They use these suction disks to cling onto young unfurling banana or heliconia leaves to roost while avoiding rain and predators.

They are very similar in appearance and easily confused with Thyroptera tricolor which has a paler venter than dorsum, and two cartilaginous projections on the calcar.

Their entire body is also covered in fine, long hairs usually reddish brown in color.

They are distributed from Nicaragua southward to Bolivia and eastern Brazil where they inhabit lowland, secondary and semi-deciduous forests.

The lack of proper natural history makes it hard to determine population density and size.