By Dorothy Blair
Geographic Range
Thyroptera tricolor is found only in the Americas. It lives in tropical forests ranging from southern Mexico to the southeastern edge of Brazil.
Biogeographic Regions:
neotropical 
(native ).
Physical Description
(0.14 to 0.18 oz; avg. 0.16 oz)
(1.06 to 1.5 in; avg. 1.28 in)
(8.86 in)
These bats are reddish brown colored dorsally and cream underneath. Along their sides their color is usually intermediate, resulting in the specific name tricolor.
They have long snouts and pointed ears with a tragus present. These bats also have "warts" on their noses, and it has been hypothesized that these "warts" are used as an extra sense organ. They do not have noseleafs.
At the base of their thumbs and ankles this species has disk-shaped suction cups that they use to cling to the inside of the leaves in which they roost. The suction cups are controlled by fine muscles, and one of these disks is strong enough to support the bat's entire weight. Their tails extend beyond the end of the uropagium.
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Reproduction
After young are born, they nurse, and are unable to fly for one month. During this time they either stay in the roosts or cling to their mothers when they go out to feed. After the month is over they learn to fly, although sometimes stay besides their mother for a little while longer. Mothers may fly around with their offspring clinging to them, even when their offspring constitute up to ~46% of their weight. These bats are polygynous and fertilization is sexual and internal. These bats breed twice annually. Pregnant females were observed in Costa Rica in August.
Key reproductive features:
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual .
Behavior
This species roosts in the young, partly unfurled leaves of trees of the genus Heliconia.
They roost in colonies of about 6, composed of one or more adult males, several mature females and several juveniles of both sexes.
These bats change roosts every day or so, because the tree leaves mature and unfurl. The individuals in a colony usually stay together and all move together to new location when their leaf roost opens up.
This type of bat is unique in that it roosts with its head up, and holds on with its suction cups to the sides of the leaf.
When these bats are caught and put in a cage, even though there is nothing for their suction cups to cling to, they still prefer to hang right side up by hanging by their thumb-claws.
Food Habits
This species is an insectivore. It has been found to feed on beetles and flies. It consumes around 1 gram of insects in a night.
Primary Diet:
carnivore (insectivore ).
Animal Foods:
insects.
Predation
Since this species roosts in curled leaves, predators do not usually notice them. Another anti-predator adaptation is roosting with heads up, this makes it easier for the bats to fly away easily at the slightest sign of danger.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
None.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Insect population control.
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
controls pest population.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List: [link]:
Lower Risk - Least Concern.
US Federal List: [link]:
No special status.
CITES: [link]:
No special status.
They have a patchy distribution, because there are only so many unfurled leaves in any one place, but their condition is stable.
Other Comments
These bats are known to lick their suction cups in order for them adhere better to their leaf-roosts or to glass when placed in a container to observe. They also have special sweat glands in their suction cups which help them adhere to surfaces better.
For More Information
Find Thyroptera tricolor information at
Contributors
Dorothy Blair (author), University of Michigan.
Bret Weinstein (editor), University of Michigan.
