leaf-nosed bat

leaf-nosed bat, any of almost 250 species of New World and Old World bats belonging to the families Phyllostomidae and Hipposideridae that have a flat projection on the muzzle that often resembles a leaf. The purpose of the leaf structure is not known for certain, but it may aid in echolocation.

Family Phyllostomidae is known collectively as American leaf-nosed bats. Phyllostomid bats classified into 55 genera and 160 species. They are found from the United States to Argentina in habitats ranging from forest to desert. Their features vary, but most are broad-winged and have a simple spearhead-shaped structure on the muzzle that is called the nose leaf. Coloration of the fur ranges from gray, pale brown, and dark brown to orange, red, yellow, or whitish; some species, such as the tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum), have striped faces. American leaf-nosed bats are 4–13.5 cm (1.6–5.3 inches) without the tail, which may be absent or up to 5.5 cm (2.2 inches) long. The largest member of the family is the spectral bat (Vampyrum spectrum), sometimes called a false vampire bat; it can have a wingspan of 90 cm (35 inches) or more.

The diet of phyllostomid bats varies. Some, such as the little big-eared bats (Micronycteris), are insect eaters; some larger forms are carnivorous. Others feed on fruit (see Jamaican fruit bat), nectar, or pollen; nectar-feeding bats are equipped with specialized long snouts and tongues for feeding. This family also includes the vampire bats.

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Phyllostomid bats usually live in small groups; some, such as the short-tailed bats (Carollia), form colonies of several hundred. Roosting sites include caves, tree hollows, buildings, and the undersides of bridges. The tent-making bats and several fruit-eating bats (e.g., Artibeus) modify leaves to create shelters. They roost on the undersides of palm and other plant leaves after biting across the leaves to make the ends hang downward.

Family Hipposideridae, known as the Old World leaf-nosed bats, is characterized by a round nose leaf consisting of a horseshoe-shaped forward leaf, various accessory leaves, and an upright leaf. These bats are found in the tropics from Africa and across Asia to Australia. They range in colour from reddish or grayish through brown to almost black. Head and body length is about 3–11 cm (1.2–4.3 inches); the tail either is entirely lacking or, when present, measures up to 6 cm (about 2.4 inches) long. Old World leaf-nosed bats are classified into 9 genera; most of the 81 species shelter in caves or similar roosts, although a few are solitary.