White-winged vampire bat

White-winged vampire ( Diaemus youngi )

The white-winged vampire ( Diaemus youngi ) is one of the three bat species of vampire bats ( Desmodontinae ), which is the only group of mammals that fed exclusively on blood.

Description

White-winged Vampire reach a body length of about 85 millimeters and a weight of 30 to 45 grams. Their fur is brown or grayish. Named giving characteristic are the white edges of the flight membranes; between the second and third finger of the wing membrane itself is often whitish. From the closely related commons vampire he also differs by the short thumb, in the rounder ears and the number of teeth. These bats have 22 teeth; the dental formula is 1/2-1/1-1/2-2/1 x2. As with all vampire bats, the incisors and canines are large and crescent- shaped, the molars, however, degenerated and without occlusal surfaces.

Distribution and habitat

White-winged vampire living on the American continent, they are distributed from Mexico to Argentina. Their habitat is primarily wet and dry forests. When sleeping quarters serve them caves or hollow tree trunks.

Way of life

In contrast to the Commons vampire lifestyle of this species is poorly understood. They are exclusively nocturnal, it is believed that they live together in groups of up to 30 animals. Whether their social behavior is similar pronounced as in the Commons vampire where animals up choke the captured blood and share with other dogs, is not known.

Food

White-winged Vampire feed exclusively on the blood of other animals, they prefer while birds such as house or turkeys, besides also mammals such as goats or guinea pigs. Cattle blood, " favorite food " of the commons Vampire, but they refuse. You crawl closer to their prey and bite them in a covered not of feathers or hair body such as the legs. An enzyme in saliva prevents the blood clotting.

Reproduction

Little is known about the propagation of the white-winged vampire. The gestation period is estimated to be eight to nine months and the litter size is, like most bats, with one, rarely two. In captivity, the animals can be around 20 years old.

Threat

Probably transferred these bats by their bites rabies and other diseases, they are therefore considered for poultry farmers as a pest. About the population size there are no exact data, but not the IUCN lists the species as threatened.

System

The white-winged vampire, together with the commons vampire ( Desmodus rotundus ) and the comb-tooth vampire ( Diphylla ecaudata ) the group of vampire bats ( Desmodontinae ), the white-winged vampire is the sister taxon of the commons vampire and, occasionally, in the same genus ( Desmodus ) is classified. The vampire bats are classified as a subfamily of the leaf lobes ( Phyllostomidae ), one rich in forms, restricted to the American continent bat group. Phylogenetically, they form the sister taxon of all other leaf-nosed species.