PETERS SAC-WINGED BAT Peropteryx macrotis FAUNA PARAGUAY

Peropteryx macrotis (Wagner 1843)
TAX: Class Mammalia; Subclass Theria; Infraclass Metatheria; Order Chiroptera; Superfamily Vespertilionoidea; Family Emballonuridae; Subfamily Emballonurinae; Tribe Diclidurini (Hoofer et al 2003, López-Gonzalez 2005, Myers et al 2006, Lim et al 2008). The genus Peropteryx, Peters 1867, contains a single species. It is frequently misspelled as Pteropteryx (López-Gonzalez 2005). Peropteryx is derived from two Latin roots meaning "along the wing", presumably in reference to the positioning of the sac, macrotis means "big-eared". Gardner (2007) recognised two subspecies, that present in most of the Central and South American range, including Paraguay is P.m.macrotis (Desmarest 1804) (Type Locality Matto Grosso, Brazil). Yee (2000) included P.trinitatis (Sanborn 1937), confined to the island of Trinidad as a subspecies of P.macrotis, but here it is treated as a distinct species following Gardner (2007). Synonyms adapted from Yee (2000), López-Gonzalez (2005) and Gardner (2007):
Vespertilio caninus Schinz 1821:179. Type locality "Östküste von Brasilien". Restricted to Timicui on the Rio Belmonte, above Bôca d´Obu" Bahía, Brazil by Ávila-Pires (1965). Preoccupied.
Proboscidea canina Gray 1838:499. Name combination.
Emballonura canina Temminck 1841:298. Name combination.
Emballonura macrotis Wagner 1843:367. Type Locality "Matto Grosso". Restricted Cuiabá, Matto Grosso, Brazil by Carter & Dolan (1978).
Emballonura brunnea Gervais 1856:66. Type locality "Province de Bahía", Brazil.
Peropteryx canina W.Peters 1867:472. Name combination.
Peropteryx macrotis W.Peters 1867:472. First use of current name.
Saccopteryx canina Dobson 1878:373. Name combination.
[Saccopteryx (Peropteryx)] canina Trouessart 1897:138. Name combination.
Pteropteryx macrotis López-González 2005:13. Incorrect spelling.
ENG: Peters´ Sac-winged Bat (Yee 2000), Lesser Doglike Bat (Yee 2000, IUCN 2007), Neotropical Sac-winged Bat (Yee 2000).
ESP: Murciélago de bolsa alar perruno (Emmons 1999).
GUA: No known names.
DES: A small bat with a naked, pointed rostrum and chin - considered "dog-like" by some observers. There is a small tuft of hair on the crown which stops abruptly next to the bare face and a thin bear of stiff hairs on the chin. Though variation in pelage colour has been noted across the range from brown to grey or red, with similarly-coloured or slightly paler underparts (Yee 2000), all Paraguayan specimens known have been dark brown above and slightly paler below (López-Gonzalez 2005). Pelage is moderately long (6-9mm) and sparse. Wing membranes black and with characteristic shape of family, terminating at an attachment point on each ankle. Ear rounded at the tip and separated at the base. Inner part of the ear is lined with deep parallel crests, and the anterior border of the ear is thickly folded. Caudal membrane is long, the calcaneous being at least twice the length of the foot. The membrane is covered with lines of fine, short hairs, being rough to the touch on the underside, and softer and furrier on the upperside. Tail approximately one-third of body length, perforating the uropatagium on the upperside at its tip - characteristic of the family. Fur of the dorsal surface continues along the length of the tail. CR - Well-developed post-orbital processes, relatively narrow and blunt. Adults with incomplete premaxillaries, retaining only the nasal portion and not fused either to the maxillaries or to each other. Sagittal crest present. Snout rises relatively abruptly towards brain case. Basisphenoid processes not divided. (López-Gonzalez 2005). Measurements of populations in Brazil suggest that females are consistently larger than males in 4 cranial measurements (greatest skull length, condylobasal