Bats are amazing animals that look quite sinister and traditionally cause hostility in people. However, the fear of these cute animals that we experience thanks to horror movie scriptwriters is not justified.
According to scientists, bats have been on this planet much longer than us - they even managed to catch dinosaurs.
Although there are indeed species of bats that feed on blood, most bats are absolutely harmless to humans. Moreover, some people keep bats as pets because these creatures are very social and love the attention of their owners. When the owner of the animal leaves somewhere, the bat languishes without communication and may even die of melancholy.
Our selection includes the most beautiful bats in the world. Yes, some of them look strange and scary - and this is the aesthetics of the disgusting in its purest form.
California leaf-nosed bat
You can meet these amazing creatures in the warm deserts of Mexico and the USA. California leaf-nosed bats are harmless and do not drink blood - they prefer to feed on grasshoppers, butterflies and moths.
These babies weigh from twelve to twenty grams and have a body length of about six centimeters. The wingspan of the Californian leaf bat can reach thirty centimeters. They have funny long ears and a soft brown coat.
White leaf-nosed bat
Very cute tiny bats. The body length of the white leaf-nosed insect does not exceed three centimeters.
They live in heliconia leaves, from which bats construct tents in the shape of an inverted boat. White leaf-nosed bats live in small groups consisting of males and females. However, when females have offspring, leaf-nosed insects change their way of life - several males with offspring live with one harem male, who guards their home.
Brown long-eared bat
This is a small funny animal - most likely, when you see a brown long-eared bat, you will experience not horror, but tenderness. Its main advantage is its huge ears, which can be longer than the entire length of the animal’s body. Naturally, it is not easy to be the owner of such luxury - bats have to hide their ears under their wings or tilt them back when resting.
Brown long-eared monkeys can also be found in Russian forests, but in our country their numbers are not so large. These cute creatures are most common in Iran, Palestine and Portugal.
What class of animals does a bat belong to?
A unique and at the same time terrifying creation of nature is the bat. The animal belongs to the class of chiropteran mammals. The exemplary behavior of parents will make anyone who sees the mother’s care touch. The female is capable of raising someone else's child if necessary. Zoologists call flyers altruists.
Microchiroptera became special for many reasons:
- high sensitivity to light, ultrasound;
- the only mammals that can fly;
- in the dark they reach speeds of more than 45 km/h;
- have a special way of orientation at night.
Scientists have been arguing for a long time about the identity of the bat. The creature has characteristics of both animals and birds.
Large fruit-eating leaf-nosed insect
The appearance of these animals may seem quite frightening, but their unique beauty lies in this awkwardness. These bats live in Central and South America. The body of a large fruit-eating leaf-nosed insect is covered with short, smooth brown fur. The muzzle is decorated with two light stripes.
As you may have guessed, this type of bat eats fruits - so you should not be afraid of them.
Biology and ecology
Tents
Heliconia latispatha
, is a plant used for overnight tenting (Costa Rica)
The Honduran white bat is one of about 22 known species of bats that roost in "tents" of leaves.[16] A white Honduran bat cuts the lateral veins emerging from the midrib on large Heliconia
a plant that causes them to fold to form a tent.
The tents were probably built by several people; Females have been observed building tents, but it is likely that males also build tents.[17] New tents are built all year round as the transformation of leaves into tents causes them to die off. Once transformed into a tent, the leaf lives for approximately 7.5 weeks, compared to 61 weeks for an unmodified leaf.[18] Several Heliconia
are used as perches, including
X. imbricata
,
H. latispatha
,
H. pogonantha
,
H. tortuosa
, and
H. sarapiquensis
. [10] On rare occasions, it has been documented using
Calathea
and
Ischnosiphon inflatus
plants as perches.
