Northern ghost bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Northern ghost bat |
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| Conservation status | |
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Diclidurus
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| Species: |
albus
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| Northern ghost bat range | |
The northern ghost bat (Diclidurus albus) is a cool and unusual bat found in South and Central America, and also on the island of Trinidad. It's special because it's almost completely white! This bat eats insects and has a unique little sac near its tail.
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Discovering the Northern Ghost Bat
The northern ghost bat is part of a bat family called Emballonuridae, which means "sac-winged bats". These bats belong to the larger group of flying mammals known as Chiroptera. The northern ghost bat is considered medium-sized compared to other bats in its group, Diclidurus.
What Does a Northern Ghost Bat Look Like?
This bat is mostly pure white or light gray. It might have a bit of dark gray fur closer to its skin. Unlike many other bats in its family, it doesn't have sacs on its wings. Instead, it has a special gland right in the middle of its tail membrane. This tail membrane is called a uropatagium.
The bat gets its name from this special gland. Its scientific name, Diclidurus, comes from a Latin word meaning "two-valved". This describes how the gland on its tail membrane has many small sections.
Unique Features of the Northern Ghost Bat
You can tell the northern ghost bat apart from other bats in its group by its tiny thumb. This thumb has a claw that is almost completely missing.
Male and female northern ghost bats are a bit different in size. This is called sexual dimorphism. Males tend to be a little bigger than females. The northern ghost bat's weight is in the middle range compared to other bats in its family.
This bat has a wide clavicle bone, also known as a collarbone. This wide bone provides a large area for strong chest muscles to attach. These muscles help the bat fly powerfully. The large gland on its tail membrane is thought to work like the wing sacs found on other bats in its family. These sacs can get bigger during breeding season to help attract other bats.
Where Northern Ghost Bats Live
Northern ghost bats live in warm, tropical forests and coastal areas. They often rest, or roost, in caves, open spaces, or in palm trees.
Finding a Roosting Spot
When they roost in palm trees, individual bats usually hang close to the main stem of the palm frond. When they are hanging, they are very hard to see. They can even look like a wasp's nest! They also find safe places to roost in deep rock cracks and old mines.
Ghost bats prefer to roost in groups, but it's hard for them to find places that can hold many bats. Because of this, you rarely see colonies with more than 100 bats in one spot. Often, they will roost alone under palm leaves.
Northern Ghost Bat's Home Range
The northern ghost bat lives only in the neotropics, which are the tropical parts of the Americas. Their range stretches from the tropical mainland of Mexico in the north all the way down to the tropical areas of Brazil in the south. They live at different heights, from sea level up to about 1500 meters (about 4,900 feet) above sea level.
What Northern Ghost Bats Eat
Diclidurus albus is an insectivore, which means it eats insects. Its favorite food is moths. When it hunts for food, it flies high above the ground in open areas. It usually flies in a straight line while looking for insects. In Costa Rica, these bats are known to "sing" while they are feeding. The sounds they make during these songs are believed to be unique to their group of bats.
