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By David L. Fox
Geographic Range
Northern Mexico to Paraguay and northern Argentina, Jamaica, Bahamas.
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Habitat
Foraging habitat for G. soricina is described as moist and open.
Terrestrial Biomes:
forest ; rainforest .
Physical Description
The average weight of of 6 adults from north coast of Colombia is 9 g; average weights of 10.5 g have been reported for other populations. Average forearm skull lengths for 4 males from Nicaragua are 36.4 and 21.45 mm, respectively. The same measurements for 4 females from Nicaragua are 35.75 and 21.3 mm.
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
Reproductive behavior varies somewhat geographically, though most accounts indicate that G. soricina either breeds continuously throughout the year or is bimodally polyestrous. Gestation lasts approximately 3.5 months. Normally only single offspring, but twins have been reported. Parturition occurs with the young in the head down position. Young cling cross-wise to the mother's ventral surface with the head just posterior to the mother's throat. Young have been obsereved hanging on their own at 18 days, but they are known to remain attached to their mother as late as 20 days old. Flight begins at about 25 to 28 days after birth.
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual .
Behavior
Observations along the north coast of Colombia suggest that G. soricina has two general foraging behaviors. Some animals defend small territories (less than 10 m square) around preferred food plants and will chase intruders as far as 30 m. The high pitched chattering vocalizations made during these aggresive interactions are the only sounds made by this species that are audible to humans. Other animals have a trap-line feeding behavior. These animals visit a variety of plants each night, follow the same route each night and monitor resource availability. Most trap-line feeders have routes between 150 and 250 m, though some have been recorded as long as 1450 m. Foraging by both territorial and trapline feeders is concentrated in the first four hours after sunset. Animals forage either by hovering at a flower or by hanging or sprawling on a flower. Colonies of as many as 1,000 individuals have been reported.
Key behaviors:
motile .
Food Habits
Pollen, nectar, flower parts, fruit, insects. Glossophaga soricina is known to consume parts of at least 34 different species of plants and shows clear preferences locally.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
This species is probably important as a pollinator of flowers and disperser of seeds of economically important plant species.
Conservation Status
There are no indications that G. soricina is threatened at present.
Other Comments
Glossophaga soricina has several morphological features that have been interpreted as adaptations for nectivory: a long, extendable tongue for probing into flowers; divergent hair scales that hold pollen grains; and specializations in digestive physiology to facilitate digestion of nectar and pollen. G. soricina is known to carry a variety of endoparasites (cestodes, nematodes and protozoans) as well as at least 34 ectoparasites.
For More Information
Find Glossophaga soricina information at
Contributors
David L. Fox (author), University of Michigan.
