The Aztec mastiff bat (''Molossus aztecus'') is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is

insectivorous A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores were ...

Taxonomy and etymology

It was described as a new species in 1860 by Swiss scientist Henri Saussure. Its species name "''aztecus''" refers to the indigenous

Aztecs The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...

of Mexico, where this species was first documented.

Description

It is one of the smallest bats of the genus ''Molossus''. Its fur is chocolate brown and its patagia, nose, and ears are very dark brown. Individuals weigh . Its forearm length is . Its dental formula is for a total of 26 teeth.

Biology and ecology

It is nocturnal, foraging for its insect prey at night and roosting in hollow trees during the day. Unusually for its genus, females may become pregnant while still nursing a pup.

Range and habitat

It is found from

Jalisco Jalisco (, , ; Nahuatl: Xalixco), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco ; Nahuatl: Tlahtohcayotl Xalixco), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal En ...

and Cozumel Island in southern Mexico to Nicaragua and has been reported from

Guatemala Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...

but not from

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...

. It has also been reported from southern Venezuela. It is endemic to Mexico. It inhabits a variety of forest habitats at elevations from near sea level to . It is generally documented at elevations greater than above sea level.

References

{{Wikispecies, Aztec mastiff bat Molossus (bat) Mammals described in 1860 Bats of Central America Taxa named by Henri Louis Frédéric de Saussure