Diphylla ecaudata

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	CHIROPTERA	PHYLLOSTOMIDAE

Scientific Name:

Diphylla ecaudata

Species Authority

Spix, 1823

Common Name/s:

English

–

Hairy-legged Vampire Bat

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Sampaio, E., Lim, B. & Peters, S.

Evaluator/s:

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

Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern as it is widespread, relatively tolerant to a range of habitats, and is unlikely to be declining rapidly enough to qualify under a more threatened category.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/near threatened (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	North, Central, and South America. This species ranges from Southern Tamaulipas (Mexico) to Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and Eastern Brazil; a single vagrant individual has also been reported from Southern Texas (USA) (Simmons 2005). Lowlands to 1,900 m (Reid, 1997). Has been collected up to 1,000 m asl. Also central and southern Brazil.
Countries:	Native: Belize; Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama; Peru; United States; Venezuela
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	Uncommon and local, but widespread (Emmons and Feer, 1997). They roost either alone or in small groups of 12 or less. In one study, D. ecaudata was observed to be more solitary and did not gather into groups when in the presence of other bats in a cave. They have a structured society in which they build strong social bonds with other bats in the colony. Very rare in Belize (Miller pers. comm.)
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Found in all types of forest, mainly at low elevations. Roosts in caves and mines, rarely in hollow trees. Individuals are well spaced in the roost, and group size is usually small, although a group of more than 500 was found in a cave in Puebla, Mexico, where numbers were much reduced in January, perhaps indicating seasonal movements or migration. Avian blood may predominate in the diet of wild individuals, although cattle are occasionally exploited. Unlike other vampires, this attractive bat is gentle and easy to handle. Reproduction occurs year around (Reid, 1997). Also occurs in open areas (Aguiar pers. comm.).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Found in all types of forest, mainly at low elevations. Roosts in caves and mines, rarely in hollow trees. Individuals are well spaced in the roost, and group size is usually small, although a group of more than 500 was found in a cave in Puebla, Mexico, where numbers were much reduced in January, perhaps indicating seasonal movements or migration. Avian blood may predominate in the diet of wild individuals, although cattle are occasionally exploited. Unlike other vampires, this attractive bat is gentle and easy to handle. Reproduction occurs year around (Reid, 1997). Also occurs in open areas (Aguiar pers. comm.).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Vampire control programs.

Major Threat(s):

Vampire control programs.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Further surveys are needed in the Amazon region to confirm the species presence or absence. As for other vampire species, education programs about vampire and rabies control programs are required. The species should be excluded from vampire control programs.

Conservation Actions:

Further surveys are needed in the Amazon region to confirm the species presence or absence. As for other vampire species, education programs about vampire and rabies control programs are required. The species should be excluded from vampire control programs.

Citation:	Sampaio, E., Lim, B. & Peters, S. 2008. Diphylla ecaudata. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 November 2008.
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