Virginia Bog Eared Bat - Biology Final

BIOL180: Introduction to Biology with Lab - The Outline

Steven A. Bruner / I005

Assignment 2 Outline: “The Virginia Big Eared Bat”

I. Introduction

A. Common and scientific names

1. Common names: Virginia Big Eared Bat

2. Scientific Name: Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus (Bat, 2018)

B. Observed where?

1. This sub-species of Townsend’s big bats is commonly found in Northern America and Southern Mexico.

2. I have observed the organisms in caves in the caves found in Karst regions dominated by oak-hickory.

3. The geographic region within which the organism can be found is found in southern Mexico and Northern America.

C. Why I chose this organism?

1. The habitat was once listed as an endangered species by U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

2. There are frequent cases in which human beings are constantly interfering with the habitat of the organisms. I chose the organism to try understand how they are coping up with human disturbance.

3. I wanted to learn more about bats, and the reason why America has strict measures in place to safeguard them.

4. I wanted to understand why bat habitats are such sensitive to human activities.

D. Image

Virginia Big Eared Bat

(Virginia Big-Eared Bat. (n.d.).

II. Body

A. Physical Description

1. Virginia Big Eared Bat are medium-sized bats comprising of broad wings. The wings have a web of skin that stretches out across their finger bones to their legs.

2. Characterized with short snouts and an elongated nostril.

3. Have huge fleshy glands on either side of the nuzzle.

4. Their colors vary depending on the population in which they fall in. Their hairs are also dark on the base as compared to their tips.

5. Have bigger ears that have a length of 25 mm which are connected to their forehead using low band.

6. Their weights normally range between 5g and 13g.

B. Life Cycle and Reproduction

1. Life Cycle

a. Female bats give birth to one offspring, referred as a pup.

b. Females give birth in the month of May or June.

c. Pup normally develops first and the young ones can even fly at the age of three weeks.

d. In three-month’s time, pups are off on their own.

e. The organisms are not migratory. However, disturbance of their natural habitat can force them move to a new location.

2. Reproduction

a. Typically, mating commences in late summer and goes all the way to winter.

b. Male are sexually active in the second year while female is sexually mature during the first summer.

c. Estrus takes place during fall while copulation takes place in the month of November-February.

d. Males are responsible in performing mating display. During this time, they approach the females while making twittering sounds.

e. Once the female accepts the male, the male rubs snout against females face and the glands in the male’s face scents the female prior to copulation.

f. Sperms are normally stored in the female’s reproductive tract, till spring within which ovulation, implantation and gestation takes place Barbour and (Davis, 1969; Chapman, 2007; Kunz and Martin, 1982; Wimsatt, 1977).

C. The function

1. Anatomy

a. Virginia big-eared bats are made up of a special sensory system commonly known as echolocation.

b. Have large ears used in reflecting low frequency echolocation.

c. Auditory system is extensively surrounded by a layer of sinus.

d. They are versatile to flying.

2. Physiology

a. Echolocation serves to examine surrounding and locate where food is.

b. Sinus tissues enhances dampening and conduction of sounds produced in the larynx (Fenton, 1985; Hill and Smith, 1984).

c. The quick flips over the wings so that they can grasp on the surface using their feet.

D. Energy Ecology

1. Feed on months

2. At times they consume small insects

3. Always feed on open pastures.

4. They feed around crown of trees where months are in plenty.

Habitat

1. Abiotic

a. Their major habitats are normally at caves.

b. Some reside in roosting areas

2. Biotic

a. Some common predators to the bats include cats, owls and racoons.

b. Snakes occasionally feast on them as well.

III. Conclusions

A. Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus resides in caves in the mountainous areas.

B. Geographically, they are found in Northern parts of America and Southern Mexico.

C. Their Major habitats include caves and roosting areas.

D. Comprises of special sensory that aids their location of foods. The system originates from their ears.

E. Their primary food are moths.

F. They play a fundamental role in regulating insects because they are ideal predators.

References

Bat.", ". B. (2018). Virginia Big-eared Bat. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/science-magazines/virginia-big-eared-bat

Boynton, A., & Spivey, P. (2016). Virginia big eared bat. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://216.27.39.103/Portals /0/Conserving/documents/Virginia_Big-eared_Bat.pdf

Burford, L., & Lacki, M. (1995, January 10). Habitat use by Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus in the Daniel Boone National Forest. Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://www.biomedsearch.com/article/Habitat-use-by-Corynorhinus- townsendii/17757372.html

Fellers, G. 2000. Predation on Corynorhinus townsendii by Rattus. The Southwestern Naturalist, 45: Unknown. Accessed April 12, 2018 at http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pt- reyes/pdfs/predation.pdf.

Sullivan, J. (n.d.). Corynorhinus townsendii (Townsend's big-eared bat). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Corynorhinus_townsendii/

Townsend's big-eared bat Factsheet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 12, 2018, from https://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/bats/townsends.php

Virginia Big-Eared Bat. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://oepos.ca.uky.edu/content/virginia-big-eared-bat