-nosed bat Heller's broad-nosed bat (''Platyrrhinus helleri'') is a bat species from South and Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States t ...

, with the "Eastern" populations retaining the name ''P. helleri'', and the "Western" populations described as ''P. matapalensis''. The

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...

for the species was collected in July 1954 in Zarumilla, Peru by Peruvian ornithologist Celestino Kalinowski. Its species name ''matapalensis'' is derived from the

Matapalo District Matapalo District is one of the four districts of the province Zarumilla Zarumilla is a city in the Tumbes Region, in northwestern Peru. It has a population of 54,625 as of 2019, and is the capital of the Zarumilla Province. It is also the main ...

, where the holotype was found.

Description

It is a small member of its genus, with a forearm length of . The fur on its back is light brown, with individual hairs tricolored. Dorsal hairs are long. The face is striped and the fur on its belly is brownish, with individual hairs bicolored or unicolored, depending on the individual. It has a narrow dorsal stripe down the length of its spine that is the same color as its facial stripes. Its

nose-leaf A nose-leaf, or leaf nose, is an often large, lance-shaped nose, found in bats of the Phyllostomidae, Hipposideridae The Hipposideridae are a family of bats commonly known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats. While it has often been seen as a su ...

is longer than it is wide. The margin of the

uropatagium The patagium (plural: patagia) is a membranous body part that assists an animal in obtaining lift when gliding or flight. The structure is found in extant and extinct groups of flying and gliding animals including bats, birds, some dromaeosau ...

is densely furred with a fringe of hairs.

Range and status

It is known from the western slopes of the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

in Ecuador and Peru. It may occur in northwest Colombia, though no records support this hypothesis yet. It prefers

lowland Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland. Definitions Upland and lowland are portions of ...

forests that are undisturbed. It has been found at elevations of above sea level. It is currently evaluated as

near-threatened A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...

by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

. Its habitat loss has been so dramatic that the species is close to qualifying for vulnerable status.

References

External links

Images of this species and its distribution in Ecuador
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2200452 Mammals described in 2005 Bats of South America Mammals of Ecuador Mammals of Peru Platyrrhinus