The little yellow-shouldered bat (''Sturnira lilium'') is a

bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). 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 birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...

species from

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

. It is a

frugivore A frugivore ( ) is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts and seeds. Approximately 20% of mammalian herbivores eat fruit. Frugivores are highly dependent on the abundance ...

and an effective seed disperser. It roosts alone in tree cavities, on branches, vines, and under palm leaves, usually keeping to the same roosts day to day. There is evidence to suggest hypothermia is a thermoregulatory strategy to help adjust metabolic levels. Ambient temperature has been noted as a greater influence on mating than food availability. Its wing shape can also be affected by pregnancy in order to make flight more efficient.

Gallery

File:Sturnira lilium lostuxtlas2008.jpg, Little yellow-shouldered bat Wingspan File:Little yellow-shouldered bat teeth.jpg, Little yellow-shouldered bat teeth (mature female) File:Little yellow-shouldered bat wingspan.jpg, Little yellow-shouldered bat wingspan (transparent) (mature female)

References

Bats of South America Bats of Brazil Mammals of Chile Mammals of Colombia Mammals described in 1810 Bats of Central America Sturnira Taxa named by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire {{leafnosed-bat-stub