| Miller's mastiff bat | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Molossidae |
| Genus: | Molossus |
| Species: | M. pretiosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Molossus pretiosus Miller, 1902 | |
 | |
| Miller's mastiff bat range | |
Miller's mastiff bat (Molossus pretiosus) is a species of bat in the family Molossidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. [1]
Miller's mastiff bat has a limited distribution and tends to inhabit isolated regions. This particular species of mastiff bat is native to Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Its main habitat is lowlands. [2]
Miller's mastiff bats have a powerfully built body, with a broad body frame and narrow wings. They have a thick mandible in comparison to other mastiff bats. They have a distinctive cusp shaped pattern on their molars and lack their third premolar. [3] Males tend to be larger than females. Full grown, an adult mastiff bat ranges from about 20 to 28 grams. [4] At birth, Miller's mastiff bat is only about one-quarter its adult weight. [5] Miller's mastiff bat had a variable fur coat color; ranging from black to a reddish color. The mastiff bat's chest is speckled with white fur, and has black ears. [6] [7]
Miller's mastiff bat lives in open areas, mainly in grassland habitats. They have also been observed to build their roosts in caves, dry woodlands, roof dwellings, and thorn scrub. [8] They tend to live in areas by a river, lake, or watering hole. Water is important for drinking and foraging behaviors. [9] They are nocturnal, and start to become active at dusk, which coincides with the time when their food source becomes active. They tend to fly in a single file line to their destination. Their main food source are insects, such as beetles and moths. [10]
Miller's mastiff bat is listed as a Least Concern species with a low risk of becoming extinct. This is due to its ability to adapt to changing habitats and the distribution of habitats it occupies. It is also located in a number of protected areas. There are no known threats to Miller's mastiff bat. [1]
