Thomas's shaggy bat

The Thomas's shaggy bat (Centronycteris centralis) is a bat species from South America. It was previously included in the shaggy bat but Simmons and Handley (1998) showed that the species were distinct.

Thomas's shaggy bat
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Family: Emballonuridae
Genus: Centronycteris
Species:
C. centralis
Binomial name
Centronycteris centralis
Thomas, 1912
Thomas's shaggy bat range

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1912 by British mammalogist Oldfield Thomas. The holotype had been collected by H. J. Watson in 1898 in Panama.[2] Its species name "centralis" is Latin for "in the middle."

Description

The fur of its back is gray while the fur around its eyes and near its uropatagium is reddish. Its ventral fur is yellowish. Despite being in the sac-winged bat family, it lacks wing sacs. It is a small species, with individuals weighing only 4–6 g (0.14–0.21 oz).[3] Its forearm length is approximately 45 mm (1.8 in).[2] Its dental formula is 1.1.2.33.1.2.3 for a total of 32 teeth.[3]

Biology and ecology

It is nocturnal, roosting in sheltered places during the day such as hollow trees. It forages for its insect prey with a "slow and maneuverable" flight.[3]

Range and habitat

It is found in several countries in Central and South America. Its range includes: Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.[1] It is usually found at low elevations of 0–300 m (0–984 ft) above sea level, but has been documented at up 1,450 m (4,760 ft).[3]

References
  1. Arroyo-Cabrales, J.; Miller, B.; Reid, F.; Cuarón, A.D.; de Grammont, P.C. (2015). "Centronycteris centralis". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T136350A22023809. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T136350A22023809.en.
  2. Thomas, O. (1912). "New Centronycteris and Ctenomys from S. America". The Annals and Magazine of Natural History Series. 8. 10 (60): 638–639. doi:10.1080/00222931208693286.
  3. Ceballos, G.; Cabrales, J. A.; Vazquez, D. (2014). Ceballos, G. (ed.). Mammals of Mexico. JHU Press. pp. 670–671. ISBN 978-1421408439.
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