length, width across upper molars, width across upper canines). Willig (1983) gave the following measurements for the sexes in north-eastern Brazil (male n=15 female n=7): Greatest Skull Length male 13.8mm (+/- 0.3) female 14mm (+/- 0.2); Condylobasal Length male 12.7mm (+/- 0.3) female 13mm (+/- 0.4); Transverse Zygomatic Width male 8.2mm (+/- 0.2) female 8.3mm (+/- 0.2); Mastoid Width male 7.3mm (+/- 0.1) female 7.3mm (+/- 0.3); Width of Brain Case male 6.5mm (+/- 0.2) female 6.5mm (+/- 0.2); Width Across Upper Molars male 6mm (+/- 0.2) female 6.5mm (+/- 0.4); Width Across Upper Canines male 3.5mm (+/- 0.1) female 3.7mm (+/- 0.2). Two females from Paraguay had the following cranial measurements Greatest Skull Length 15.2mm; Condylobasal Length 13.7mm; Transverse Zygomatic Width 8.4-8.8mm; Mastoid Width 7.7-7.9mm; Interorbital Constriction 2.8-2.9mm; Width Across Upper Canines 3.4mm; Width Across Upper Molars 6.2-6.3mm. DF: I1/3 C1/1 P 2/2 M 3/3 = 32. Two females from Paraguay had the following measurements Upper Tooth Row 5.6mm; Lower Tooth Row 5.9mm. (López-Gonzalez 2005). Upper and lower incisors are small, lower incisors being trifid. CN: 2n=26 FN=48. (Yee 2000).
MMT: A small bat with tail approximately one-third of head and body length. Though no precise information exists for Paraguay, measurements of populations in Brazil suggest that females are consistently larger than males in 5 external (total length, length of tragus, forearm length, length of third digit, length of fifth digit). Willig (1983) gave the following external measurements for the sexes in north-eastern Brazil (male n=15 female n=7): HB male 61.3mm (+/- 2), female 64.1mm (+/- 3.8); TA male 14.2mm (+/- 1.6), female 14.1mm (+/- 2.1); FT male 6.6mm (+/- 0.5), female 6.6mm (+/- 0.8); FA male 42mm (+/- 0.9), female 43.6mm (+/- 1.1); EA male 14.2mm (+/- 0.6), female 14.4mm (+/- 1); Length of Tragus male 6.1mm (+/- 0.5), female 6.7mm (+/- 0.5); Length of First Digit male 7.5mm (+/- 0.7), female 7.1mm (+/- 1.1); Length of Third Digit male 64.7mm (+/- 2.4), female 68mm (+/- 4.1); Length of Fifth Digit male 44.4mm (+/- 1.4), female 46.9mm (+/- 1.9); WT male 4.2g (+/- 0.6), female 4.6g (+/- 0.9). Two females from Paraguay measured (López-Gonzalez 2005) - FA 43-44.6mm; Length of Third Digit 38.2-40mm - though this latter figure seems wildly different from that given by Willig (1983) and more in keeping with measurements of the fifth digit.
SSP: This is the only member of the family in Paraguay and the characteristics of the family are sufficient to identify the species - notably the outward-opening sac on the upper edge of the antebrachial membrane (more obvious in males) and the fact that the tip of the tail emerges from the central part of the uropatagium. This species shows no white on the wings. An extremely similar species, P.kappleri occurs in Bolivia but has not been recorded in Paraguay. That species can be distinguished by measurements only, having a total length >62mm, forearm length >45mm and the greatest length of the skull >16mm - all these measurements are smaller than the given figures in P.macrotis.
DIS: The nominate subspecies, P.m.macrotis, is widely distributed from south-eastern Mexico south through South America where it occurs east of the Andes to northern Paraguay and southeastern Brazil. It has only rarely been collected above 1000m which may be its upper elevational limit and would explain its absence from the Andes (Yee 2000). P.m.phaea (GM Allen 1911) is found only on Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. In Paraguay the species has been collected in two localities only, both near the banks of the Rio Paraguay, these being Cantera, near San Lázaro in Departamento Concepción and at Fuerte Olimpo, Departamento Alto Paraguay where it was found at 200m.(López-Gonzalez 2005).
