It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Jamaican fruit bat,[2] but can be distinguished by its larger size, the presence of faint stripes on the face, and of a third molar tooth on each side of the upper jaw.

The fur is brownish-grey over most of the body, becoming grey on the underparts, although there are faint whitish stripes on the face.

The ears are triangular, with rounded tips, although short compared with those of many other bats, and with a small tragus.

[3] Flat-faced fruit-eating bats are found through much of northern and central South America east of the Andes.

[3] They are apparently capable of breeding throughout the year, although, in at least some areas, births are more common during the wet season.