When choosing leaves to turn into tents, it turns out that the age and size of the leaf are more important than the type of plant.[19] The preferred leaves are 0.8–1.2 m (2.6–3.9 ft) long and less than 30 days old. Younger leaves may be preferable because they are easier to bite through and shape than older leaves. It also prefers leaves that are less than 2 m (6.6 ft) above the forest floor. Preferred leaves are found in areas with low understory density but high density of canopy vegetation. Heliconia
density around selected leaves is lower than would be expected if bats selected leaves at random. Features such as canopy density can help the tent maintain a consistent microclimate. Tents typically have a temperature of 23.3 °C (73.9 °F), with slight variations. The high density of the canopy could also protect the tent from wind and rain. Since building a tent takes several people several weeks, choosing more enclosed tents can extend the life of the tent and protect the bats' investment. Low understory density is thought to be beneficial because it provides uncluttered airspace for bats as they exit and enter their tents.[16]
He clings to the roof of his tent in small colonies of 1 to 15 people.[16] The tent protects him from rain and predators. Instead of constantly roosting in one tent, the Honduran white bat has a network of tents scattered throughout the forest; he alternates these tents for overnight stays. Single tents were continuously occupied for up to 45 days.[2] Although their tents tend to be low to the ground, sunlight filters through the leaves, giving their white fur a greenish tint. This almost completely hides them if they remain motionless.[20] On the other hand, it has been suggested that its white fur gives it the appearance of a wasp's nest, which predators avoid. It likely has several predators, including capuchin monkeys, Central American squirrel monkeys, and snakes.[16]
Diet and feeding
The Honduran white bat is a frugivore.[10] Together with the little Steller's bat, the Honduran white bat is one of the two smallest species of fruit bats in the world.[6] It specializes in the species of Fig, Ficus columbrinum
.[16] However, other types of figs are sometimes consumed, such as
Ficus scippii
.
The Honduran white bat prefers F. colubrinae
trees that are "quality" or bear many fruits at once.
He also selects fig trees that are closest to his daytime roosts. F. colubrinae
trees have asynchronous fruiting, so their fruits are available as a food source year-round. Because it is highly specialized on one type of fig, its foraging movements are greater than those of frugivorous bats, which are less specialized. Individuals have an average home range of 63.2 hectares (0.244 sq mi). It is unclear how he manages to survive on such a limited diet, as he is expected to have to consume additional food sources.[21]
Reproduction
Little is known about the reproductive behavior of Honduran white bats. It has been proposed that humans give birth in April and September, and that estrus occurs after birth.[18] Pregnant females have been recorded in February, March, June, July and August in Costa Rica, and lactating females have been recorded in March and April.[14] Females give birth synchronously, with all births in the colony occurring within one week.[22] The litter size is one offspring, called a pup. During lactation, mothers will return to their dens up to six times a night to nurse their pups.[16] Pups fledge, or become capable of flight, at 3–4 weeks of age.[18]
Red hairtail
These amazing creatures help our ecosystem. The fact is that farmers in North America partly owe their harvest to red hairy tails, which destroy a huge number of insects.
These animals ended up in our selection due to their fiery red fur. Red hairy tails are very small, and therefore are unlikely to scare anyone, despite their terrifying appearance.
Typically, bats give birth to only one pup - but female red hairy bats can carry up to four pups.
Gray hairtail
Gray hairtails are fast and agile hunters. An hour after sunset they begin to catch insects, and, it must be said, they extremely rarely fail.
These are small animals with a body length of about 26 cm and a weight of 14 to 26 grams. They have short but very thick fur of a pleasant gray shade. You can meet these amazing creatures in North and South America.
Ushan
The name says it all: these mice have large locator ears. When the animals sleep, they hide them under their wings. The wings are short and wide, thanks to which the animal flutters and can even hover for a short time. The sizes are small – 5-6 cm.
The habitat is extensive: from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, northern Asian territories, North Africa. The diet consists of butterflies, mosquitoes, beetles and other nocturnal insects. The offspring is 1, less often 2 cubs per year.
Hammerhead fruit bat
These are huge bats with a very specific appearance. Their body length can reach as much as 28 centimeters!
Hammerhead fruit bats live in the tropical forests of Africa. These strange animals are often called “flying dogs” - their muzzle actually vaguely resembles a dog’s.
Hammerhead fruit bats feed exclusively on fruits - so if you do come across this incredible animal, you don’t have to be afraid of it.
Benefit
But the benefits of bats are much greater:
Ushan Townsend
The main distinguishing feature of Townsend earflaps is their very long, flexible ears. This is a small animal whose body length rarely exceeds 10 centimeters.
These bats prefer to hide in abandoned buildings, mines and caves.
They feed on moths and other small insects. Townsend's long-eared cats are skilled, dexterous hunters, capable of performing incredible tricks in the air.
What is a bat?
Bats belong to the order Chiroptera. This means that both forelimbs are turned into large wings , with highly elongated fingers serving as a frame for them.
This structure does not allow them to soar like birds, forcing them to constantly flap their wings.
The flight speed of bats can vary from 15 km/h when simply moving, to 60 km/h when catching insects.
Another distinctive feature of these animals is the way they land . In a short period of time, bats need to slow down and sit head down on a horizontal surface. They do not create nests .
REFERENCE! They feed on the fly, catching various insects right in the air. Typically, one animal can catch up to 200 mosquitoes in an hour.
You can find out more about what bats eat here.
Yellow-winged false vampire
This animal has amazingly beautiful yellow-red wings and ears. The rest of the body may be mousy or blue-gray. The yellow-winged false vampire has a very large funny nose, which makes his appearance truly memorable.
