Macrophyllum macrophyllum
Long-legged Bat
Description
Macrophyllum macrophyllum is a small slender bat that is easy to recognize from other bats
because of its unusual development of its facial extremities and tail membrane. It is in the
subfamily Phyllostominae and it is not a very common bat. It has been called Wied’s Longlegged Bat, or simply the Long-legged bat. Its tail is long and it is enclosed within a broad
interfemoral membrane that is studded on the ventral side. The tail also has a distinctive row of
about seven vertical lines of dots, each ending with a bump on the straight rear edge of the tail
membrane (Reid 1997). The wing membrane extends from the distal end of the tibia. The
dorsum is dark brown and the ventral side is paler, and the wings and tail membrane are brown
(Dewey 2002). The hair becomes paler towards the back of M. macrophyllum, and the wings and
interfemoral membrane are naked (Harrison 1975).
The dentition is similar to that of Micronycteris, but is different in that the anterior upper
premolar is small, and the middle lower premolar is minute and crowded inward so that the first
and third are almost in contact (Harrison 1975). There is hardly a gap visible between the upper
canines because the upper incisors fill it.
The legs of M. macrophyllum are long, and they have very powerful claws. The noseleaf, used in
echolocation, is large with a vertical central ridge (Dewey 2002). The rostrum is short and the
tympanic bulae are small and basioccipital pits are absent (Harrison, 1975).
Distribution
M. macrophyllum is found throughout eastern Central America and South America (Emmons
1997). First discovered in Brazil, at Rio Mucuri, M. macrophyllum is also found in localities in
Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, British Guiana, Venezuela, and Colombia. The species ranges down to
San Ignacio, Argentina and as far north as central Mexico (Harrison 1975). It has also been
spotted in the southern most part of Paraguay (Harrison 1975).
Reproduction
Studies have reported females being pregnant during both the rainy season and dry seasons in
Guatemala (Seymour and Dickerman 1982). A female obtained in El Salvador in 1972 was
pregnant, and had a single embryo measuring 18 mm in crown-rump length (Harrison and
Pendleton 1975). The feet and claws were developed and measured exactly the same length as its
forearm. Other studies have shown that testes size of males’ range from about 4.6 mm to 5.1 mm.
Ecology and Behavior
The long-legged bat uses echolocation to find its prey. Its main diet consists of insects, but it has
been considered to consume blood at times. The possibility of it consuming aquatic insects is
quite good, although not documented. The fact that these bats can eat millions of insects plays an
important role for the lives of humans. They have been found living in places that range from
culverts to old building ruins.
Literature Cited
Dewey, S. 2002. "Macrophyllum macrophyllum", Animal Diversity Web.
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Macrophyllum_macrop
hyllum.html.
Emmons, L. 1997. Neotropical Rain Forest Mammals, A Field Guide 2nd edition. Chicago and
London: University of Chicago Press.
Harrison, D. 1975. Macrophyllum macrophyllum. Mammalian Species, 62: 1-3.
Harrison, D. L. and N. Pendleton. 1975. A second record of Wied’s long-legged bat in El
Salvador, with notes on palate, diet, and reproduction of the species. Mammalia 38: 68993.
Reid, F. 1997. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. New
York and Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Seymour, C., R. Dickerman. 1982. Observations on the Long-Legged Bat, Macrophyllummacrophyllum in Guatemala. Journal of Mammalogy, 63 (3): 530-532.
Reference written by Matt Christensen, Biology 378 (Mammalogy), University of Wisconsin –
Stevens Point. Edited by Christopher Yahnke. Page last updated August 8. 2005.