Artibeus
Encyclopedia
The Neotropical fruit bats (Artibeus) are a genus of bats within the subfamily Stenodermatinae
. The genus consists of 21 species, which are native to Central
and South America
, as well as parts of the Caribbean
.
, the skin between the legs, is very small, and they lack a tail – a general characteristic of the fruit bats. The ears are acuminated and like many other leaf-nosed bat
s the nose bears a small, sharp leaf which is used for echo sounding
.
and the Bahamas, to northern Argentina
, the Caribbean
islands included. They live in different natural habitats and can be found in both forests and grasslands.
The diet of these bats mainly consists of fruit, but they eat pollen
and insects too.
Little is known about the reproduction of many species. A. jamaicensis has a gestation period of usually 112 to 120 days that can be extended up to 180 days due to dormancy
. The offspring usually consists of one young, which is weaned after two months and becomes sexually mature at an age of eight to twelve months. Captured bats can live up to ten years.
The island endemic, Artibeus incomitatus, is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN
, while Artibeus inopinatus and Artibeus rosenbergii are considered data deficient
; the remaining seventeen species are listed as being of least concern
.
The genus of the Neotropical fruit bats is divided into three sub-genera (Artibeus, Koopmania, and Dermanura
). In some taxonomies these are discrete genera, but sometimes Enchisthenes hartii is integrated in these genera. According Wilson & Reeder (2005), it is differentiated between the following 21 species:
Genus Artibeus - Neotropical Fruit Bats
Stenodermatinae
Stenodermatinae is a large subfamily of bats in the family Phyllostomidae.-List of species:Subfamily Stenodermatinae*Genus: Ametrida**Little White-shouldered Bat, Ametrida centurio*Genus: Ardops**Tree Bat, Ardops nichollsi...
. The genus consists of 21 species, which are native to Central
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, as well as parts of the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
Description
These bats grow to an average length of 5 to 10 cm, and a weight of 10 to 85 g. The fur is colored brown or gray on the top; the bottom side is brighter. In a few species, the faces have four light-colored stripes. The patagiumPatagium
*In bats, the skin forming the surface of the wing. It is an extension of the skin of the abdomen that runs to the tip of each digit, uniting the forelimb with the body.*The patagium of a bat has four distinct parts:...
, the skin between the legs, is very small, and they lack a tail – a general characteristic of the fruit bats. The ears are acuminated and like many other leaf-nosed bat
Leaf-nosed bat
The New World leaf-nosed bats are found throughout Central and South America, from Mexico to northern Argentina. They are ecologically the most varied and diverse family within the order Chiroptera...
s the nose bears a small, sharp leaf which is used for echo sounding
Echo sounding
Echo sounding is the technique of using sound pulses directed from the surface or from a submarine vertically down to measure the distance to the bottom by means of sound waves. This information is then typically used for navigation purposes or in order to obtain depths for charting purposes...
.
Geographical Distribution and Habitat
Neotropical fruit bats are found in an area that reaches from the north of MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the Bahamas, to northern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
islands included. They live in different natural habitats and can be found in both forests and grasslands.
Diet, reproduction and social behaviour
Like most bats, Neotropical fruit bats are nocturnal. They sleep in caves, houses, or other hideouts. Some species use large leaves to form "tents", which provide shelter from the weather and hide them from predators. Most species live in large groups. Artibeus jamaicensis – the best studied species – forms groups, consisting of one to three males, three to 14 females, and the shared offspring.The diet of these bats mainly consists of fruit, but they eat pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
and insects too.
Little is known about the reproduction of many species. A. jamaicensis has a gestation period of usually 112 to 120 days that can be extended up to 180 days due to dormancy
Dormancy
Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be closely associated with environmental conditions...
. The offspring usually consists of one young, which is weaned after two months and becomes sexually mature at an age of eight to twelve months. Captured bats can live up to ten years.
The island endemic, Artibeus incomitatus, is a critically endangered species according to the IUCN
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
, while Artibeus inopinatus and Artibeus rosenbergii are considered data deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
; the remaining seventeen species are listed as being of least concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
.
Taxonomy
Dermanura
Dermanura is a genus of leaf-nosed bats. It is sometimes seen as a subgenus of Artibeus.Subgenus Dermanura*Andersen's Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus anderseni ...
). In some taxonomies these are discrete genera, but sometimes Enchisthenes hartii is integrated in these genera. According Wilson & Reeder (2005), it is differentiated between the following 21 species:
Genus Artibeus - Neotropical Fruit Bats
- Subgenus Artibeus
- Large Fruit-eating BatLarge Fruit-eating BatThe Large Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Colombia, Guyana, and Venezuela.-Source:* Chiroptera Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007....
, Artibeus amplus lives in Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana. - Fringed Fruit-eating BatFringed Fruit-eating BatThe Fringed Fruit-eating Bat , is a bat species from South America. It is found in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay....
, Artibeus fimbriatus has its habitat in southern BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, in ParaguayParaguayParaguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and in the North of ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. - Fraternal Fruit-eating BatFraternal Fruit-eating BatThe Fraternal Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.-Source:* Chiroptera Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007....
