Monophyllus

Monophyllus redmani

Monophyllus is a genus of bats of the family of leaf lobes ( Phyllostomidae ) which is native to the Caribbean Islands. There are only two species known: Monophyllus Plethodon ( Leach, 1821) and Monophyllus redmani (Miller, 1900).

Description

The genus Monophyllus different from other flowers mainly by bats details of the teeth. The two species of the genus are rather small bats, but have typical for the subfamily of flowers bats an elongated snout and a long, extendable tongue. The tail wing membrane is narrow and the tail extends to about half of the tail wing membrane addition. In the Greater Antilles Monophyllus is the only genus of flower bats. In Jamaica and the Lesser Antilles, their range overlaps but with species of the genus Glossophaga. M. Plethodon with a total length of 67-84 mm, a forearm length of 38.8 to 45.7 and a weight of 12.5 to 17.2 g slightly larger than M. redmani with a total length of 60-80 mm and a forearm length of 34.8 to 42.8 mm. The two types can be distinguished only on the basis of teeth and dissemination.

Way of life

Both species of the genus Monophyllus are like most bats nocturnal. They feed like the other representatives of the flowers bats of nectar, pollen and fruit, and it is also likely to be added from time to insects. During the day, hang both species in caves, where M. redmani seems to prefer large, deep caves with high humidity. In the same caves other bat species such as Natalus micropus, Mormoops blainvillii, Pteronotus parnellii, Pteronotus macleayii and Phyllonycteris are occasionally poeyi encountered. By M. redmani was found pregnant females from December to February, and in May, while pregnant females of M. Plethodon to Dominika in March and April were observed. A captive in Guadeloupe in July females was lactating. Both species give birth to only a single young per litter.

Distribution and habitat

M. redmani is located in the Greater Antilles, while M. Plethodon occur on Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles, where there is no evidence of Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis. The IUCN estimates both types thanks to the likely large populations and occurrence in protected areas as an unthreatened.