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Common Long-tongued Bat

GLOSSOPHAGA SORICINA

Photo by The MnMs
Published on Project Noah
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20.7099, -89.0943

Field Notes

Description:

Common Long-tongued Bats have long, slender tongues, and are the most commonly encountered nectar-feeding bats in Central America.
Dark gray instead of the Jamaican Fruit Bat's rusty color, but it also bores a leafy flange above its nostrils

Habitat:

These bats eat moths and fruits in the wet season and nectar and pollen in the dry season. They roost in small to large groups in caves, tunnels, culverts, hollow trees and buildings, usually not in complete darkness. Individuals hang singly or in clusters.
These bats where around 10 cm in size. They were in the caverns of Balankanche near Chichen Itza.

Reference Links:

cf. Common Long-tongued Bat, GLOSSOPHAGA SORICINA

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
KarenL
Fun fact! The common long-tongued bat has evolved an extremely efficient way of slurping up extra nectar from flowers. Its tongue is covered with scores of little hair-like structures that are instantly erected by blood flow; this dynamic action makes the tongue an effective “mop” for nectar and could even inspire new industrial designs, according to researchers from Browns University. Read more here - http://bit.ly/16PwzFM https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152802886850603&set=a.10152575329380603.958289.10150120463815603&type=1 https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/332562289523843072
Ava T-B
Please consider adding this spotting to the new North American Bat Tracker mission at http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/18306114
Elsa
Cool photo(s)! Those bats must have some strong leg muscles!

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Bat Monitoring Project
Mission
Mexico Horn of Plenty
Mission
NWF: Watch for Wildlife!
Mission
Yucatan Peninsula Biodiversity

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Photographed
PublishedSeptember 20, 2011

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