Geographic Range
Diaemus youngi
has been recorded in throughout tropical South America, including parts of Paraguayan
Chaco, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, and Trinidad.
However, little work has been done on this rare species, therefore the range may be
larger than what has been documented.
- Biogeographic Regions
- neotropical
Habitat
Diaemus youngi
has been found in moist tropical and dry forests. They have been found roosting
in caves, tree hollows, and on the edges of banana tree plantations.
- Habitat Regions
- tropical
- terrestrial
- Terrestrial Biomes
- rainforest
- scrub forest
Physical Description
Head and body length of white-winged vampire bats is about 85 mm, there is no external
tail. The forearm length is approximately 50-56 mm. Adults weigh approximately 30-45
grams. The pelage is usually a shiny clay color, light brown, or dark cinnamon brown.
The edges of the wings are white, and the membrane between the second and third fingers
is largely white. They have a peculiar short thumb with a single pad under the metacarpal.
The slightly re-curved lower incisors with their unique system of cusps distinguish
this genus from
Desmodus
.
Diaemus youngi
is the only bat known to have 22 permanent teeth. The other two vampire bat species
(
Desmodus rotundus
and
Diphylla ecaudata
) lack the second upper molar and only have 20.
- Other Physical Features
- endothermic
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- sexes alike
Reproduction
The mating system has not been documented in this species. However, related species are polygynous.
- Mating System
- polygynous
Little is known about reproduction in this species. However, the common vampire bat,
Desmodus rotundus
, breeds throughout the year, bearing a single young after an 8-9 month gestation.
- Key Reproductive Features
- iteroparous
- year-round breeding
- gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
- sexual
- viviparous
Little information exists for this speceis. However, in related species young are nursed and cared for by females for several months after birth, at which time the young become independent. Young bats are typically born naked and helpless and develop rapidly in the weeks following their birth.
- Parental Investment
- altricial
- female parental care
Lifespan/Longevity
The lifespan of
Diaemus youngi
has only been documented in captivity where they can live 20 years. The relate common
vampire bat (
Desmodus rotundus
) lives around 9 years in the wild.
Behavior
White-winged vampire bats have not been observed locomoting on the ground in the wild. However, they are morphologically similar to common vampire bats ( Desmodus rotundus ), suggesting that they may be capable of walking on the ground. To feed, these bats select their prey, then cautiously moves across a branch until they are close enough to extract blood from the prey’s feet. An incision is made after preliminary licks have been made on one of the digits, and blood is extracted by further licking the wound. Anticoagulants from the bat’s saliva ensure that blood flows freely. If the prey is startled or moves, the bat will hide under the branch until it can move back to the feeding site. Feeding time lasts around 15 minutes, then the bat flies away.
White-winged vampire bats are nocturnal and roost in small groups.
Communication and Perception
There is no documented research on communication was found for this species. However, all microchiropterans utilize echolocation for navigation and possibly spatial organization. In addition, most bats use audible vocalizations, smells, and touch for communicating among individuals. In addition bats use vision, smell, touch, and auditory signals for perceiving their environment.
- Perception Channels
- visual
- tactile
- acoustic
- echolocation
- chemical
Food Habits
White-winged vampire bats feed mostly on blood from various bird species, including
free-ranging poultry species (chickens, Guinea fowl, and turkeys).
- Primary Diet
- carnivore
- Animal Foods
- blood
Predation
Although little is known about predation on this species, it is likely that most predation
occurs on young in roosts by small predators, such as snakes, and by birds of prey
on bats leaving roosts.
Ecosystem Roles
There is insufficient information on
Diaemus youngi
and its potential role in the ecosystem. It is possible that this species harbors
and transmits diseases to various birds. They impact bird populations through parasitism,
by feeding on their blood.
- Ecosystem Impact
- parasite
- Various bird species
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
There is no information available on economic importance of this species.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Diaemus youngi
is considered a pest because individuals sometimes feed on the blood of domestic
poultry species. They may also be a carrier of rabies and other infectious diseases.
- Negative Impacts
- causes or carries domestic animal disease
Conservation Status
This species is not protected under CITES or IUCN. The status of populations is poorly
known.
Additional Links
Contributors
Andrew McLain (author), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Chris Yahnke (editor), University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
- Neotropical
-
living in the southern part of the New World. In other words, Central and South America.
- tropical
-
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.
- terrestrial
-
Living on the ground.
- rainforest
-
rainforests, both temperate and tropical, are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground. Epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant. Precipitation is typically not limiting, but may be somewhat seasonal.
- scrub forest
-
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
- polygynous
-
having more than one female as a mate at one time
- iteroparous
-
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
- year-round breeding
-
breeding takes place throughout the year
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- viviparous
-
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female.
- altricial
-
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth/hatching. In birds, naked and helpless after hatching.
- female parental care
-
parental care is carried out by females
- nocturnal
-
active during the night
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- sedentary
-
remains in the same area
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- acoustic
-
uses sound to communicate
- echolocation
-
The process by which an animal locates itself with respect to other animals and objects by emitting sound waves and sensing the pattern of the reflected sound waves.
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- parasite
-
an organism that obtains nutrients from other organisms in a harmful way that doesn't cause immediate death
- causes or carries domestic animal disease
-
either directly causes, or indirectly transmits, a disease to a domestic animal
- carnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats meat
- sanguivore
-
an animal that mainly eats blood
- endothermic
-
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Elizondo, L. 1999. "Diaemus youngi" (On-line ). Accessed 11/05/2002 at http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.inbio.ac.cr/bims/ubi/mamiferos/ubiespejo/ubiid%3D1571%26-find.html&prev=/search%3Fq%3Ddiaemus%2Byoungi%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8 .
Greenhall, A., G. Joermann, U. Schmidt, M. Seidel. 1983. Mammalian Species: Desmodus rotundus. American Society of Mammalogists , 202: 1-6.
Lord, R. 1992. Seasonal reproduction of vampire bats and its relation to seasonality of bovine rabies. Journal of Wildlife Diseases , 28 (2): 292-294.
Marlett , J. 2001. "Vampire Bat" (On-line ). Accessed 11/23/02 at http://www.scz.org/animals/b/vampire.html .
Miller, G. 1907. The families and genera of bats. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus , 57: i-xvii + 1-282.
Nowak, R. 1997. "White-winged Vampire Bat" (On-line ). Accessed 11/05/02 at http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/walker/chiroptera.phyllostomidae.diaemus.html .
Schutt, W., F. Muradali, N. Mondol, K. Joseph, K. Brockmann. 1999. Behavior and Maintenance of Captive White-Winged Vampire Bats, Diaemus youngi. Journal of Mammalogy , 80 (1): 71-81.
Tuttle, M. 1996. Protection from Predators. Bat Conservation International, Inc , 4 (2) /Fall: 5-6. Accessed (Date Unknown) at http://www.batcon.org/bhresearcher/bv4n2-6.html .