20.

Uncommon Sword-nosed Bat

Lonchorhina inusitata

French: Lonchorhine de Guyane / German: Nordliche Schwertnase / Spanish: Loncorino de Guayana Francesa

Other common names: Hairy-faced Sword-nosed Bat, Northern Sword-nosed Bat

Taxonomy. Lonchorhina inusitata Handley & Ochoa, 1997,

“Boca Mavaca, 84 km SSE Esmeralda, 2°30'N - 65°13’W, 138 m, Amazonas, Venezuela.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. S Venezuela, the Guianas, and N Brazil.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 57-72 mm, tail 54-67 mm, ear 30-37 mm, hindfoot 13-18 mm, forearm 52-57 mm; weight 14-19 g. The Uncommon Sword-nosed Bat is a large species of Lonchorhina and has long noseleaf (c. 27 mm), ears, and tail. Dorsalfur is dark brown; venteris slightly paler. Both surfaces of arms, ventral surface of wings near body, and anterior lobes of ears are hairy.

Habitat. Primary and secondary tropical lowland rainforests and Pakaraima Highlands (414 m elevation).

Food and Feeding. Stomach contents of Uncommon Sword-nosed Bats contained spiders ( Arachnida) and moths ( Lepidoptera).

Breeding. Female Uncommon Sword-nosed Bats were non-reproductive in February-April, pregnant in May, lactating in October-November, and post-lactating in October.

Activity patterns. The Uncommon Sword-nosed Bat has been caught flying near water, including over swamps and streams.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. A colony of 300 Uncommon Swordnosed Bats was found tightly clustered in a cave with Guianan Spear-nosed Bats ( Phyllostomus latifolius), Seba’s Short-tailed Bats ( Carollia perspicillata), and Lesser Dog-like Bats ( Peropteryx macrotis).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Brosset & Charles-Dominique (1991), Dalponte et al. (2016), Gardner (1988), Genoways et al. (1981), Handley & Ochoa (1997), Smith & Kerry (1996), Williams & Genoways (2008).