Biodiversity
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Great Fruit-Eating Bat
Artibeus lituratus | Olfers, 1818
Characteristics: Species measuring about 65cm in wingspan and 9cm in head-body length. It has a short, velvety coat with a brown, gray or blackish dorsal coloration; its ventral coloration is a little lighter, it has a few white stripes on its head and near the eyes.
Distribution: From Mexico to Northern Argentina.
Habitat: Urban and forest areas.
Habits: Active at twilight/night, this bat lives in groups of 1 or 2 males and up to 12 females and offspring. It looks for quiet places to ingest and digest its food.
Diet: Herbivorous/frugivorous, feeding on figs, mango, almonds, Java plum, and other fruits.
Breeding: After the gestation period (4-5 months), the female gives birth to a single pup.
In the UFRA area: This unique mammalian species is considered relatively rare in the studied areas. Its spatial distribution was restricted to organic sugarcane fields and native forests.