The proboscis bat (''Rhynchonycteris naso'') is a species of

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 ...

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 the genus ''Rhynchonycteris''. This species is in 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 ...

, the sac-winged or sheath-tailed bats. Like most bats, it is nocturnal. It is found from southern Mexico to Belize, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, as well as in

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad and Tobago. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is often referred to as the southernmos ...

. (2007): Orb-weaving Spider, ''Argiope savignyi'' (Araneidae), Predation on the Proboscis Bat ''Rhynchonycteris naso'' (Emballonuridae). ''Caribbean Journal of Science'' 43(2): 282–284
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Characteristics

This is a small bat, around long and in weight. Males in northern South America were found to average long, females . The tail is about long. Pregnant females can weigh up to . The species is characterized by its long, fleshy, and pointed nose. Its fur is soft and dense and is brownish-grey in color, with two white stripes down the back. Whether these stripes serve a purpose, such as camouflage or attraction of mates, is unknown. This bat also has gray tufts of fur on the forearms. No matter what time of day these features may make the bat difficult to see.

Habitat

This species is found in the lowlands of the northern half of South America, throughout Central America, and into southeastern Mexico. From Ecuador south, it is limited to east of the Andes; its range extends south to the northern half of Bolivia and much of Brazil. It seldom occurs above in elevation. It usually lives around wetlands and is frequently found in riparian forests, pastures swamps, and all near water.

Habits

Proboscis bats live in groups. The colonies are usually between five and ten individuals, and very rarely exceed forty. The bats are nocturnal, sleeping during the day in an unusual formation: they line up, one after another, on a branch or wooden beam, nose to tail, in a straight row. A colony of proboscis bats usually has a regular feeding area, typically a small patch of water. Here the bats catch insects (in the form of

midge A midge is any small fly, including species in several families of non-mosquito Nematoceran Diptera. Midges are found (seasonally or otherwise) on practically every land area outside permanently arid deserts and the frigid zones. Some mid ...

s ncluding_chironomids.html" ;"title="chironomid.html" ;"title="ncluding chironomid">ncluding chironomids">chironomid.html" ;"title="ncluding chironomid">ncluding chironomids mosquitoes, beetles, and caddisflies) using echolocation. They have no specific breeding season, forming stable year-round harems. One young is born per female. Both sexes disperse after weaning at around 2–4 months. This small species of bat has been found to occasionally fall prey to the large spider ''

Argiope savignyi ''Argiope submaronica'' is a species of spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), found from Mexico to Bolivia, and in Brazil. The name was at one time considered a synonym of ''Argiope argentata'', but ''A. submaronica'' is now treated ...

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References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q605774 Emballonuridae Bats of Central America Bats of South America Bats of Brazil Mammals of Colombia Mammals described in 1820