Thyroptera discifera
Peter's disk-winged bat

Thyroptera discifera is exclusively neotropical, found from southern Nicaragua in Central America to Guianas and Peru in northern South America. (Nowak 1997, Wilson 1978)

T. discifera lives primarily in lowland rainforest. It may also occasionally be found in gardens and plantations that were formerly rainforest. (Emmons 1997)

Thyroptera discifera is a relatively small brownish bat. The head and body length is 34-52 mm, and the tail length is an additional 24-33 mm. The tail extends 1-3 mm beyond the edge of the uropatagial membrane. The pelage may be chocolate-brown in color or reddish brown above and lighter brown below. The flight membranes have little fur. The outer ears are yellowish. The front edge of the ears reaches forward to the eyes, and the bottom edge reaches down to the edge of the mouth. The ears have been described as both squarish and funnel shaped. They are not connected across the top of the head, and a tragus is present. The most unusually feature of T. discifera, which it shares with the other species of Thyroptera, is the circular suction cups carried on short stalks on the soles of the feet and at the base of the thumb claw. The thumb disks are somewhat larger than the feet disks. These disks are used for hanging upright on smooth surfaces. (Emmans 1997, Nowak 1997, Thewissen et al 1995, Wilson 1978)

Thyroptera discifera roosts in groups that contain young and adults of both sexes. They have been found roosting underneath dead banana tree leaves, or in curled leaves of banana and heliconia that have not yet unrolled. When the leaves unroll the bat must find new rolled leaves to roost in. Unlike most bats, T. discifera hangs upright by clinging with the suction cups present on the feet and thumbs. Each suction cup is strong enough to hold the weight of the entire bat. T. discifera's fluttering flight indicates that it may be specialized for catching insects in dense vegetation. (Eisenberg 1989, Emmans 1997, Nowak 1997, Thewissen 1995)

T. discifera is insectivorous and may be specialized for catching insects in flight amid dense vegetation. (Emmons 1997, Nowak 1997)

As with all insectivorous bats, T. discifera is plays a role in the control of insect pests.

Thyroptera discifera is relavitely rare and limited by habitat, but is not officially considered endangered. (Emmans 1997)

Thyropteridae, a small family containing only one genus with three species, is considered to be most closely related to the Furipteridae and Noctilonoidae. (Van Den Bussche 2001)