Lesser ghost bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lesser ghost bat |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Family: | Emballonuridae |
| Genus: | Diclidurus |
| Species: |
D. sctutatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Diclidurus sctutatus Peters, 1869
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| Lesser ghost bat range | |
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The lesser ghost bat (Diclidurus scutatus) is a type of bat that lives in South America. It is special because it is one of only six bat species in the world that has white fur.
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What is the Lesser Ghost Bat?
The lesser ghost bat was first officially described by Wilhelm Peters in 1869. He studied a bat specimen sent to the Paris Museum of Natural History. This specimen was collected in Paraguay in 1859. The bat's scientific name, scutatus, comes from a Latin word meaning "shield-shaped."
What Does the Lesser Ghost Bat Look Like?
This bat has long, soft fur. Its fur can be white or a light brown color. It is one of only six bat species globally that have white fur. The other white-furred bats include three other types of Diclidurus bats, the Honduran white bat, and the ghost bat.
The lesser ghost bat's claws are black. Its forearm, which is part of its wing, measures about 51 to 58.9 millimeters (2 to 2.3 inches) long. This measurement helps scientists tell it apart from the similar northern ghost bat. The northern ghost bat has a forearm longer than 60 millimeters (2.4 inches). The lesser ghost bat weighs about 13 grams (0.46 ounces), which is very light!
Adult male lesser ghost bats have two special pouches on their tail membrane. These pouches become more noticeable during the time of year when they are ready to breed. Their ears are about 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) long, and a small part inside the ear, called the tragus, is about 6 millimeters (0.24 inches) long. They have a total of 32 teeth.
How Does the Lesser Ghost Bat Live?
The lesser ghost bat eats only insects. This means it is an insectivore. It flies very fast, usually high up near the tops of trees or over open water, while looking for food. Because it flies so high, it is very hard for scientists to catch and study. This is why not much is known about how they reproduce.
In one study in French Guiana, researchers caught over 8,000 bats. But only two of them were lesser ghost bats! During the day, these bats rest, or "roost," in the leaves of palm trees. They sometimes fly into cities to find insects that gather around street lamps and bright flood lights.
Where Does the Lesser Ghost Bat Live?
The lesser ghost bat can be found in several countries in South America. These include northern and southeastern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. Many times, these bats are seen in places that are less than 200 meters (656 feet) above sea level. In Venezuela, they have not been found higher than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level. They prefer to live in tropical rainforests.
Is the Lesser Ghost Bat in Danger?
The IUCN currently lists the lesser ghost bat as a species of "least concern." This means they are not thought to be in immediate danger. Even though scientists don't know if their numbers are going up or down because they are so hard to find, it is believed their population is not dropping quickly. However, cutting down forests could be a problem for this species in the future.
Images for kids
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Lesser ghost bat range
 | Ernest Everett Just |
 | Mary Jackson |
 | Emmett Chappelle |
 | Marie Maynard Daly |
