Biodiversity
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White-Lined Broad-Nosed Bat
Platyrrhinus lineatus | É. Geoffroy, 1810
Characteristics: This species of bat has white facial and dorsal stripes; its coat is dark brown and gray in color; its ears are rounded and the same size of its head; it has a large, lanceolated nasal leaf.
Distribution: It is spread from Southern California and Arizona, as well as the coastal plain of the Gulf of Texas, ranging South through Panama to Northern Argentina, and from Eastern to Northeastern Brazil.
Habitat: This species lives in forests and seeks shelter in caves and also under the dense forest foliage, including palm fronds.
Habits: These bats can usually be found perched in small groups. Females with pups and young females are seen with a male, who defends its group of 1-15 females from other males. These groups usually remain together while feeding. White-lined broad-nosed bats are active during the night.
Diet: This bat's diet ranges from fruits to insects; in search of insects, it seems to inspect the leaves rigorously, this being the reason why it is called a foliage inspector.
Breeding: These bats can reproduce year-round, and females can get pregnant while breastfeeding pups from the previous pregnancy. Pregnancies generally occur early on in the dry season, in July, all the way through the end of the rainy season, in early March. Females have a single pup; gestation lasts 3.5 months.
In the UFRA area: In the surveys conducted in the São Francisco Sugarmill's farm fields, this species of bat was restricted to native forests and was seen infrequently. It was seen only once, and can be considered as rare in the farm areas.