, Artibeus fraterculus is only known in EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Peru. The species is endangered. - Hairy Fruit-eating BatHairy Fruit-eating BatThe Hairy Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is endemic to Mexico. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Chiroptera Specialist Group 2000. . Downloaded on 30 July 2007....
, Artibeus hirsutus lives in western Mexico and is endangered too. - Honduran Fruit-eating BatHonduran Fruit-eating BatThe Honduran Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.-References:* Reid, F. & Medina, A. 2008. . Downloaded on 28 February 2009....
, Artibeus inopinatus is located in Middle America (El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, NicaraguaNicaraguaNicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, and HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
). It is also an endangered species. - Jamaican Fruit BatJamaican fruit batThe Jamaican, Common or Mexican fruit bat is a fruit bat native to Central and South America, as well as the Greater and many of the Lesser Antilles. It is also an uncommon resident of the Southern Bahamas...
, Artibeus jamaicensis is the best explored species. It is spread from the Bahamas and northern Mexico to northern Argentina. - Great Fruit-eating BatGreat Fruit-eating BatThe Great Fruit-eating Bat , is a bat species in the family Phyllostomidae from South and Central America. It is found from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina, as well as in Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.They are 10.5 g at birth and...
, Artibeus lituratus is spread from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. - Dark Fruit-eating BatDark Fruit-eating BatThe Dark Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus obscurus, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.-References:*...
, Artibeus obscurus lives exclusively in the Amazon Basin. - Flat-faced Fruit-eating BatFlat-faced Fruit-eating BatThe Flat-faced Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Venezuela.-References:...
, Artibeus planirostris
- Large Fruit-eating Bat
- Subgenus DermanuraDermanuraDermanura is a genus of leaf-nosed bats. It is sometimes seen as a subgenus of Artibeus.Subgenus Dermanura*Andersen's Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus anderseni ...
- Andersen's Fruit-eating BatAndersen's Fruit-eating BatAndersen's Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus anderseni, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, and Peru....
, Artibeus anderseni lives in the North of South America (from PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
to French GuianaFrench GuianaFrench Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
). - Aztec Fruit-eating BatAztec Fruit-eating BatThe Aztec Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama.-References:...
, Artibeus aztecus is spread from middle MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. - Bogota Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus bogotensis
- Gervais's Fruit-eating BatGervais's Fruit-eating BatGervais's Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus cinereus, is a bat species from South and Central America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela....
, Artibeus cinereus lives in the Amazon BasinAmazon BasinThe Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
. - Silver Fruit-eating BatSilver Fruit-eating BatThe Silver Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus glaucus, is a South American bat species of the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.-References:*...
, Artibeus glaucus is spread in the North of South America (from ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
to BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
). - Gnome Fruit-eating BatGnome Fruit-eating BatThe Gnome Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus gnomus, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela....
, Artibeus gnomus has its geographical extension from Peru to French Guyana). - Solitary Fruit-eating BatSolitary fruit-eating batThe solitary fruit-eating bat, Artibeus incomitatus, is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is endemic to a small island off the Caribbean coast of Panama, Isla Escudo de Veraguas, and is considered to be critically endangered. The species is frugivorous....
, Artibeus incomitatus is only known on the island Escudo de VeraguasIsla Escudo de VeraguasIsla Escudo de Veraguas is a small isolated Caribbean island of the Republic of Panama. Despite its name, it is not part of the province of Veraguas, but rather Bocas del Toro...
offshore north of Panama. The status of endangerment is unknown. - Pygmy Fruit-eating BatPygmy Fruit-eating BatThe pygmy fruit-eating bat, Artibeus phaeotis, is a bat of the family Phyllostomidae. The specific name phaeotis is of Greek derivation, coming from the word phaios meaning dusky, referring to their dusky gray coloration.-Biogeography:...
, Artibeus phaeotis is known from eastern Mexico, Peru and GuyanaGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. - Rosenberg's Fruit-eating BatRosenberg's fruit-eating batRosenberg's fruit-eating bat, Artibeus rosenbergi , is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in humid tropical forests in the El Chocó region on the coast of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador at altitudes below 500 m. Until recently it was included within A. glaucus, a...
, Artibeus rosenbergi - Toltec Fruit-eating BatToltec Fruit-eating BatThe Toltec Fruit-eating Bat is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.-References:...
, Artibeus toltecus is spread from northern Mexico to western Colombia. - Thomas's Fruit-eating BatThomas's fruit-eating batThomas's fruit-eating bat , sometimes also popularly called Watson's fruit-eating bat, is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is found in southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. The species name is in honor of H. J...
, Artibeus watsoni lives in Middle America (South of Mexico to Colombia).
- Andersen's Fruit-eating Bat
- Subgenus Koopmania
- Brown Fruit-eating BatBrown Fruit-eating BatThe Brown Fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus concolor, is a bat species from South America. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela....
, Artibeus concolor lives in the Amazon Basin.
- Brown Fruit-eating Bat
External links
- Status of endangerment of each species according to the red list of the IUCN
- Jorge Ortega, Iván Castro-Arellano (2001): Artibeus jamaicensis. Mammalian Species No. 662, American Society of Mammalogists.