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By Phil Myers
Geographic Range
Southern Mexico to Peru and SE Brazil
Biogeographic Regions
neotropical 
(Native )
Habitat
A lowland forest species.
Terrestrial Biomes
forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Physical Description
A small phyllostomid, forearm around 42 mm long. Dark grayish brown with a narrow white line down the middle of the upper back, and a distinct white line above and below each eye. No external tail, and the tail membrane is narrow and lacks a fringe. The external ears are rimmed with yellow. The upper middle incisors are distinctively bilobed. Dental formula 2/2, 1/1, 2/2, 3/3.
Reproduction
The timing of the reproductive cycle varies seasonally. In Panama, Uroderma breed twice yearly, and birth to correlate with the fruiting and flowering cycle of plants. A single young is born after a gestation of 4 or 5 months.
Behavior
Uroderma roost in groups ranging in size from 2 to 59. They often build "tents" by cutting the structural veins of leaves by chewing parallel to the midrib. The leaves fold down along the midrib, and the bats roost under the resulting "tent."
Food Habits
Uroderma feed predominately on fruit, but they may take some pollen, nectar, and insects associated with flowers and fruit.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Important dispersers of seeds and pollinators of many species of tropical plants.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
May occasionally damage fruit crops.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [Link]
Least Concern
More Information
These bats are common in lowland forests.
For More Information
Find Uroderma bilobatum information at
Contributors
Phil Myers (author), Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan.
