Anoura fistulata
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The Anoura fistulata is differentitated from its relative the A. geoffroyi by its elongated calcar and an evident tail that protrudes past the margin of the uropatagium. The margin is in the shape of a “V”. There is a sparse fringe of hair along the margin that distinguishes this organism as well. An enlarged keel structure also serves to separate these two species. One of the most distinguishing features of the A. fistulata is its extremely long tongue. Its tongue has been measured to be greater than the length of its body (Manilla-Metuk 2008). The tongue of the A. fistulata was found to be 84.9 mm, about 150 % the times of its body length. This is proportionally longer than any other mammal, and is second only to the chameleon among vertebrates. Unlike other bats that have their tongue attached to the base of the oral cavity, the A. fistulata’s tongue passes through the neck into the thoracic cavity. In this way the tongue is stored between the heart and sternum (Muchhala 2006).
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It would be expected that with such a specialized adaptation for specific flowers, this bat would be found in a small niche breadth. However, as shown by the geographic distribution, the area continues to increase. It was determined that the bat is most commonly found in drier forests. Not exactly arid environments, but locations with low precipitation and high to medium temperatures. Data has not been sufficiently researched however, and the bat has also been found to occupy a wide altitudinal gradient (Mantilla-Meluk et. al 2014). Roosting has not been determined for this specific species, but closely related species have been studied to determine their roosting preferences. Bats of the Phyllostomidae family have been found to like either trees with some protection or caves with optimal protection. This family is also known to share roots with a large number of other species (Graham 1988).
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The Anoura fistulata is part of the Phyllostomidae family and Glossophaginae subfamily and was just recently described in 2005 as a new species of the Anoura genus. It is thought to have become allopatrically speciated from its closest relative, A. geoffroyi. A. fistulata is derived from the word fistula, meaning “tube”, indicating its tube shaped snout and jutting lower mandible (Mantilla-Metuk 2008).
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Source | No source database. |
Red List Criteria
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Contributor/s
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
This species occurs throughout the Ecuadorian Andes, including the eastern and western slopes of the Andes of northern Ecuador, and the slopes of the Cordillera de Cndor and Cordillera del Cutuc in southern Ecuador. Its known distribution is restricted to higher elevations (1,300-1,890 m on the eastern and 2,000-2,275 m on the western slopes), where it inhabits montane cloud forests (Muchhala et al., 2005).
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
Population
Population Trend
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
Major Threats
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
Conservation Actions
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Rights holder/Author | International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources |
Source | http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/136239 |
The tube-lipped nectar bat (Anoura fistulata) is a bat from Ecuador that was first described in 2005.[2] The species name fistulata is derived from the Latin word fistula, meaning "tube". It refers to the bat's lower lip, which extends 3.3–4.8 mm beyond the upper lip and is rolled into a funnel shape. The exact function of the tube-lip is unknown. The bat has the longest tongue (8.5 cm) relative to its body size of any mammal. Its tongue is 150% the size of its overall body length.
By convergent evolution, pangolins, the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), and the tube-lipped nectar bat all have a tongue that is detached from their hyoid bones and extend past the pharynx deep into the thorax.[3] This extension lies between the sternum and the trachea.
Despite its exceptionally long tongue, the tube-lipped nectar bat has a varied diet that includes nectar, pollen, and insects. This arrangement is possible due to its short jaw. The base of the tongue is in the bat's rib cage.[4] One plant, Centropogon nigricans, with its 8– to 9-cm-long corollae, is pollinated exclusively by this bat.
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Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tube-lipped_nectar_bat&oldid=618648357 |