Mexican greater funnel-eared bat facts for kids
The Mexican greater funnel-eared bat (Natalus mexicanus) is a type of bat. You can find it in Central America. For a while, people thought it was just a smaller group (a subspecies) of another bat. But now, scientists agree it's its own unique species!
Quick facts for kids Mexican greater funnel-eared bat |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Natalidae |
| Genus: | Natalus |
| Species: |
N. mexicanus
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| Binomial name | |
| Natalus mexicanus Miller, 1902
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Contents
How Scientists Classify This Bat
A scientist named Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. first described this bat in 1902. He said it was a new species. Other scientists agreed and listed N. mexicanus as a full species in 1949.
Later, in 1959, another scientist named George Goodwin changed its status. He decided it was a subspecies of the Mexican funnel-eared bat, Natalus stramineus. This means he thought it was just a variety of that other bat.
But in 2006, scientists changed it back to a full species again. In 2012, another bat called Natalus lanatus was found to be the same as Natalus mexicanus. This means they are now considered the same species. So, in Mexico, there is only one recognized species of funnel-eared bat.
What the Mexican Greater Funnel-Eared Bat Looks Like
This bat is quite small. It usually weighs only about 3 to 5 grams. That's like weighing just a few paper clips! Its forearms are about 36 to 39 millimeters long.
Its back is a light orange-brown or yellow color. Its belly is yellow. It has wide, cream-colored ears with dark edges. The skin on its face is a pale pink. Its legs are very long compared to its body size. Its wings are long and thin, and the flight membranes are light brown.
Life Cycle and Habits
Female bats of this species can get pregnant once a year. This is called being monoestrous. Scientists have seen pregnant females from January through July. They think the pregnancy lasts about 8 to 10 months. This is because the baby bat inside grows very slowly.
When a female bat gives birth, she usually has only one baby, called a pup. During the day, these bats like to rest in caves. They are very social animals. They live in groups called colonies. These colonies can have up to 300 bats living together!
Where This Bat Lives and Its Home
You can find the Mexican greater funnel-eared bat in several countries in Central America. These include Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
It does not live in very high places. You won't find it above 2,400 meters (about 7,874 feet) in elevation. Most of the time, people see these bats at around 300 meters (about 984 feet) high. They prefer to live in dry forests and forests where some trees lose their leaves. Sometimes, they are also found in forests with pine trees.
As of 2019, the IUCN says this bat is of "least concern". This means it's not currently in danger of disappearing. We don't know if its numbers are going up or down, but scientists don't think they are dropping quickly. However, there are some threats to these bats. Tourists disturbing caves and mining activities can harm them.
 | Percy Lavon Julian |
 | Katherine Johnson |
 | George Washington Carver |
 | Annie Easley |
