White-winged vampire
| White-winged vampire | ||||||||||||
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White-winged vampire ( Diaemus youngi ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Diaemus | ||||||||||||
| Miller , 1906 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Diaemus youngi | ||||||||||||
| ( Jentink , 1893) |
The white-winged vampire ( Diaemus youngi ) is one of the three bat species of the vampire bats (Desmodontinae), which is the only mammal group that feeds exclusively on blood.
description
White-winged vampires reach a head-trunk length of around 85 millimeters and a weight of 30 to 45 grams. Their fur is brown or grayish in color. The name-giving feature is the white edges of the flight membranes; between the second and third fingers, the skin itself is often whitish in color. It also differs from the closely related common vampire in its short thumb, rounder ears and the number of teeth. These bats have 22 teeth; the tooth formula is 1 / 2-1 / 1-1 / 2-2 / 1 x2. As with all vampire bats, the incisors and canines are large and sickle-shaped, while the molars are receded and without chewing surfaces.
distribution and habitat
White-winged vampires live on the American continent , they are spread from Mexico to Argentina . Their habitat are primarily moist and dry forests. They use caves and hollow tree trunks as sleeping quarters.
Way of life
In contrast to the common vampire, the way of life of this species has hardly been researched. They are exclusively nocturnal; it is assumed that they live together in groups of up to 30 animals. It is not known whether their social behavior is similar to that of the common vampire, where animals choke up the captured blood and share it with other species.
food
White-winged vampires feed exclusively on the blood of other animals, preferring birds such as domestic or turkey chickens , as well as mammals such as goats and guinea pigs . But they refuse to eat cattle blood , the "favorite food" of the common vampire. They crawl up to their victim and bite into an area that is not covered by feathers or hair, such as the legs. An enzyme in saliva prevents blood from clotting .
Reproduction
Little is known about the reproduction of the white-winged vampire. The gestation period is estimated at eight to nine months and the litter size, as with most bats, is one, rarely two. In human care, the animals can live for around 20 years.
threat
Presumably, these bats transmit rabies and other diseases through their bites , so they are considered a nuisance by poultry farmers. There is no exact data on the population size, but the IUCN does not list the species as threatened.
Systematics
The white-winged vampire forms together with the common vampire ( Desmodus rotundus ) and the comb-toothed vampire ( Diphylla ecaudata ) the group of vampire bats (Desmodontinae), whereby the white-winged vampire is the sister taxon of the common vampire and is occasionally classified in the same genus ( Desmodus ). The vampire bats are classified as a subfamily of the leaf noses (Phyllostomidae), a group of bats that is rich in shapes and restricted to the American continent. Phylogenetically , they form the sister taxon of all other leaf nose species.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
Web links
- Diaemus youngi in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Chiroptera Specialist Group, 1996. Retrieved on 12 May, 2006.