These animals are quite common in Africa. They feed exclusively on insects and pose no threat to humans.
Hairy Vampire
Perhaps the most dangerous bats in our selection. They live in Central and South America, and you really need to beware of them - they are adapted to human blood and can feed on it.
This is one of the three existing types of real vampires. It is because of them that other bats do not have the best reputation. It was previously believed that bushy-footed vampires could feed exclusively on the blood of wild birds, but recent research has refuted this.
References
- ^ a b c d e
Rodriguez, B.;
Pineda, V. (2015). "Ectophylla alba". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
.
2015
: e.T7030A22027138. Doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T7030A22027138.en. - ^ a b
Gillam, Erin H;
Chaverri, Gloriana; Montero, Karina; Sagot, Maria (2013). "Social calls produced in and around roosts by two species of tent bats, Dermanura watsoni and Ectophylla alba." PLOS ONE
.
8
(4):e61731. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061731. PMC 3634860. PMID 23637893. - ^ a b
Lim, Burton K;
Pedro, Wagner A; Passos, Fernando C (2003). "Differentiation and species status of the Neotropical yellow-eared bats Vampyressa pusilla
and
V. tione
(Phyllostomidae) with molecular phylogeny and overview of the genus."
Acta Chiropterologica
.
5
: 15–29. doi:10.3161/001.005.0102. - Allen, Harrison (1892). "Description of a new bat genus Phyllostome". Proceedings of the United States National Museum
.
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(913): 441–442. Doi:10.5479/si.00963801.15-913.441. - "USNM 15950." Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved March 31, 2022. - ^ a b c
Gardner, A. L. (2008).
Mammals of South America, Volume 1: Marsupials, Xenarthrans, Shrews and Bats
.
1
. University of Chicago Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-0226282428. - "Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba)." Wildscreen Arkive
. Wildscreen. Archived from the original on May 30, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2022. - "Ghost Bat" Encyclopedia Britannica
. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., July 29, 2013. - Emmons, L. H. (1997). Mammals of the Rainforest
(2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0226207216. - ^ a b c d f f g
Timm, R. M. (1982).
"Ectophylla alba". Mammal Species
(166): 1–4. Doi:10.2307/3503942. JSTOR 3503942. - ^ a b
Galvan, Ismail;
Garrido-Fernandez, Juan; Rios, Jose; Perez-Galvez, Antonio; Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal; Negro, Juan José (2016). "The tropical bat as a mammalian model for carotenoid metabolism in skin." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
.
113
(39):10932–10937. doi:10.1073/pnas.1609724113. PMC 5047184. PMID 27621447. - Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal; Rodriguez, Paulina; Watson, Whitney; McCracken, Gary F.; Medellin, Rodrigo A.; Galvan, Ismael (2019). "Sexual dichromatism and state-dependence in bat skin". Journal of Mammology
.
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(2):299–307. Doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyz035. - Galvan, Ismail; Vargas-Mena, Juan Carlos; Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal (2020). "Tenting may have contributed to the development of yellow skin coloration in Stenodermatinae bats." Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Studies
.
58
: 519–527. Doi:10.1111/jzs.12329. - ^ a b
Novak, R. M. (1994).
Walker's Bats of the World
. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0801849862. - Goodwin, George Gilbert; Underwood, Cecil F. (1942). "Mammals of Honduras". Bulletin of the AMNH
.
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:134. - ^ a b c d f f
Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal;
Medellin, Rodrigo A; Gamba-Rios, Melkizedek (2008). "Bedding Requirements of the White Tent Bat Ectophylla alba (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)." Acta Chiropterologica
.
10
: 89–95. Doi:10.3161 / 150811008X331126. S2CID 85819483. - Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal; Medellin, Rodrigo A; Gamba-Rios, Melkizedek (2006). "Tent construction by a female Ectophylla alba (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Costa Rica." Acta Chiropterologica
.
8
(2): 557. doi:10.3161/1733-5329 (2006) 8 [557: TBBFEA] 2.0.CO; 2. - ^ a b c
Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal;
Ceballos, Gerardo; Medellin, Rodrigo A (2011). "Environmental aspects of the tent construction process." Ectophylla alba
(Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) ".
Acta Chiropterologica
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13
(2): 365. doi:10.3161/150811011X624839. S2CID 86646976. - Brook, Anne P. (1990). "Tent selection, roosting ecology, and social organization of the tent bat Ectophylla alba in Costa Rica." Journal of Zoology
.
