Flat-faced fruit-eating bat

Appearance

Flat-faced fruit-eating bats are moderately sized bats, with adults measuring 8 to 11 centimetres in total length and weighing 40 to 69 grams . The fur is brownish-grey over most of the body, becoming grey on the underparts, although there are faint whitish stripes on the face. As their name suggests, the bats have a broad skull with a short snout. The ears are triangular, with rounded tips, although short compared with those of many other bats, and with a small tragus. The snout bears a prominent triangular nose-leaf. The wings are dark brown or blackish, with white tips. A well-developed uropatagium stretches between the legs, but there is no visible tail.

Distribution

Flat-faced fruit-eating bats are found through much of northern and central South America east of the Andes. They inhabit a range of forested environments from sea level to 2,000 metres elevation, including montane, transitional, and lowland tropical forests and open cerrado habitats. Three subspecies are currently recognised:

⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris planirostris'' - eastern Brazil, Paraguay
⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris fallax'' - southern Venezuela and Colombia, the Guyanas, through central and western Brazil to eastern Bolivia and extreme northern Argentina
⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris hercules'' - eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador

Behavior

Flat-faced fruit-eating bats are nocturnal and herbivorous. They feed almost entirely on fruit, although they may also eat small quantities of insects and mites. They are active throughout the night, and spend the day roosting in trees. Favoured fruit include those of ''Vismia'' trees, figs, and Amazon grape. They are apparently capable of breeding throughout the year, although, in at least some areas, births are more common during the wet season. Gestation lasts at least three and a half months, and results in the birth of a single young.

Habitat

Flat-faced fruit-eating bats are found through much of northern and central South America east of the Andes. They inhabit a range of forested environments from sea level to 2,000 metres elevation, including montane, transitional, and lowland tropical forests and open cerrado habitats. Three subspecies are currently recognised:

⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris planirostris'' - eastern Brazil, Paraguay
⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris fallax'' - southern Venezuela and Colombia, the Guyanas, through central and western Brazil to eastern Bolivia and extreme northern Argentina
⤷  ''Artibeus planirostris hercules'' - eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador