Two subspecies are sometimes recognized, D. a. albus and D. a. virgo. Previously, Diclidurus scutatus was considered a synonym of D. albus, but is now considered a separate species, about which very little is known. Controversy abounds over who deserves the credit for naming D. albus. Oken may have been responsible, but credit is usually given to Wied (1820). No fossils are known for the entire genus Diclidurus. Other common names include murciélagos blancos (Spanish), and gespenstfliedermaus (German). The generic name, Diclidurus arises from the gland on the tail. The Latin word diclid means two-valved, and urus means tail. Albus in Latin means white, and relates to the white fur of these bats.
Northern ghost bats use echolocation to find prey and to navigate their way through the nighttime forest. They emit a call at 22 kHz while hunting. No information is available about communication between individual bats, although chemical communication is likely, including the use of gland secretions by males.
Communication Channels: acoustic ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; ultrasound ; echolocation ; chemical
IUCN lists D. albus as being at lower risk and least concern. Although northern ghost bats are rare throughout their range, they are widespread.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Like most wild mammals, northern ghost bats can transmit rabies to humans and other animals. However, rabies transmission to humans is rare.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (causes disease in humans , carries human disease); causes or carries domestic animal disease
Northern ghost bats may be important in helping keep agricultural pest populations in check, but their rarity suggests that they might not contribute much to insect control. Also, because this bat is attractively colored and rare, may help draw ecotourists to an area. With knowledgeable guides, nighttime bat tours can attract tourists.
Positive Impacts: ecotourism ; produces fertilizer; controls pest population
Northern ghost bat individuals eat around 1,000 insects a night. This could affect insect populations. These bats are rare, so their effect on the ecosystem are probably slight and can only be a hypothesized based on the effects of other bats in the area. Also, bat guano is very important to plants, providing excellent fertilizer.
Like all members of the family Emballonuridae, northern ghost bats are insectivorous. Stomach contents have a high proportion of moths.
Animal Foods: insects
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )
Diclidurus albus is rare but widespread, ranging from Mexico to eastern Brazil. It is also found on some Caribbean Islands including Trinidad. During the summer months no sightings of D. albus have been made in Mexico, the northern edge of its range. This suggests that members of this species migrate south seasonally, from May to October. Little information is available on D. albus migration patterns.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Northern ghost bats prefer humid habitats like riparian and tropical rainforests but have been found in human-disturbed areas like plantations, clearings, and over villages. They prefer to roost underneath the fronds of palms, including coconut, chocho palms, and coquito palms. These bats have also been seen in less mesic habitats, like deciduous and evergreen forests. Diclidurus albus migrates within the Neotropics. They occur from sea level to 1500 m. They were observed at highest elevations in Costa Rica.
Range elevation: 0 to 1500 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural ; riparian
Northern ghost bat lifespans have not been studied.
Diclidurus albus is a distinctive looking bat species. The common name, northern ghost bats, refers to their soft, long, white pelage. Sometimes the proximal ends of the hairs are grey in color, while the distal ends are white, giving the animal an ashy grey tone. The patagia are pinkish and translucent and the tail is short, about one third the length of the uropatagium. The tail punctures the uropatagium, with the end projecting dorsally. The uropatagium is large with about two-thirds covered in fur, and extends beyond the hind feet. Northern ghost bats have nearly naked faces with large eyes and shorter, yellowish ears. They do not have a nose leaf, and their tragus is prominent, broad, and rounded.
Diclidurus albus lacks the wing sacs that other Emballonuridae have. Instead, these bats have a unique gland on their uropatagium. This gland has two valves and is triangular in shape. Its actual function isn’t known, but it is larger in males, and becomes even more prominent during the breeding season. Northern ghost bats have vestigial thumbs, unlike other species in the genus.
The skull is distinctive. The rostrum angles upward steeply from the braincase. The zygomatic arches are complete and the skull has strong supraorbital ridges. Premaxillae do not meet and have nasal branches only. The canines project forward and outward. The dental formula is I: 1/3, C: 1/1, PM: 2/2, M: 3/3 = 32. Cheek teeth are dilambdodont and have cingula.
Northern ghost bats are at the larger end of the size range for Emballonuridae, with total lengths ranging from 86.0 mm to 103.0 mm. Tail lengths vary between 18.0 mm and 22.0 mm. Diclidurus albus differs from its congeners in that the length of its forearm is between 60 mm and 70 mm, while other species of this genus have forearms less than 60 mm or above 70 mm, or are distinguished by brownish pelage. Adult D. albus weigh between 17 and 24 g. They are sexually dimorphic; females tend to be larger in size and length, but this varies regionally. For example, in Mexico, both sexes were very similar in all measurements. The average female length was 88.0 mm, with the average male length being 89.0 mm. In Guatemala, however, females were about 10 mm longer than the males, with an average length of 102.0 mm compared to 92.5 mm for males. Sample sizes are relatively small, however, and more research is needed to verify the presence of sexual dimorphism in D. albus.
Range mass: 17.0 to 24.0 g.
Average mass: 20.0 g.
Range length: 86.0 to 103.0 mm.
Range wingspan: 63.0 to 69.2 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Northern ghost bats are nocturnal and solitary, which helps to protect them from many predators. Predation on northern ghost bats has not been recorded.
There is little information on the mating system of D. albus. Northern ghost bats are solitary except during the breeding season. During this time, small groups of bats can been seen roosting very close together. There is usually a maximum of four individuals, and the group consists of one male and multiple females. The triangular gland present on the uropatagium of D. albus grows in size during the breeding season, and may be used by males to attract females.
Mating System: polygynous
Breeding occurs during the months of January and February. Pregnant females have been found between the months of January and June. Single young are usually born in May or June. The breeding season occurs only once a year, so D. albus is monestrus. The timing of weaning and the age at sexual maturity are unknown. Diclidurus albus is a rare animal to see, so its reproductive behaviors have yet to be studied in depth.
Breeding interval: Northern ghost bats breed once per year.
Breeding season: Diclidurus albus breeds during January and February.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 1.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Like most other bats, females care for their young by nursing and protecting them. Young bats mature quickly and become independent within a few months of their birth.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
The northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus) is a bat species from South America, Trinidad, and Central America. It is a relatively rare, completely white, insectivorous bat, with an unusual sac at the base of its tail.
The northern ghost bat is a member of the family Emballonuridae in the order Chiroptera. It is considered medium-sized for its genus, Diclidurus.[2] It is pure white to pale grey in color, with some dark-grey basal pelage.[2] In stark contrast to other members of the family Emballonuridae, it does not have wing-sacs, but rather, a large glandular structure located centrally with respect to its uropatagium.[2] The species derives its name from its habitual locale and glandular form.[2] Diclidurus is from the Latin word diclid, or two-valved, which describes the multi-chambered nature of its uropatagium gland.[2]
The northern ghost bat can be distinguished from other members of its genus by the presence of a vestigial thumb with a near-absent claw.[2] Amongst the northern ghost bat population, sexual dimorphism is present.[2] Specifically, males tend to be slightly larger in size when compared to females.[2] Diclidurus albus is intermediate in weight relative to other members of the family Emballonuridae.[3]
The northern ghost bat has a widely shaped clavicle bone, with large areas of attachment for the pectoralis muscle.[2] It also has a large glandular structure on its uropatagium.[2] The functional significance of this glandular structure is thought to be analogous to that of wing sacs in other emballonurids.[2] When breeding, the wing sacs of other emballonurids become enlarged to attract females.[2]
The penis of the northern ghost bat does not employ a baculum, but rather, is composed of four cartilaginous bodies.[2] It is about 5.5 mm long and 3.1 mm in diameter.[2] The glans penis is white in color, and the prepuce is encased in a layer of short, fine hair.[2] The testes are spindle-like in shape, symmetrical, and enclosed in a black tunica.[2] In females, the ovaries are ovoid in shape and are roughly 2.8 mm long and 0.8 mm in diameter.[2]
Northern ghost bats inhabit tropical and coastal forests, and frequently roost in caves, in the open, or in palm trees.[2][4][5] When roosting in palm trees, individual bats tend to occupy the space closest to the rachis (stem) of the palm frond.[2] Hanging bats are inconspicuous, and mirror the appearance of a wasp's nest.[2] Roosts can be found in caves, deep rock crevices, and old mines. Although ghost bats prefer to roost in colonies, they currently only roost in small groups at best due to a lack of roosting sites that support larger colonies; colonies of more than 100 bats in one location are rarely seen. It often roosts singly under palm leaves.
The distribution of the northern ghost bat is confined to the neotropics.[2] Its range extends as far north as the tropical mainland of Mexico and as far south as the tropics of Brazil.[2][3] Its distribution is limited relative to other members of its genus.[2] Altitudinally, it lives within the sea-level to 1500 m range.[2]
Diclidurus albus is an insectivore that feeds primarily on moths.[2] It flies high above the ground in open spaces when feeding, usually in a straight fashion.[2][6] In Costa Rica, it is known to sing when feeding.[2] The sounds that it makes during its songs are thought to be unique to the genus.[2]
The northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus) is a bat species from South America, Trinidad, and Central America. It is a relatively rare, completely white, insectivorous bat, with an unusual sac at the base of its tail.
