Eumops floridanus
| Eumops floridanus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Eumops |
| Species: | E. floridanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Eumops floridanus Allen, 1932 | |
The Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) is a species of bat in the genus Eumops, the bonneted bats or mastiff bats. Until recently, it was treated as a subtaxon of Wagner's bonneted bat (Eumops glaucinus).[2] It is endemic to southern Florida in the United States.[1] Its range includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Coral Gables, Florida.[3] This species has one of the smallest geographical distributions of any New World bat.[3] It has been called "one of the most critically endangered mammal species in North America".[3]
Description
This is the largest bat in Florida.[2] It has long, narrow wings, with a wingspan of 19 to 21 inches (48 to 53 centimeters). The tail extends far beyond the short tail membrane. It weighs about 33.8 to 46.5 grams. Male and female are about equal in size. The short, glossy fur is black to cinnamon with a paler chest. The ears of bonneted bats are large and forward-facing, their position giving the head a bonnetlike appearance. They have short, deep basisphenoid pits which aid in vocalization.[3]
Biology
The female bears a single pup.[2] The breeding season extends throughout the summer, and a second pup may be born in winter. It roosts singly[4] or colonially and may form harems. Colonies can be found in tree cavities, including in pine trunks and the fronds of royal palm (Roystonea regia), under roof tiles,[3] especially on Spanish tile roofs,[4] and in rock outcroppings. Its tendency to roost in rock crevices may explain why so many well-preserved fossil specimens have been found. It flies at night, staying high up, usually above 30 feet in the air. It can take off from a flat surface, unlike many other bats, which launch after dropping from their roosts.[3]
The diet of the bat includes beetles, flies, and true bugs.[2]
Distribution
The bat is limited to four Florida counties: Miami-Dade on the Atlantic Coast and Charlotte, Collier, and Lee Counties on the Gulf Coast.[4]
Conservation
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the bat as a Critically Endangered species.[1] The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission classifies it as an endangered species.[2] Its NatureServe conservation status is critically imperiled.[4] Its populations have decreased in part because of pesticides and the loss of appropriate roosting sites. It is believed that in 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed many stands of old cavity-ridden trees used as habitat by the bat.[3]
It is also a federally listed species of the United States, as of October 2013.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 Timm, R. & Arroyo-Cabrales, J. (2008). Eumops floridanus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Florida bonneted bat. Florida Bat Conservancy. 2005.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Timm, R. M., & Genoways, H. H. (2004). The Florida bonneted bat, Eumops floridanus (chiroptera: Molossidae): Distribution, morphometrics, systematics, and ecology. Journal of Mammalogy 85(5), 852-65.
- 1 2 3 4 Eumops floridanus. NatureServe. 2012.
- ↑ Endangered Species Status for the Florida Bonneted Bat Federal Register October 2, 2013.