Artibeus jamaicensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	PHYLLOSTOMIDAE

Scientific Name:

Artibeus jamaicensis

Species Authority:

Leach, 1821

Common Name/s:

English

–

Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat

Taxonomic Notes:

There is little agreement about whether jamaicensis includes planirostris or if planirostris (including fallax and hercules) represents a distinct species (Simmons 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	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, and because it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Michoacan, Sinaloa, and Tamaulipas (Mexico) to Ecuador, Peru, west of the Andes only; Greater and Lesser Antilles (south to Granada), S Bahamas (Larsen et al. 2007).
Countries:	Native: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Colombia; Cuba; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Jamaica; Martinique; Mexico; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; Nicaragua; Panama; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; Virgin Islands, British
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	These bats are widely distributed.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Jamaican fruit bats roost in a very wide range of structures, including caves, rock overhangs, rock fissures, hollow trees, foliage, and even man-made structures such as buildings. These bats have been observed to eat pollen, nectar, fruit, and insects though they are most commonly associated with large cultivated and wild fruits (Mango, Papaya, but never citrus fruits). This species normally gives birth twice a year. Pregnant females have been found during February and July, while nursing mothers have been found April-July and as late as September. Births are timed to coincide with the rains/times when most food (flowers or fruit) is available.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Jamaican fruit bats roost in a very wide range of structures, including caves, rock overhangs, rock fissures, hollow trees, foliage, and even man-made structures such as buildings. These bats have been observed to eat pollen, nectar, fruit, and insects though they are most commonly associated with large cultivated and wild fruits (Mango, Papaya, but never citrus fruits).
This species normally gives birth twice a year. Pregnant females have been found during February and July, while nursing mothers have been found April-July and as late as September. Births are timed to coincide with the rains/times when most food (flowers or fruit) is available.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	None.

Major Threat(s):

None.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is found in Protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

It is found in Protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

	Larsen, P. A., Hoofer, S. R., Bozeman, M. C., Pedersen, S. C., Pumo, D. E., Phillips, C. J., Genoways, H. H. and Baker, R. J. 2007. Phylogenetics and phylogeography of Artibeus jamaicensis based on cytochrome b DNA sequences. Journal of Mammalogy 88: 712-727. Simmons, N. B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 312-529. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Larsen, P. A., Hoofer, S. R., Bozeman, M. C., Pedersen, S. C., Pumo, D. E., Phillips, C. J., Genoways, H. H. and Baker, R. J. 2007. Phylogenetics and phylogeography of Artibeus jamaicensis based on cytochrome b DNA sequences. Journal of Mammalogy 88: 712-727.

Simmons, N. B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World, pp. 312-529. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Citation:	Miller, B., Reid, F., Arroyo-Cabrales, J., Cuarón, A.D. & de Grammont, P.C. 2008. Artibeus jamaicensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 May 2013.
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