It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and western Panama at elevations from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft).

[4] 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.

The tips of individual hairs are gray, with the grayish coloration more pronounced towards the bat's posterior.

Similarly to the ears, the yellow chroma of the nose-leaf was greater in adults than in juveniles, though not different between the sexes.

This conclusion was supported by the trend that males with brighter yellow nose-leaves tended to have better body conditions.

Females could thus use nose-leaf color as an honest signal of male fitness when selecting a mate.

[12] Another 2019 study found that the distinctive yellow pigment may have been selected for as a result of the bat's tent-roosting.

Its skull is similar in appearance to other species in its subfamily, with the exception of its very deep basioccipital pits.

[16] The Honduran white bat cuts the side veins extending out from the midrib of the large leaves of the Heliconia plant causing them to fold down to form a tent.

In selecting leaves to turn into tents, it appears that the age and size of the leaf is more important than the species of plant.

Low understory vegetation density is thought to be beneficial by providing an uncluttered airspace for the bats as they exit and enter their tents.

[2] Although their tents are typically low to the ground, sunlight filters through the leaf which gives their white fur a greenish cast.

[20] Alternately, it has been proposed that its white fur gives it the appearance of a wasp nest, which would be avoided by predators.

The Honduran white bat prefers F. colubrinae trees that are "high-quality," or produce many fruits at once.

It is unclear how it manages to survive on such a narrow diet, as it is predicted it should have to consume supplemental food sources.

It has been proposed that individuals give birth in April and September, and that estrus occurs post-parturition.

[18] The Honduran white bat is found in several countries in Central America, including Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

The decline does not exceed 30% population loss over the past three generations (approximately 18 years in this species), which would qualify it for vulnerable designation.

[1] It is particularly susceptible to habitat loss because it is highly specialized on a single species of fig for its food source.

[21] In 2016, it was discovered that the Honduran white bat uses carotenoids to produce the yellow-orange coloration of its ears, nose-leaf, and lips.

It was the first mammalian species to be documented with high enough concentrations of carotenoids to produce visible skin coloration.

Lutein plays an important role in the eyes by preventing damage to the retina; it is hypothesized that if the free lutein in human eyes was esterified, it would be more effective at preventing damage and preserving vision.