The bat is one of the few mammals capable of flight It is characterized by a small body and long wings with stretched membranes. It can be found on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica and some islands in Oceania, so there are different species with their peculiarities.
Do you want to know the types of bats? In the following article on our site we talk about the species that exist, their characteristics and other curiosities. Keep reading!
Characteristics of bats
Due to the great variety of species that exist, the body of the bat can vary. However, there are some characteristics of bats that they all share, such as having their body covered by a layer of very short hair that provides protection, both in humid environments as against low temperatures. Almost all bats are light (with the exception of the giant bat), since they weigh 10 kilos at mosto.
The front toes of these animals are distinguished by being joined by a thin membrane. This membrane allows them to take flight and control the direction they take with greater ease. When they land, they retract it with no problem.
Where do bats live?
As regards their habitat, the different species of bats are distributed almost all over the world, except for some areas that are too cold. It is common to see them in tropical and temperate climates, mostly in forests, although they are also capable of living in deserts, savannahs, mountainous areas and swamps. They prefer caves and trees to rest or hibernate, but can also be found in dark corners of houses, cracks in walls, and logs.
What do bats eat?
Bat feeding varies according to the species. Some feed only on fruits, others on insects or flower nectar, while others eat small birds, amphibians, mammals or blood.
How do bats communicate?
Bats communicate through a particular ability called echolocationEcholocation is a system that allows to visualize objects thanks to very low frequency sounds, since the bat emits screeches that bounce off these objects and, when the sound returns, they are able to deduce what is around them.
Bats are not blind animals, contrary to what many people believe. They have a vision capable of locating the terrain and perceiving certain dangers, but it is short-range, so echolocation helps them survive and locate themselves more easily.
Types of bats and their characteristics
After reviewing the characteristics of bats common to all species, you should know, as we have already mentioned, that there is a wide variety of types of bats. The most popular are the following:
- Fruit Bat
- Vampire bat
- Indiana Bat
- Egyptian Fruit Bat
- Philippine Flying Fox
- Little Brown Bat
- Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat
Next, we will talk about all these species and the particular characteristics of each of them.
1. Fruit Bat
The fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii), also called flying fox, has a head similar to that of these mammals. This type of bat is divided into different subspecies, which reach from 40 to 150 centimeters in length. As their name indicates, they feed essentially on fruits.
two. Vampire bat
Another type of bat is the vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus solo), a species native to Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Unlike the fruit bat, feeds on the blood of other mammals, cutting about 7 millimeters into its victims to obtain it. As a consequence, their prey can suffer from infections, parasites and contract diseases such as rabies. On some occasions, it feeds on human blood.
This species is distinguished by having a short tail, measuring approximately 20 centimeters and weighing 30 grams.
3. Indiana Bat
The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) is native to North America. Its fur is gray-brown, a fraction of the torso is black and the abdomen is light brown. Its diet is based on insects, such as flies, beetles and moths.
This is a sociable species that lives in large colonies of bats, which allows them to maintain their body heat. It is in danger of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat.
4. Egyptian Fruit Bat
The Egyptian bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) inhabits caves in Africa and Asia, especially in India, Pakistan and Cyprus. It has dark brown fur that lightens on the neck and throat. It feeds on fruits such as figs, apricots, peaches and apples.
5. Philippine flying fox
A peculiar type of bat is the Philippine flying fox (Acerodon jubatus), a species characterized by its large size, measuring 1.5 meters, thanks to which it is considered agiant bat , also being the largest bat in the world. It inhabits the tropical jungles of the Philippines, where they feed only on fruits.
The giant bat is in danger of extinction due to deforestation of its natural habitat. If you want to know other jungle animals, don't miss this article.
6. Little Brown Bat
The Myotis lucifugus, or little brown bat, can be found in Mexico, the United States, and Alaska. It has brown fur, large ears and a flattened head. The species feeds only on insects. As its name indicates, it is a small species, since it only weighs 15 grams
7. Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat
This type of bat, Craseonycteris thonglongyai, is the smallest bat, as it only reaches 33 millimeters in length andweighs 2 grams It inhabits southeastern Burma and western Thailand, where it lives in limestone caves and river basins.
