Rhinophylla pumilio
dwarf little fruit bat

Rhinophylla pumilio occurs in the Amazon Basin and the Guianas (Emmons, 1990). It can be found in Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Columbia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Peru (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006). (Emmons, 1990; Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

In Venezuela, R. pumilio is associated with moist areas and structured, tropical evergreen forests (Eisenberg and Redford, 1999). In French Guiana and southeastern Brazil, R. pumilio is found in primary and mature secondary lowland forest. In Amazonian Brazil R. pumilio is found in a wide variety of habitats including primary forest, forest fragments, and savannas. (Eisenberg and Redford, 1999; Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Rhinophylla pumilio is commonly known as dwarf little fruit bats or Peter's little fruit bats. Females are slightly larger than males with an average weight of 10.4 g in females and 9.4 g in males. Fur color is unicolored gray or brown to the base with slightly darker hair tips (Emmons, 1990). Head to body length averages 50 mm in females and 48.3 mm in males (Eisenberg and Redford, 1999). Wing color is dark to blackish, contrasting with the lighter metacarpals and phalanges (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006). Average forearm length in females is 35 mm and 34.7 mm in males. Average hind foot length for females is 10.77 mm and 10.33 mm in males. The ears are rounded, shorter than the head, and are a pinkish brown color (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006). Average ear length for females is 15.81 mm and 16.33 mm in males (Eisenberg and Redford, 1999). The tragus extends one-third of the length of the ear and is small and broad. (Eisenberg and Redford, 1999; Emmons, 1990; Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Dwarf little fruit bats have no external tail. The calcar is 5 mm in length and is distinct. The noseleaf is well developed, with a length twice its width. The tragus can reach well beyond the eye to the center of the forehead when flattened. (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

The dental formula is i 2/2, c 1/1, p 2/2, m 3/3, totaling 32 teeth. The medial upper incisors are notched and are larger than the outer incisors. The lower incisors contrast in size, the medial being larger and having a trilobed cutting edge . The two lower premolars are similar in form to the 3 lower molars. (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Rhinophylla pumilio can be distinguished from Carollia species by the absence of a tail and reduced uropatagium. Rhinophylla pumilio can also be distinguished from other Rhinophylla species by incisor shape. The upper medial incisor is notched on cutting edge of R. pumilio and R. fischerae, whereas the cutting edge is uninterrupted in R. alethina. Rhinophylla pumilio also has a distinct lateral cingular style which is absent in R. fischerae and R. alethina. Rhinophylla pumilio is distinguished from other Rhinophylla species by the absence of conspicuous, stiff hairs along the distal edge of the uropatagium and a shorter calcar. (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Life expectancy of Rhinophylla pumilio is not known.

Dwarf little fruit bats are sedentary, tent-making bats. They create tent-like structures for roosting from large leaves by biting the supporting structures of the leaf until they fold. They have been known to also roost in abandoned leaf tents made by other tent-making bats. Dwarf little fruit bats use tents as night feeding roosts and as daytime roosts. They change roosts every few days. Roosts often consist of one male and about three females. Tents are constructed approximately 1.5 m to 15 m above the ground. These bats have also been known to roost in culverts and thatched roofs. Dwarf little fruit bats are active immediately after dust and before dawn with a period of inactivity in the depths of the night (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006). (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Home Range

Rhinophylla pumilio can cover a distance of about 1,600 m to 4,750 m foraging and traveling at night, an area of about 6 ha to 15 ha (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006). (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

There is little information available on interspecific communication in R. pumilio. Dwarf little fruit bats are microchiropteran bats that use echolocation calls to navigate and find food (Fenton, 1992). Olfaction is probably also an important mode of perception and communication, as many species of fruit bats use olfaction to locate food and communication among mammals is often primarily through olfaction. (Fenton, 1992)

Dwarf little fruit bats have a variable diet that consist of small seeded understory and mid-canopy fruits. They occasionally eat the pollen of flowers, such as the flowers of Vismia duckei, Philodendron billietae, and Cecropis disphylla (Rhinehart and Kunz, 2006). (Rinehart and Kunz, 2006)

Rhinophylla pumilio is subject to predation by squirrel monkeys. Squirrel monkeys have learned how to prey on tent making bats regardless of roost protection. Dwarf little fruit bats roost in small groups under tents made of leaves and stems. They use the vibration of the leaves to alert them of predator presence. Squirrel monkeys will scout the leaves from below, grabbing bats and knocking some to the ground. (Fenton, 1992)

Dwarf little fruit bats are mostly frugivorous and are important seed and pollen dispersers (Fenton, 1992). (Fenton, 1992)

There is no evidence that Rhinophylla pumilio negatively effects humans.

There is little information available on how Rhinophylla pumilio benefits humans.

Rhinophylla pumilio is common throughout its geographical range. It is classified as lower risk/least concern by the IUCN red list of threatened species.