Big naked-backed bat

It was described as a new species in 1843 by German zoologist Johann Andreas Wagner. Wagner placed it in the now-defunct genus Chilonycteris. The holotype had been collected in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Taxon authority is sometimes given to Johann Natterer, however. The reference texts Mammals of South America and Mammals of Mexico also list Wagner as the authority. ==Description==

Instead of attaching to the sides of the bat, its wings attach to its back near its spine. This gives individuals the appearance of having a "naked back" due to the lack of fur on their wings. However, its back is furred under the wings. The fur ranged in color from dark brown to bright orange, being lighter on the underparts. The larger of the two species of naked-backed bat, individuals weigh and have a forearm length of . The ears are pointed with a smooth edge, and the nose has a flattened, plate-like shape with small warty tubercles over the nostrils and short spikes to either side. ==Range and habitat==

Big naked-backed bats are found from southeastern Mexico through the whole of Central America and into Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. They inhabit tropical forests and savannah and are usually found at elevations below ==Behaviour and biology==

The big naked-backed bat roosts in large, humid, cave systems, often in association with many other local bat species; a researcher reported 50,000 individuals roosting together with other bats in two colonies in a karst landscape in Brazil. They feed on insects, mostly moths, beetles, and orthopterans. Their echolocation calls have been reported to have up to three harmonics, with the most intense starting at 55 kHz and falling to 48.7 kHz. When hunting prey the calls can reach a volume of 130 dB. The breeding season takes place at different times of the year across their range. Mothers give birth to a single, naked, young which is initially raised in a maternity roost that may be shared with other closely related species. ==References==