Greater Dog Like Bat

Peropteryx kappleri communicates through vocalizations, which become stronger in the cave during flight. Mother and offspring also use vocalization to locate each other when they are separated. Eyes are well developed from birth. Like all bats of the suborder Microchiroptera, Peropteryx kappleri use echolocation as a primary means of navigation and perception. It produces high frequency sounds that reflect off objects as echoes, which are then received and interpreted by the bat to determine the position, movement, shape and texture of the objects.

Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic

Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; ultrasound ; echolocation ; chemical

Peropteryx kappleri is common and its condition is stable throughout the habitats in which it is found. Also, it is not listed as endangered or threatened on the IUCN Red list or CITES appendices.

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Peropteryx kappleri is not known to have any negative effects on the economy.

Peropteryx kappleri is not known to be of any positive economic importance to humans.

No specific ecosystem roles are described, though they do help keep insect populations in check because they are insectivores.

Peropteryx kappleri is an insectivore. Its diet consists of insects, including moths and butterflies and members of the orders Diptera and Coleoptera.

Animal Foods: insects

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )

Peropteryx kappleri is native to the Neotropics. Its range extends from southern Mexico to northern South America and into Brazil.

Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )

Peropteryx kappleri can tolerate dry conditions such as in the savanna, but mainly inhabits wet forests, marshes and swamps. Colonies have been found roosting in fallen logs, hollow trees, caves and in abandoned coal mines in Colombia. It can also be found in agricultural areas. Peropteryx kappleri can be found at low to moderate elevations. The highest reported elevation is in a coal mine in Colombia at a height of 1415 m.

Range elevation: 1415 (high) m.

Habitat Regions: tropical

Terrestrial Biomes: forest

Wetlands: marsh ; swamp

Other Habitat Features: agricultural ; caves

No information was available on the lifespan of Peropteryx kappleri in either the wild or in captivity. However, members of the family Emballonuridae are known to have a lifespan of several years in captivity.

Two color phases are found in Peropteryx kappleri; one is light brown and the other is dark brown, but both have lighter undersides. This species is endothermic and exhibits bilateral symmetry. Sexual dimorphism exists; females weigh more and have longer forearms and body lengths. The average weight for females is 8.5 g, males average 7.7 g. The mean body length is 60.9 mm for females, and 58.2 mm for males. The average forearm length is 50.3 mm for females and 48.3 mm for males. The ears of Peropteryx kappleri not joined at their base by a membrane, as is the case in some of its relatives.

Average length: 59.6 mm.

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Peropteryx kappleri has predators, though none are specifically mentioned. Humans can cause problems and decrease the number of individuals by habitat modification.

Reports on the mating systems of Peropteryx kappleri vary as to whether or not females form harems that are monopolized by one or a few males. In a study conducted by Bradbury and Vehrencamp in 1976, they indicated that there was no harem formation. However, a study by Giral, Alberico and Alvare reported that the number of females outnumbered males by a factor of 1.4, which suggested to them the existence of harem formation. Males do not compete for females, and both groups agreed that males are not territorial.

Mating System: monogamous ; polygynous

Births occur during most of the year, but there are two peaks, which correspond to increased amounts of rainfall during the rainy seasons. One is a big peak during April; the other is a smaller peak that occurs during October and November. Information is not available on the gestation period of these bats, but females are known to usually produce one litter per year. Each litter consists of one offspring. The females nurse their young for about forty days, after which the young are able to fly like adults. The offspring reach their adult size by about fifty-five days. After sixty days, most of the offspring leave their birth colony and never return.

Breeding interval: Peropteryx kappleri normally breeds once a year.

Breeding season: The breeding season of Peropteryx kappleri is not known.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Average weaning age: 40 days.

Average time to independence: 60 days.

Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous

Females bear the burden of caring for the young. Giral, Alberico and Alvare (1991) found that when parturition nears, the weight of females increases by 1 to 2 g. When this occurs, females go to new roosting sites that separate them from the group, but that are not far away. The young are born relatively well developed for bats, but are defenseless and cannot fly. Females cover their offspring with their wings during the day, and allow them to attach to the base of their tails to nurse from birth until they are about forty days old. After about fifty-five days, the offspring can fly well and leave the roost at night. Once this occurs, the females do not invest much energy into the offspring, and the young leave permanently usually a few days later.

Parental Investment: altricial ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female)

The greater dog-like bat (Peropteryx kappleri) is a bat species found from southern Mexico through Brazil and Peru.