Smoky Bats And Thumbless Bats

Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual

Common Name: Thumbless or Smoky Bats Taxonomy: Infraorder Yangochiroptera, Superfamily Vespertilionoidea, 2 genera 2 species Distribution: from southern Central America south to southern Brazil, Northern Chile, and Trinidad Fossil Record: Size Range: Small, head - body length 33 - 58 mm, forearm 30 - 40 mm, tail 24 - 36 mm Characteristics: Called Smoky Bats because of their grey pelage. Coarse fur. Large funnel-shaped ears. Base of the ears cover the eyes. Small tragus has a broad base is somewhat triangular. Slender build and long wings The thumb is greatly reduced and functionless (hence the common name Thumbless Bats), it is entirely enclosed in the membrane in front of the forearm. long legs, short feet snout is truncated and the end forms a disk or pad no nose-leaf, nostrils are close together, oval or triangular, and open down Premaxillaries are partially cartilaginous and canines are reduced Dental formula is i2/3, c1/1, pm 2/3, m 3/3 = 36 Insectivorous Have been found in caves and buildings Most of range is tropical but have been found in arid sections of north-western South America

Thumbless or smoky bats (Family Furipteridae) comprise two genera and species of bats: the smoky bat and thumbless bat. Both live in Central and South America. They are most closely related to the American disc-winged bats (Family Thyropteridae) and funnel-eared bats (Family Natalidae) in the superfamily Vespertilonoidea, but have no fossil record, as the bats do not fossilise well, due to their small, delicate skeletons. These small bats have an inflated crown on the skull. The broad, large, well-separated, funnel-shaped ears have a small tragus and seem to cover the small eyes, so the bats appear eyeless from the front. The very reduced, functionless thumbs are mostly enclosed by the wing membranes. The bats have greyish or grey-brown, coarse fur and a small nose-leaf. The premaxilla has palatal branches that are reduced to filaments. The bats lack postorbital processes. The dental formula is 2/3, 1/1, 2/3, 3/3 = 36. The molars are dilambdadont. The relatively small upper canines are about the height of the upper premolars. The tail is enclosed in the uropatagium, but a short portion may project beyond. The feet are small. The bats appear delicate and their broad wings are relatively long. The head and body length is 1.4- 2.6 inches (3.5-5.8 cm). The forearms are about 1.2-1.6 inches (3 -4 cm) long. Females are slightly larger than males. The snout is pig-like in appearance, being short and turned up at the tip. Set close together, the nostrils are oval or triangular. Ears resemble funnel-eared bats. They are separate, large, and funnel-shaped, reaching almost to the jaw line. These bats have tiny eyes that are hidden by fur and their large ears. They also have long legs and short feet, with claws on the end of their feet. The tail is relatively long, but it does not reach past the edge of the tail membrane (layer of thin skin). The fur is generally coarse. The smoky bat has triangular, wart-like fleshy projections around its mouth and lips. The bats live in diverse environments from lowland rainforest to the extremely arid western deserts of South America. Colonies of 100-300 roost in caves, as well as buildings and other man-made structures . Many of these bats live in isolated populations. They are found primarily in caves, tree hollows, and human-made structures. They eat insects, especially butterflies and moths. and butterflies. People have caused the decline of the species in this family due to harming their natural habitats.

Furipteridae is family of bats, allying two genera of single species, Amorphochilus schnablii (smoky bat) and the type Furipterus horrens (thumbless bat). They are found in Central and South America and are closely related to the bats in the families Natalidae and Thyropteridae. The species are distinguished by their reduced or functionless thumbs, enclosed by the wing membranes, and their broad, funnel-shaped ears. They are insectivorous and can live in many different kinds of environments. They have greyish fur, and a small nose-leaf. Like many bats, they roost in caves.