Big naked-backed bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big naked-backed bat |
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Pteronotus
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| Species: |
gymnonotus
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The big naked-backed bat (Pteronotus gymnonotus) is a type of bat found in parts of South and Central America. It gets its name because its wings attach to its back, making it look like it has no fur there.
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Who Named This Bat?
This bat was first described in 1843 by a German zoologist named Johann Andreas Wagner. He gave it its scientific name. The first bat studied was found in Brazil.
What Does It Look Like?
This bat has a special way its wings are attached. Instead of connecting to its sides, its wings connect right to its back near its spine. This makes it seem like its back is "naked" or without fur, but it actually has fur under its wings.
Its fur can be dark brown or bright orange. The fur on its belly is usually lighter. This bat is one of the larger types of naked-backed bats. It weighs about 12 to 16 grams (0.4 to 0.6 ounces). Its forearm, which is part of its wing, is about 49 to 56 millimeters (1.9 to 2.2 inches) long.
The big naked-backed bat has pointed ears with smooth edges. Its nose is flat and plate-shaped. It also has small bumps and short spikes around its nostrils. Like other bats in its family, it has 34 teeth.
Where Does It Live?
Big naked-backed bats live in many places. You can find them from southeastern Mexico all the way through Central America. They also live in South American countries like Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.
They like to live in tropical forests and grassy areas called savannahs. They usually live in places that are lower than 400 meters (about 1,300 feet) above sea level. Sometimes, they can be found as high as 1,000 meters (about 3,300 feet). These bats like warm weather. They cannot stay in temperatures below 15°C (59°F) for very long.
How Does It Live?
Big naked-backed bats often live in large, damp cave systems. They sometimes share these caves with many other types of bats. One researcher saw about 50,000 of these bats living together in two groups in a cave system in Brazil.
These bats eat insects. Their favorite foods are moths, beetles, and orthopterans (like grasshoppers and crickets). They use echolocation to find their prey. This means they send out high-pitched sounds and listen for the echoes. Their calls can be very loud, reaching up to 130 decibels when they are hunting!
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The time of year when these bats have babies changes depending on where they live. Mothers usually give birth to one baby at a time. The baby bat is born without fur. Young bats are raised in special maternity roosts. These roosts might also be shared with other types of bats that are closely related.