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: 11–19. Doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb03771.x. - "Honduran white bat." Rainforest Alliance
. Rainforest Alliance. September 14, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2018. - ^ a b
Villalobos-Chavez, David;
Spinola-Parallada, Manuel; Heer, Catherine; Kalko, Elizabeth K. W.; Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal (2017). "Effect of a special diet on the feeding behavior of the Honduran white bat Ectophylla alba (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)". Journal of Mammology
.
98
(4): 1193. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyx044. - Rodriguez-Herrera, Bernal; Wickes-R, Louis; Cordero-Schmidt, Eugenia; Sandoval, Jean M; Rodriguez-Duran, Armando (2016). "Energetics of roosting in tents in bats: the example of Ectophylla alba and Uroderma bilobatum (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)." Journal of Mammology
.
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: 246–252. Doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyv173. - Everts, Sarah (September 19, 2016). "The white bat accumulates carotenoids in its yellow nose and ears." c&en
. American Chemical Society. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
Banana Leaf Beetle
These unique creatures come from Mexico. They prefer to live in trees, caves or on the surface of rocks.
Their main distinguishing feature is their long tubular muzzle. They were given such a non-standard appearance because banana leaf-noses feed exclusively on fruit nectar. These little bats do a lot for our ecological system by helping to pollinate plants.
White casetail
A very cute creature with a funny face. White casetails are able to express their emotions through facial expressions, which makes them even more interesting creatures.
White casetails can be seen in tropical forests from Mexico to Brazil, as well as on the islands of the Caribbean.
This species is distinguished by soft, long and pleasant to the touch white fur. Large eyes and tiny yellowish ears make white casetails very cute animals.
Skeleton and wings
The structure of the skeleton resembles that of a small bird. Limbs with five fingers, modified. The claws are sharp and large. The skeleton consists of:
- spine: 3 times shorter than wings;
- limbs: underdeveloped, since the humerus is shortened;
- skull: rounded (front part, depending on the type, shortened or elongated);
- a small tail section that serves as a rudder (with its help the animal maneuvers during flight).
Philippine tubenosed fruit bat
The Philippine tubenosed fruit bat can lay claim to the title of the best hide-and-seek player on the planet - the first individual of this species was discovered only in 1984. It is unfortunate to admit that today these amazing creatures are in danger of complete extinction due to uncontrolled deforestation of rain forests in the Philippines. It is vital for this species to settle in dense and healthy forests. We can only hope that these creatures will not lose their homes due to human whims.
Like many other species of bats, Philippine fruit bats play an important role in our ecosystem by dispersing the seeds of the fruits they eat.
Appearance
The bat looks quite terrifying. However, like fruit bats. The distinctive features of the two suborders are:
- The fruit bat menu consists of vegetables, fruits, and nectar. Microchiroptera feed on insects, reptiles, small mammals, and fish.
- Short muzzle, smaller size
- Fruit bats have two claws on their fingers. The tragus-outgrowth is absent.
- Only the second squad has a sophisticated echolocation system.
Interesting fact! The diversity of species forms does not allow us to determine external similarities and differences between families of bats. The smallest representative weighs 2 g, and the largest are: the bare-skinned bulldog and the false vampire from Southeast Asia, each weighing 175 g.
Indian flying fox
One of the largest species of bats. The wingspan of the Indian flying fox can reach 130 cm, and its weight exceeds 1300 grams.
The structure of the muzzle of these bats resembles that of a dog, which is probably why they do not seem frightening to us at all, despite their impressive size.
Flying foxes love to feast on fruits, which is why they cause indignation among farmers in the Indian subcontinent. People spray fruits with toxic substances, which negatively affects both the number of flying foxes and the health of fruit consumers.
Taxonomy and phylogeny[edit]
| Mesophyll | |
| Hiroderma | |
relative to other genera [3]
The Honduran white bat has been described as a new species, Ectophylla alba
, in 1892 by American zoologist Harrison Allen.
[4] The holotype that Allen used to describe new genera and species was collected by Charles Haskins Townsend near the Coca River in Honduras in 1887. [5] It belongs to the leaf-nosed family, Phyllostomidae. Within Phyllostomidae, it is included in the subfamily Stenodermatinae. McConnell's bat was once included in the genus Ectophylla
, but is now monotypic within
Mesophyll
.
[6] Although the McConnell's bat and the Honduran white bat are no longer in the same genus, they are sister taxa—they are each other's closest relatives. [3] The Honduran white bat is the only member of Ectophylla
, meaning it is a monotypic genus.
[6] The genus name " Ectophylla
" comes from the Ancient Greek "
ektós
", meaning "outside", and "
phúllon
", meaning "leaf", referring to its nasal leaf.
Its species name " alba
" comes from the Latin "[7]
