This species is poorly known. It is usually recorded in mature evergreen forest in Venezuela (Handley 1976), and also in disturbed lowland rainforest (Emmons and Feer 1997). It makes leaf tents in young bifid palms and arums (Kunz et al. 1994). A group of three bats was roosting under a tent made from a single broad palm leaf about 150 cm high; the leaf had been cut in a broad V from its opposite edges to the midrib. It is often found in low-lying areas with numerous palms and has also been found roosting in a hollow tree (Emmons and Feer 1997, Reid 1997). It roosts in at least six different species of plants (Rodriguez-Herrera pers. comm.).

This species occurs from Nicaragua south through Panama to Peru, Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil. It is also found in Trinidad, Venezuela, the Guianas and Suriname. It is found in the lowlands to 1,100 m asl (Reid 1997).

The recommended conservation action is to reduce the loss of forests habitats.