My understanding regarding the excessive wrinkles and lack of fur on the face is to allow the fruit juices to funnel toward the bat's mouth; pretty ingenious really.
January 28, 2013
The wrinkle-faced bat, known to be frugivorous despite being closely related to the vampire bat, has long been known for its abominable face. But it's the shape of the skull that has puzzled researchers.
It's recently been determined that the short, broad shape of the skull gives the wrinkle-faced bat a 20% stronger bite than bats of a similar size (Centurio senex weighs in at a mere 17 grams). Why such a powerful bite on a fruit-eating bat? All the better to eat their way through thicker fruit skins during lean times, my dear.
So, if you encounter one in the wild, feel free to scream and flail and run away, but know that the only danger this bat poses (unless you're a fruit) comes in the form of what is left in the seat of your pants after said encounter.
Thanks for the article, Luke.
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posted by Raging Wombat at 12:02 PM on Aug 24, 2009
8 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formbats are really cool and for the most part, harmless. Blame it on the media and popular culture for the demonization of bats.
August 28, 2009
Aw, bats are firmly in that "so ugly they're cute" category! Anyways, those bumps and wrinkles are like big ol' funnels for sound.
August 28, 2009
They look like gremlins. What happens if they get wet? I love them!!! That would be what we lovingly refer to as fugly!
August 30, 2009
WHOA! They are some homely little bats there! Normally bats are cute and feeble looking. But these look like a bulldog-bat!
September 01, 2009
These are pretty ugly little guys. Then again, I'm not the one dating them. :)
September 01, 2009
they look like little winged klingons...
September 09, 2009
why does this pic remind me of 'beavis and butthead'?
November 25, 2009
My understanding regarding the excessive wrinkles and lack of fur on the face is to allow the fruit juices to funnel toward the bat's mouth; pretty ingenious really.
January 28, 2013