Lonchophylla handleyi, Hill, 1980

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-583 : 531

95.

Handley’s Nectar Bat

Lonchophylla handleyi

French: Lonchophylle de Handley / German: Handley-Nektarfledermaus / Spanish: Loncéfilo de Handley

Taxonomy. Lonchophylla handleyi Hill, 1980 ,

“[cave of] Los Tayos, Morona Santiago Province, Ecuador.” This species is monotypic.

Distribution. E Ecuador and E Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 66-83 mm, tail 5-6 mm, ear 17-18 mm, hindfoot 10-14 mm, forearm 43-48 mm; weight 16-21 g. Handley’s Nectar Bat is one of the largest species of Lonchophylla . Females are slightly larger than males. Fur is soft and medium long. Dorsal fur is pale orange to light cinnamon-brown, with hair bases distinctly paler; venter is paler than dorsum, with unicolored hairs. Snoutis relatively long and slender; noseleaf is short and pointed, and base is broad, without free edges. Wings are attached to ankles; thumb are short (5-4-6-3 mm); caudal membrane is short (8=11-4 mm) in middle, with furred rim; tail is short, reaching middle of membrane; and calcaris shorter than foot. I' are much longer than I?, which are bordered by spaces.

Habitat. Eastern Andean lowlands and foothills at elevations of500-1200 m. Handley’s Nectar Bat inhabits primary and secondary tropical humid forests, gallery forests, and areas near cultivated areas, such as banana plantations; one individual was caught at the edge of an avocado orchard in second growth humid forest.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. In Ecuador, pregnant Handley’s Nectar Bats were recorded in May, and a male with inguinaltestes (3 mm x 2 mm) was captured in August.

Activity patterns. Handley’s Nectar Bat is nocturnal. It is associated with large caves.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Colonies of 50-200 individuals have been found in caves of Morona Santiago Province, Ecuador. In these caves, Handley’s Nectar Bat roosted with other species of bats such as the Common Vampire Bat ( Desmodus rotundus ), Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat ( Glossophaga soricina ), and Seba’s Short-tailed Bat ( Carollia perspicillata ).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, Handley’s Nectar Bat is uncommon and poorly known. A conservation plan for its shelters is necessary because most records come from caves, some of them close to human activity.

Bibliography. Griffiths & Gardner (2008b), Hill (1980a), Tirira (2017), Tuttle (1970).

Figures

83. Cadena’s Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris cadenai), 84. Dashe’s Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris dashe), 85. Patton’s Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris pationi), 86. Thomas's Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris thomasi), 87. Chestnut Long-tongued Bat (Lionycteris spurrelli), 88. Brazilian Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla mordax), 89. Chocoan Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla chocoana), 90. Goldman's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla concava), 91. Pacific Forest Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla fornicata), 92. Orces’s Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla orcesi), 93. Western Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla hesperia), 94. Eastern Cordilleran Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla orienticollina), 95. Handley’s Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla handleyi), 96. Orange Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla robusta), 97. Dekeyser’s Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla dekeyseri), 98. Pale-bellied Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla inexpectata), 99. Bokermann’s Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla bokermanni), 100. Peracchi’s Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla peracchii), 101. Long-snouted Bat (Platalina genovensium), 102. Vieira’s Long-tongued Bat (Xeronycleris vierrai)

Distribution. E Ecuador and E Peru .