Chocoan Nectar Bat vs Colletid bee

Lonchophylla chocoana compared with Hylaeus pictipes

Key Differences

• Chocoan Nectar Bat is Data Deficient while Colletid bee is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chocoan Nectar Bat	Colletid bee
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Mammalia (Mammals)	Insecta (Insects)
Order	Chiroptera (Bats)	Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps)
Family	Phyllostomidae	Colletidae
Genus	Lonchophylla	Hylaeus
Species	Lonchophylla chocoana	Hylaeus pictipes

Evolutionary Relationship

Chocoan Nectar Bat and Colletid bee share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Chocoan Nectar Bat

DD — Data Deficient

Colletid bee

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chocoan Nectar Bat	Colletid bee
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chocoan Nectar Bat

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Ecuador.

Colletid bee

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

Chocoan Nectar Bat

The Chocoan Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla chocoana) is a small, highly specialised bat in the family Phyllostomidae, endemic to the Chocó biogeographic region of northwestern South America — one of the wettest and most biodiverse regions on the planet, spanning the Pacific lowlands of Colombia and Ecuador. It belongs to the genus Lonchophylla, a group of nectarivorous (nectar-feeding) bats characterised by an elongated snout, a long, brush-tipped tongue adapted for reaching deep into flowers, and reduced cheek teeth reflecting their liquid diet. Like other lonchophyllines, the Chocoan Nectar Bat plays an important ecological role as a pollinator of night-blooming plants whose flowers are adapted for chiropterophily (bat pollination), including species of Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, and various other families. It roosts in caves, tree hollows, and dense vegetation in lowland and foothill forests of the Chocó. The IUCN classifies this species as Data Deficient, reflecting limited survey data on its distribution, population size, and ecology. The Chocó region, despite its extraordinary biodiversity, is under severe pressure from deforestation for palm oil and other agro-industrial crops, and any specialist bat dependent on intact forest and its flowering resources is potentially vulnerable to habitat loss.

Colletid bee

<em>Hylaeus pictipes</em>, commonly known as the Colletid bee, is a species belonging to the genus <em>Hylaeus</em> within the family Colletidae, one of the most ancient lineages of bees. This species is classified as Extinct, signifying that no living individuals are known to survive. Historical records indicate its former presence across several European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. The species is noted to have been capable of occupying virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats, suggesting considerable ecological flexibility during its existence. Colletid bees in this genus are typically solitary, with females provisioning individual nest cells with a mixture of pollen and nectar rather than collectively forming colonies. Specific dietary information for <em>Hylaeus pictipes</em> beyond general nectivory and pollen collection has not been recorded. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The loss of this species reflects broader declines in native bee diversity across Europe, driven by habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and other anthropogenic pressures.