Davy's naked-backed bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Davy's naked-backed bat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pteronotus
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| Species: |
davyi
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| Subspecies | |
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P. d. davyi |
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Davy's naked-backed bat (also known as Pteronotus davyi) is a small bat. It eats insects and lives in caves. You can find these bats in many parts of Central and South America, including Trinidad. They are not found in Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, or French Guiana. These bats belong to a group called Mormoopidae.
Contents
About Davy's Naked-Backed Bat
What Makes Them Look Naked?
Davy's naked-backed bat gets its name from how its back looks. Its wings attach right in the middle of its back. This makes it seem like the bat has a "naked" or hairless back. The skin of their wings on their back can even look shiny!
Two other bat species in the same family, Pteronotus fulvus and Pteronotus gymnonotus, also have this special feature. You can tell Davy's naked-backed bat apart from other bats in its group. It has only a few hairs spread out on its wing membranes. Its fur is very thick and changes color during different seasons.
Size and Flying Ability
Male and female Davy's naked-backed bats usually look very similar in size. However, in some northern areas like Sonora, Mexico, the males are much bigger than the females.
These bats have very long, narrow wings. This shape helps them fly very fast and travel long distances. But because their wings are so long, they are not very good at quick turns. Their lips are also large. Scientists think this might help them focus the sounds they make when they use echolocation.
Bat Behavior and Life Cycle
How They Live and What They Eat
Davy's naked-backed bats are active at night. They eat insects. During the day, they like to rest together in groups, usually with other bats from their family. They use echolocation to find their way in the dark. This also helps them hunt for insects in the forests where they live. They enjoy eating moths, flies, and earwigs.
Reproduction and Young Bats
These bats usually mate in January and February. They have one baby bat each year. The baby is born during the rainy season. This is a good time because there are lots of insects around. The many insects help the young bats grow up quickly and strong.
Flying and Climbing Skills
Because of their long wings, these bats can fly very fast for long distances. But they are not very agile, meaning they can't turn quickly. They are also good climbers. It is believed they climb high inside their roosts. This way, they can quickly fly out of the entrance if a predator is nearby. When they hunt for insects at night, they usually fly close to the ground.
Who Hunts Them?
Scientists have not seen much of these bats being hunted. But they have found that American kestrels sometimes hunt them. Kestrels are small falcons. These birds have been seen waiting at the entrance of bat caves. They dive down to catch the bats as they fly out.
Where Davy's Naked-Backed Bats Live
These bats are most often found in places that are moist and have many insects. At night, they usually rest in warm, dark, and moist caves.
You can find Davy's naked-backed bats as far north as Mexico. They live as far south as South America and Honduras. They usually prefer to live in lower areas. But some have been seen living high up, even 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet) above sea level. They have not been seen in Guyana, Suriname, or French Guiana.
Studies show that bats from the southeastern population are a bit different from those living near the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. This is likely because mountains separate these groups. These mountains include the Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, and Sierra Madre del Sur.
