PHYLLOSTOMATIDAE

family of about 130 species of tropical and subtropical bats known collectively as American leaf-nosed, or spear-nosed, bats. Phyllostomatid bats are native to the New World from the United States to Argentina and are found in habitats ranging from forests to deserts. Their features vary, but most species are broad-winged and have a simple, spear-shaped structure, the nose leaf, on the muzzle. Coloration of the fur ranges within and among the species from gray, pale brown, and dark brown to orange, red, yellow, or whitish; some forms, such as the tent-building, or yellow-eared, bat (Uroderma bilobatum), have striped faces. Phyllostomatid bats are 4.013.5 cm (1 1/25 1/3 inches) without the tail, which may be absent or to 5.5 cm (2 1/6 inches) long. The largest member of the family is the tropical American false vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum); it is 12.513.5 cm (55 1/3 inches) long with a wingspan of 90 cm (35 inches) or more. The diet of phyllostomatid bats varies. Many, such as the naked-backed bats (Pteronotus), are insect eaters; some larger forms are carnivorous. Many other species feed on fruit, nectar, or pollen; among these are the long-tongued and brown-flower bats, which are equipped with specialized long snouts and tongues for feeding. Phyllostomatid bats usually live in groups; some, such as the mustache bats (Chilonycteris), form colonies of tens of thousands. Roosting sites include caves, tree hollows, buildings, and the undersides of bridges. The tent-building bat and the small fruit-eating Artibeus cinereus watsoni are the only bats that create shelters; they roost on the undersides of palm leaves after biting across the leaves to make the ends hang downward.