HAB: Generally associated with humid and subhumid gallery forest, though will also forage over nearby savanna, plantations and dry forests. (Emmons 1999). Paraguayan specimens were found roosting in caves in rocky areas (López-Gonzalez 2005) and it has been hypothesised that the absence of suitable roosting areas may limit their distribution (Emmons 1999). Yee (2000) lists tropical deciduous forest, evergreen forest and semi-arid thorn scrub among the habitats utilised, with roosting sites including a variety of natural and manmade structures such as caves, bridges, church towers, rock piles and hollow trees. Arita (1996) noted that roost sites used by this species in Mexico were typically short, simple caves.
ALI: Insectivorous. Emmons (1999) states that this species feeds principally on small Coleopterans and flies (Diptera). In areas close to human habitation they may forage over roads and around lights (Yee 2000). The species feeds on the wing (Goodwin & Greenhall 1961).
REP: Little known. Colonies generally consist of a single male with several females, leading to the assumption that the breeding system follows a harem-style structure. Scent emitted from the wing sac of males may play a role in courtship (Goodwin & Greenhall 1961). Pregnant females have been reported in the Caatinga of Brazil during January, September and October and lactaing females in January in northeast Brazil (Willig 1985). Data available from across the range that seasonal polyestry occurs, at least in some areas. A single young is usually produced after a gestation of 4 to 4.5 months. (Yee 2000).
BEH: Activity Levels Typically this species is active before dark, flying with rapid, butterfly-like wingbeats and retracing the same flight trajectory over and over. Roosts Roosts in rocky areas, hollow trees and caves in small groups of 1 to 10 individuals, typically constituting a single male and several females. Roosting Sac-wings are often found in well-lit areas and as might be expected of bats that roost in exposed locations are alert in the daytime (Nowak 1991). Roosting individuals may cling to a vertical surface, adopting a characteristic head-down posture with arms and legs spread into a cross-shape, or else suspend themselves from a horizontal surface. The wings are folded to a 45º angle when roosting. When disturbed they shake rhythmically. Known Paraguayan specimens were collected at the entrance to limestone caves near rocky crevices, where they shared their refuges with Desmodus rotundus and Glossophaga soricina (Myers & Wetzel 1983, López-Gonzalez 2005). Enemies In other parts of the range recorded as falling prey to owls and to the predatory bat Chrotopterus auritus (Yee 2000). Parasites Human bed bugs have been found engorged with blood at the base of the posterior surface of the tail in Colombia. Nematodes have been found internally in Trinidad. (Yee 2000).
VOC: No information.
HUM: Human impact likely negligible, though the species may suffer from the fact that it sometimes shares roosts with the Vampire Bat Desmodus rotundus, and any persecution of that species at the roost would undoubtedly affect other species present.
CON: Globally considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN, click here to see the latest assessment of the species. Considered stable in Paraguay (López-Gonzalez 2005), but no population data is available and no studies of the threats to this species have ever been performed. Emmons (1999) states that the availability of suitable roosting places may be a limiting factor on the distribution of the species. The small number of bats of this species using any given roost, plus the apparent harem-based social structure, means that a large number of roosts must be available for a viable population to exist. On current knowledge the species appears to have a limited distribution in Paraguay where it apparently reaches the southern limits of its wide geographical range. It is said to be uncommon over much of its South American range (Emmons 1999), though Yee (2000) noted that in some areas it "occurs abundantly". Its known Paraguayan range encompasses some of the most isolated and least densely-populated areas in the country, and other populations will likely be discovered with further field work. However, a general fear of bats, added to the fact that this species sometimes shares its roosts with the Vampire Bat Desmodus rotundus means that it may suffer from persecution wherever it comes into contact with humans.
Citable Reference: Smith P (2008) FAUNA Paraguay Online Handbook of Paraguayan Fauna Mammal Species Account 21 Peropteryx macrotis.
Last Updated: 24 February 2009.
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