Balantiopteryx plicata

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	EMBALLONURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Balantiopteryx plicata

Species Authority:

Peters, 1867

Common Name/s:

English

–

Gray Sac-winged Bat

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Lim, B., Miller, B., Reid, F., Arroyo-Cabrales, J., Cuarón, A.D. & de Grammont, P.C.

Reviewer/s:

Medellín, R. (Chiroptera Red List Authority) & Schipper, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, it occurs in a number of protected areas, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs on the pacific slope in Costa Rica to central Sonora and southern Baja California (Mexico); also northern Colombia (Simmons 2005). It occurs from lowlands to 1,500 m (Reid 1997).
Countries:	Native: Colombia; Costa Rica; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This bat is common (in dry habitats) to rare (in rainforests) (Reid 1997).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species occurs in deciduous forest, dry thorn scrub, and evergreen forest (Reid 1997). It roosts near the entrances of caves and mines or in tree hollows and buildings. Groups may use a separate night roost, such as under a bridge. Group size is usually greater than 50, with a sex ratio of about 75% males to 25% females. Activity begins immediately before sunset; individuals fly above the canopy and forage with long, straight sallies and rapidly dives after flying insects. This early flight above the relatively low, open canopy of deciduous forest can be easily observed. Young are born in late June in Costa Rica, well into the rainy season (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1976; Reid 1997).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species occurs in deciduous forest, dry thorn scrub, and evergreen forest (Reid 1997). It roosts near the entrances of caves and mines or in tree hollows and buildings. Groups may use a separate night roost, such as under a bridge. Group size is usually greater than 50, with a sex ratio of about 75% males to 25% females. Activity begins immediately before sunset; individuals fly above the canopy and forage with long, straight sallies and rapidly dives after flying insects. This early flight above the relatively low, open canopy of deciduous forest can be easily observed. Young are born in late June in Costa Rica, well into the rainy season (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1976; Reid 1997).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Habitat loss and vandalism and fire induced by humans in the caves. No threats reported for Costa Rica (Rodriguez pers. comm.)

Major Threat(s):

Habitat loss and vandalism and fire induced by humans in the caves. No threats reported for Costa Rica (Rodriguez pers. comm.)

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Can be found in protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

Can be found in protected areas.

Citation:	Lim, B., Miller, B., Reid, F., Arroyo-Cabrales, J., Cuarón, A.D. & de Grammont, P.C. 2008. Balantiopteryx plicata. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.
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