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PCMPR
Bats of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico hosts 13 bat species, forming a vital part of the island’s natural heritage. As essential agents of ecological balance, bats provide crucial services, including pollination of plants, seed dispersal, and the natural control of insect populations. Their presence across diverse habitats, including caves, forests, and urban settings, highlights both Puerto Rico’s rich biodiversity and the need for continued conservation to safeguard these essential creatures.
Artibeus jamaicensis
Nickname: "frutero común"
The Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis) is one of the most common bat species in Puerto Rico and plays an essential role as a seed disperser, particularly for native fruiting trees. By facilitating forest regeneration and maintaining plant diversity, this species makes a significant contribution to the island’s ecological balance.
Brachyphylla cavernarum
Nickname: "hocico de cerdo"
The Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) is a large bat species found in Puerto Rico that primarily feeds on fruits, nectar, and pollen. By serving as both a pollinator and seed disperser, it supports the reproduction of many native plants and contributes to the health and resilience of island ecosystems.
Monophyllus redmani
Nickname: "murciélago lengüilargo"
The Greater Antillean long-tongued bat (Monophyllus redmani) is a nectar-feeding species in Puerto Rico that also consumes fruits and insects. Its ecological importance lies in pollinating native plants, dispersing seeds, and helping control insect populations, making it a key contributor to ecosystem balance.
Erophylla bombifrons
Nickname: "murciélago de las flores"
The Brown flower bat (Erophylla bombifrons) is a versatile species found in Puerto Rico that feeds on nectar, fruits, and insects. This varied diet enables it to serve multiple ecological roles, including pollination, seed dispersal, and insect control, making it a crucial contributor to the island’s ecosystems.
Stenoderma rufum
Nickname: "frutero nativo"
The Red fig-eating bat (Stenoderma rufum) is endemic to Puerto Rico and feeds mainly on forest fruits, particularly those of “yagrumo” (Cecropia schreberiana), “ausubo” (Manilkara bidentata), and “huigüillo” (Tetragastris balsamifera). By dispersing the seeds of these native trees, it plays a critical role in forest regeneration while also standing out as a symbol of Puerto Rico’s unique biodiversity.
Noctilio leporinus
Nickname: "murciélago pescador"
The Greater bulldog bat (Noctilio leporinus) is a distinctive fishing bat found in Puerto Rico, recognized for its long legs and large feet adapted to catch fish and aquatic insects. By preying on species in rivers, lagoons, and coastal waters, it highlights the ecological link between terrestrial and aquatic systems and showcases the diversity of bat adaptations on the island.
Pteronotus quadridens
Nickname: "murciélago bigotudo menor"
The sooty mustached bat (Pteronotus quadridens) is a small insectivorous species common in Puerto Rico. By consuming large numbers of moths, beetles, and other night-flying insects, it plays an important role in reducing agricultural pests and supporting healthier crop systems across the island.
Pteronotus portoricensis
Nickname: "murciélago bigotudo mayor"
The Puerto Rican mustached bat (Pteronotus portoricensis) is an insectivorous species endemic to Puerto Rico, roosting primarily in caves and foraging at night for moths, beetles, and other small flying insects. Its foraging behavior helps regulate insect populations and reflects the island’s unique evolutionary heritage as one of its endemic bat species.
Mormoops blainvillei
Nickname: "murciélago barbicacho"
The Antillean ghost-faced bat (Mormoops blainvillei) is a medium-sized insectivorous species native to Puerto Rico, easily recognized by its unusual facial folds and broad wings. Roosting in large colonies within caves, it consumes vast numbers of night-flying insects, making it an important ally in reducing pest populations that affect both natural habitats and agriculture.
Eptesicus fuscus
Nickname: "murciélago alioscuro"
The big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) is an insectivorous species present in Puerto Rico that adapts well to both natural and urban environments. By preying on beetles, moths, and other flying insects, it contributes to natural pest control and demonstrates the ability of some bat species to thrive alongside human communities.
Molossus molossus
Nickname: "murciélago de los techos"
The velvety free-tailed bat (Molossus molossus) is a small, fast-flying insectivorous species found in Puerto Rico, often roosting in tree hollows, roofs, and other crevices. Its remarkable speed and agility make it one of the island’s most efficient aerial hunters, showcasing the diversity of foraging strategies among Puerto Rican bats.
Tadarida brasiliensis
Nickname: "murciélago viejo"
The Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is found in Puerto Rico, across the Caribbean, and much of the American continent, where it typically roosts in caves, tunnels, and occasionally in man-made structures. In Puerto Rico it forms small to medium colonies rather than the massive groups seen elsewhere, feeding exclusively on insects and playing an important role in controlling night-flying pest populations.
Lasiurus borealis
Nickname: "murciélago rabipeludo"
The red bat (Lasiurus borealis) is a migratory species found in Puerto Rico as well as throughout North America and the Caribbean. Unlike cave-roosting bats, it typically shelters in the foliage of trees, where its reddish fur provides camouflage, and it feeds on a variety of nocturnal insects, contributing to natural pest regulation.
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