Vampire Bat Description
Vampire bats, members of the subfamily Desmodontinae, are leaf-nosed bats currently found in Central and South America. Their food source is the blood of other animals, a dietary trait called hematophagy. Three extant bat species feed solely on blood: the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and the white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi.
Description of the Vampire Bat Vampire bats look like any other bat species for the most part. They are small, brown, and have pointed ears and noses. Their front teeth are sharp and specially shaped to slice skin so blood can flow.
Fascinating Facts About the Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)
Like all bat species, their wings are actually modified fingers. The membranes between the finger bones make up. Vampire bat, (family Desmodontidae), any of three species of blood-eating bats, native to the New World tropics and subtropics.
The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), together with the white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus, or Desmodus, youngi) and the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata). Vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are bats that feed on blood. This particular habit in certain animals is known as 'hematophagy'.
Fascinating Facts About the Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)
There are only three bat species that actually feed on blood: The Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), the Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata) and the White-winged Vampire Bat (Diaemus youngi). All three species are native to the Rainforests of. Find out who's on the menu for vampire bats, the only mammals that can fly and the only ones that survive on blood.
The common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, is a unique and often misunderstood creature. It is one of only three mammal species that feed exclusively on blood, a diet known as hematophagy. This nocturnal mammal, primarily found in the warmer regions of Central and South America, occupies a distinct ecological niche.
The Fascinating World of Vampire Bats: Exploring Their Unique Traits ...
While its feeding habits often evoke fear, a deeper understanding reveals. Description Vampire bats, unlike the vampires of legend, are small creatures, just 7-9 cm long. The Common Vampire Bat is the most common of several vampire species.
Its wingspan is between 35-40 cm and it weighs 30-40 grams. Males are usually a little smaller than females. Its adaptations to drinking blood include not just extremely sharp incisor teeth, but heat sensors on its nose, as well.
Physical Description The vampire bat's head and body length is two to three inches (6.5-9 cm). They weigh one-half to one-and-a-half ounces (15-45 g). They have a grizzled, gray-brown, furry coat.
They have an eight-inch (20 cm) wingspan. They have a short rounded muzzle, large ears, and a thumb claw on the front of the wing. Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus) This species is the most abundant and most well-known of the vampire bats.
Desmodus feeds mainly on mammals, particularly livestock. They occur from northern Mexico southward through Central America and much of South America, to Uruguay, northern Argentina, and central Chile, and on the island of Trinidad in the West Indies. Common Name common vampire bat, vampire bat Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Chiroptera (hand wing) Family Phyllostomidae Subfamily Desmodontidae (bundle tooth) Genus Species Desmodus (bundle tooth) rotundus (round) Fast Facts Description Pointed ears; longer thumb (in comparison to other true vampire bats); 20 teeth, with largest being 2 upper canines and 2 upper incisors.
