The big bonneted bat, or Dabbene's mastiff bat (''Eumops dabbenei'') is a species of

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

in the family Molossidae, native to South America. It is named for a former conservator at the Buenos Aires National Museum.

Description

The big bonneted bat is a relatively large bat species, with adults measuring about in length, and weighing . The tail is thick, and measures about in length. The fur is chestnut or pale grey, and lighter on the animal's underparts. The ears are broad and relatively short, and join together at their base in the centre of the forehead. Compared with other nearby species of bonneted bat, they have a larger body, a short, wide snout, short ears, and nostrils that do not form a tube. As in other bonneted bats, the males possess a gland on the throat that secretes a liquid that stains and mats the surrounding fur.

Distribution and habitat

Big bonneted bats are known from two distinct parts of South America. A northern population is known from

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

and Colombia, while a southern population has been identified in

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...

, and northern

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

. One specimen was recorded in the south Pantanal wetland, southwestern Brazil. There are no recognised subspecies. It is known to inhabit areas of low vegetation interspersed with patches of tropical forest, at elevations of up to .

Biology

Big bonneted bats are

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 ...

, and roost in hollow trees and artificial structures such as houses. They have been reported to emit audible "piercing shrieks" when they are foraging for food. Little is known about their reproduction, although juveniles have been observed in December and January.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q302042 Eumops Mammals of Colombia Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Mammals described in 1914 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas