Mammals · Chiroptera · Phyllostomidae

Pallas's Long-Tongued Bat

Glossophaga soricina

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Pallas's long-tongued bat is a nectar-feeder with an elongated snout and an extendable tongue that pollinates dozens of American plants, among them columnar cacti, agaves, kapok trees and bananas. It feeds by hovering in front of flowers like a nocturnal hummingbird, and supplements the nectar with pollen and some insects. It lives in colonies in caves, tree holes and culverts. Its great adaptability makes it common even in gardens and city parks throughout Latin America.

Weight

9 g – 12 g

Size

5 cm – 6 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Nectarivore

Feeds mainly on flower nectar.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaRainforestDesertNectarivore Nocturnal Colonial Savanna Rainforest Desert Mammal

16countries 64parks5same family

Fun facts

The tip of its tongue has erectile structures that swell with blood as it extends, forming a kind of mop that traps nectar, a hydraulic pumping mechanism described in 2013.
It has one of the highest metabolic rates known in any mammal: it burns the sugar from nectar so fast that it can be flying on the energy of a flower it visited minutes earlier.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Rainforest, dry forest, plantations and gardens of tropical America
Gestation / incubation: 3.5 months
Litter / clutch size: 1

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossophaga_soricina