Phyllonycteris aphylla (G. S. Miller, 1898)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 516

59.

Jamaican Flower Bat

Phyllonycteris aphylla

French: Phyllonyctere de Jamaique / German: Jamaika-Blltenfledermaus / Spanish: Filonicterio de Jamaica

Taxonomy. Reithronycteris aphylla G. S. Miller, 1898 ,

“ Jamaica.”

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. Jamaica.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 72-76 mm, tail 7-10 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 16-18 mm, forearm 44-48 mm; weight 14-15 g. Males are significantly larger than females in several external and skull measurements. Dorsal fur of Jamaican Flower Bat is light yellowish brown, almost indistinguishable from venter. Fur is almost 6 mm long, and almost no fur extends onto wing membranes. Muzzle is conspicuously broad, terminating in disk-shaped rudimentary noseleaf. Ears and wing membranes are light brown, and wings join distal part oftibia; tail is included in uropatagium, reaching its middle width. Uropatagium is very narrow (c. 6 mm). Footis very large, with no trace of calcar. Skull is robust and massive, rostrum is broad and deep,sagittal and lambdoid crests are well developed, and zygomatic arches are incomplete. Dental formula of all species of Phyllonycterisis12/2,C1/1,P2/2,M 3/3 (x2) = 32. Chromosomal complement of all species of Phyllonycteris is 2n = 32 and FN = 60; all biarmed autosomes are in graded series from large to small, X-chromosome is medium-sized and metacentric, and Y-chromosome is minute and acrocentric.

Habitat. Mostly lowland vegetation associated with limestone areas and lower montane rainforests. Occasionally found in clearings and plantations. One ofthe largest recent collections came from Orange Valley and other open areas with large streams or ponds and fruit trees; other individuals were netted in orchards of native and cultivated fruit trees.

Food and Feeding. Jamaican Flower Bats eat ripening native and cultivated fruits, pollen, nectar, and perhaps insects. Captive individuals thrived on a diet of bananas, mangoes, papayas, and various kinds of canned fruit nectars.

Breeding. A female carrying a single embryo was caught in late January; lactating females were recorded in January and early July. It appears that the Jamaican Flower Bat is polyestrous. Males with enlarged testes have been found in July and December.

Activity patterns. Limited data suggested that Jamaican Flower Bats began feeding at least one hour after dusk, with most individuals leaving roosts between 18:00 h and 21:30 h. Activity has been recorded throughout the night. The Jamaican Flower Bat seems to prefer large underground caves with flowing water.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Jamaican Flower Bat is colonial and often roosts with other bats species. Known colonies in large underground caves used to have a few hundred individuals, but this has changed over the past few decades. At these caves,it has been reported along with Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat ( Pteronotus parnellit), Macleay’s Mustached Bat (P. macleayi), the Antillean Ghostfaced Bat ( Mormoops blainviller), Leach’s Single-leaf Bat ( Monophyllus redman), the Buffy Flower Bat ( Erophylla sexekorni), the Jamaican Fruiteating Bat ( Artibeus jamaicensis ), and the Caribbean Lesser Funnel-eared Bat ( Chilonatalus micropus). Inside caves,Jamaican Flower Bats prefer long straight passageways, with higher temperatures and relative humidity.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Overall population of the Jamaican Flower Batis estimated to be fewer than 250 mature individuals, with continuing decline in numbers of mature individuals inferred since the 1970s; known subpopulations are unlikely to exceed 50 mature individuals. The only major colony (St. Clair Cave) used to contain a few hundred individuals, but there are no recent records from it. This cave is not protected and is vulnerable to human disturbance, has a population offeral cats living by the entrance, and is surrounded by unprotected land. According to surveys, theJamaican Flower Bat is only found in two caves: Marta Tick Cave (last surveyed in 1983) and Stony Hill Cave (2010).

Bibliography. Genoways et al. (2005), Goodwin (1970), Howe (1974), Koopman (1952), McFarlane (1986), Miller (1898a, 1907).

Figures

47. Insular Single-leat Bat (Monophyllus plethodon), 48. Leach’s Single-leat Bat (Monophyllus redmani), 49. Commissaris’s L. ong-tongued Bat (Glossophaga commissaris), 50. Western Long-tongued Bat (Glossophaga morenoi), 51. Gray's Long-tongued Bat (Glossophaga leachii), 52. Miller's Long-tongued Bat (Glossophaga longirostris), 53. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat (Glossophaga soricina), 54. Southern LLong-nosed Bat (Leptonyctenis curasoae), 55. Greater Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris nivalis), 56. Lesser Long-nosed Bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae), 57. Antillean Fruit-eating Bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum), 58. Cuban Fruit-eating Bat (Brachyphylla nana), 59. Jamaican Flower Bat (Phyllonycteris aphylla), 60. Cuban Flower Bat (Phyllonycteris poeyi), 61. Brown Flower Bat (Erophylla bombifrons), 62. Buffy Flower Bat (Erophylla sezekorni)

Distribution. Jamaica .