Jamaican flower bat

About the Jamaican flower bat

The Jamaican flower bat (Phyllonycteris aphylla) is a critically endangered species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae. It is endemic to Jamaica. It was described by American zoologist Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. in 1898. He initially placed it in the genus Reithronycteris, which is now synonymous with Phyllonycteris. The specimen that he described was collected in Jamaica; the date of collection and the exact location are unknown. The type specimen used to describe the species has since been lost. Its species name aphylla was derived from the Ancient Greek word áphullos, meaning "leafless." This is likely in reference to its small nose-leaf.

It weighs 14–18 g (0.49–0.63 oz). Its total body length is 88 mm (3.5 in). Its forearm is 48 mm (1.9 in) long. On the dorsal side of the forearm, its skin is pink. Its ears are 16 mm (0.63 in) long and 12 mm (0.47 in) wide. The tragus is 8 mm (0.31 in).

It has a disc-shaped, basic nose-leaf at the end of its snout. The fur is short, with individual hairs approximately 6 mm (0.24 in) long on its back and 4 mm (0.16 in) long on its belly. Its feet are very large in relation to its body, at 17 mm (0.67 in... Wikipedia →