Honduran white bat

The Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba), also called the Caribbean white tent-making bat, is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomatidae. It is the only member of the genus Ectophylla. The genus and the species were both scientifically described for the first time in 1892. It has distinctive, entirely white fur, which is only found in six of the roughly 1,300 known species of bat. It constructs "tents" out of understory plant leaves by strategically cutting the leaf ribs with its teeth; it roosts in these tents during the day. It is a specialist frugivore, consuming almost exclusively the fruits of one species of fig. Females can likely become pregnant twice per year, giving birth to one offspring at a time. It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama at elevations from sea level to . Due to habitat loss, it is evaluated as near-threatened by the IUCN. Its bright yellow ears, nose-leaf, and lips are a result of carotenoid deposition; the mechanism of this deposition is being researched as a way to understand and combat macular degeneration in humans. Taxonomy and phylogeny The Honduran white bat was described as a new species, Ectophylla alba, in 1892 by American zoologist Harrison Allen. The holotype that Allen used to describe the new genus and species was collected by Charles Haskins Townsend near the Coco River in Honduras in 1887. It belongs to the leaf-nosed bat family, Phyllostomidae. Within Phyllostomidae, it is in the subfamily Stenodermatinae. MacConnell's bat was once included in the genus Ectophylla, but it is now monotypic within Mesophylla. Despite no longer being classified in the same genus, MacConnell's bat and the Honduran white bat are sister taxa—they are each other's closest relative. The Honduran white bat is the only member of Ectophylla, meaning it is a monotypic genus. The genus name "Ectophylla" is from Ancient Greek "ektós" meaning "out" and "phúllon" meaning "leaf", referring to its nose-leaf. Its species name "alba" comes from Latin "albus" meaning "white".