In this world, there are many different species that live around us. One species, Chiroptera, or Bats, live among us every day. But narrow it down to Vesper bats, and then down to the Argentine Bat, and you probably never heard of that one. And this bat is always getting its spotlight taken from its cousins. But what makes this bat so unknown to the world?

 

The small-to-medium sized bat is sort of similar to other bats but has some special features from adaptation. With its broad nose and thin ears, this bat can use its smell and echolocation, like other bats. The Argentine Brown Bat has its wing membrane starting at the base of its toes, helping it able to fly and glide better while catching food. Appearance to be Black to dark brown and maybe a gray underside, this appearance can make it more invisible at night to be safe from predators.

         
The Argentine Brown Bat makes its living in central and southern parts of North America to Northern Parts of South America. This little creature roosts in trees and sometimes houses. But they like to live in terrestrial areas, but their area is poorly unknown. And as you may know, they are found in caves along with some others, too.

The diet of the Argentine Brown Bat is very similar to other vesper bats. This little flying mammal is an insectivorous. The bats fly in swarms of bats, eating insects like mosquitoes, gnats, moths, beetles, and wasps. These bats have a specialty to eat their meals in flight.

         
The Argentine Brown Bat isn’t the only one who likes these insects, they may battle others for their food, but they also may cooperate with each other and share. But others are seeing them as food, the hawk, falcon, eagle, and other big birds hunt them and eat them. Even on ground they are not safe, the mink, weasel, raccoon, and other rodents will have them on their menu. Rarely but happens, these bats will get eaten by snakes, fish, and bullfrogs who capture them for their meal.

         
When it comes to their predators, humans aren’t in the top 50s. Argentine Brown Bats are found in many protected areas, and they aren’t harmed by many humans. They are least concerned than other bats and other species, Argentine Brown Bats have large populations.

         
If these bats have such large populations, why are they so unknown? The cousins of these bats, like the Big Brown Bat and the Little Brown bat are the reason. Argentine Brown Bats are sometimes are mistaken for their cousins. Finding the information on these small, fuzzy creatures was really hard, but it was worth it to know and maybe make this bat more known to the world.

 

Author: Noah Y

Published: 06/2012

 

Sources:
"Eptesicus Furinalis." IUCN Red List. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Web. 30 Jan. 2011. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/7927/0

 

Mies, Rob, Allen Kurta, and David G. King. "Eptesicus Furinalis." Mammalian Species. 17 May 1996. Web. 29 Jan. 2011. http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-526-01-0001.pdf

 

"Argentine Brown Bat | Eptesicus Furinalis Facts." Animal Pictures | Facts about Mammals. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Chiroptera/Vespertilionidae/Eptesicus/Eptesicus-furinalis.html

 

Photo Credit:
Jon Hall; http://mammalwatching.com/Neotropical/neotropicparaguay.html