Bulldog bat
Encyclopedia
The Noctilionidae family of bat
s, commonly known as bulldog bats or
fisherman bats, are represented by two species, the Greater Bulldog Bat
and the Lesser Bulldog Bat
. They are found near water, from Mexico
to Argentina
. The Naked Bulldog Bat (Cheiromeles torquatus) does not belong to this family, but to the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bat
s.
The bulldog bats have orange to brown fur, and range in head-body length from 7 to 14 cm. They have relatively long legs and large feet, exceptionally so in the case of the Greater Bulldog Bat. Unusually among bats, they have cheek-pouches for storing food, which give them their bulldog
-like appearance. Both species are insectivorous
, although the Greater Bulldog Bat also eats small fish, using its echolocation
to pinpoint the ripples they make on the surface of the water.
The greater bulldog bat trawls the water with it long curved talons approximately 2–3 cm below the surface. It makes sweeps of between 30 cm and 3m before ascending and turning to make a return sweep. In a single night the bat may catch 20-30 small fish in this way.
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s, commonly known as bulldog bats or
fisherman bats, are represented by two species, the Greater Bulldog Bat
Greater Bulldog Bat
The greater bulldog bat or fisherman bat is a type of fishing bat native to Latin America. The bat uses echolocation to detect water ripples made by the fish upon which it preys, then uses the pouch between its legs to scoop the fish up and its sharp claws to catch and cling to it...
and the Lesser Bulldog Bat
Lesser Bulldog Bat
The Lesser Bulldog Bat is an insectivorous and occasionally carnivorous bat of the , ranging through Central America and northern South America....
. They are found near water, from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. The Naked Bulldog Bat (Cheiromeles torquatus) does not belong to this family, but to the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bat
Free-tailed bat
Molossidae, or free-tailed bats, are a family of bats within the order Chiroptera. They are generally quite robust, and consist of many strong flying forms with relatively long and narrow wings. Another common name for some members of this group, and indeed a few species from other families, is...
s.
The bulldog bats have orange to brown fur, and range in head-body length from 7 to 14 cm. They have relatively long legs and large feet, exceptionally so in the case of the Greater Bulldog Bat. Unusually among bats, they have cheek-pouches for storing food, which give them their bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
-like appearance. Both species are insectivorous
Insectivore
An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures. An alternate term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of eating insects....
, although the Greater Bulldog Bat also eats small fish, using its echolocation
Animal echolocation
Echolocation, also called biosonar, is the biological sonar used by several kinds of animals.Echolocating animals emit calls out to the environment and listen to the echoes of those calls that return from various objects near them. They use these echoes to locate and identify the objects...
to pinpoint the ripples they make on the surface of the water.
The greater bulldog bat trawls the water with it long curved talons approximately 2–3 cm below the surface. It makes sweeps of between 30 cm and 3m before ascending and turning to make a return sweep. In a single night the bat may catch 20-30 small fish in this way.