Stripe-faced vampire bat
The great stripe-faced bat or stripe-faced vampire bat (Vampyrodes caraccioli ) is a bat species from South and Central America, where it is found from southern Mexico to Bolivia and northwestern Brazil, as well as on Trinidad. The great stripe-faced bat is a frugivore. It is one of two species within the genus Vampyrodes (Lesser vampire bat) the other being Vampyrodes major.
The Great stripe-faced bat is a medium to large sized frugivorous bat weight on average between 25.2–34 g (0.89–1.20 oz) for a fully grown adult, and having an average forearm length of between 46.8–57.3 mm (1.84–2.26 in) respectively. The great stripe-faced bat is also characterized by the bright white stripes that streak the sides of the bat's face as well as the white mid dorsal stripe that extends from its crown to its rump. Great stripe-faced bats also have a distinguishing noseleaf which is highly developed and is longer than it is wide.
The distribution of the great stripe-faced bat is vast due to the species ability to adapt to a wide variety of different habitats, they can be found in a variety of different countries across Central and South America including eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, Peru, northern Bolivia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. While great stripe-faced bats are a species of least concern according to IUCN they are still elusive.
Great stripe-faced bats are frugivorous bats that have been known to feed from a variety of different fruiting plants, but mainly specialize in consuming figs. Great stripe-faced bats will select an appropriate fruit from a tree and transport it to a feeding roost, which differs from the roosts where they rest during the day, and which will typically be less than 100 meters away from the fruiting tree.
According to the IUCN, the great striped-faced bat is considered a species of least concern due to the fact that this bat species is very tolerant of a large variety of different habitats, and is widely dispersed across Central and South America. Also, while the population of these bats may be declining, it is likely not at a rate that would include it in the threatened category. While the great stripe-faced bat is a very adaptable species, it becomes less common at lower latitudes. Local governments should prioritize the preservation of the southernmost populations of the great stripe-faced bat.
