Spectral bat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectral bat |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Phyllostomidae
|
| Genus: |
Vampyrum
Rafinesque, 1815
|
| Species: |
V. spectrum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Vampyrum spectrum (Linnaeus, 1758)
|
|
.png) |
|
The Spectral bat (Vampyrum spectrum) is a very special animal. It is the only species in its group, called Vampyrum. People sometimes call it 'Linnaeus's False vampire bat' or 'Spectral Vampire bat'. But don't worry, it's not a real vampire bat! It's not related to the large bats from the Old World that are also called false vampires. These amazing bats live in South America, and also on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
Contents
Meet the Spectral Bat: The Giant of the New World
The Spectral bat is the biggest bat in the New World. The New World means North and South America. Its wings can spread out to about 80 centimeters (almost 3 feet) wide! Some bats can even have wingspans over a meter.
What Does a Spectral Bat Look Like?
Spectral bats are quite large. Their bodies are about 12.5 to 13.5 centimeters long. They weigh between 145 and 190 grams. That's about as much as a small can of soda. Their fur is usually brown or a rusty orange color. It's also quite short. They have very long, rounded ears. Their feet are big and strong, with long, curved claws. The bat's nose is long and thin. It also has strong teeth. You can see its unique nose-leaf shape in the picture.
What Do Spectral Bats Eat?
Spectral bats are excellent hunters. They hunt mostly at night. They are predators, which means they hunt other animals for food.
A Hunter's Diet
Their favorite foods include many different animals with backbones. They eat amphibians like frogs. They also hunt reptiles, small birds, and other mammals. Believe it or not, they even hunt other kinds of bats! They also enjoy eating Insects. Large crickets and cicadas are some of their favorites. Sometimes, they even eat a small amount of fruit.
How Spectral Bats Hunt and Live
These bats are very quiet when they hunt. They are super stealthy!
Hunting Techniques
A Spectral bat might wait on a branch above its prey. Then, it will suddenly pounce down. Sometimes, they fly back and forth along the edge of a forest. They fly like an owl. Then, they suddenly drop down onto something moving in the grass.
Reproduction and Family Life
Female Spectral bats usually have one baby, or pup, each year. The mother bat is very caring and gentle with her baby. The father bat is also very involved. He often sleeps with both the mother and the young bat. He wraps them completely in his wings to keep them safe and warm.
Images for kids
-
A groove-billed ani, one of the spectral bat's primary food sources
-
Taxidermied spectral bat "consuming" a mouse
See also
In Spanish: Murciélago espectral para niños
