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Megadermatidae - false vampire bats

There are five species in this family of medium to large bats. They are found in Central Africa, Australia, and southeast Asia. They have no external tails, large eyes, and large ears that are joined by a membrane at the base. False vampire bats have large, upright noseleaves, the noseleaves is the fleshy flap that sticks out from the nose.

Most species eat insects and two species eat fish, frogs, lizards, birds, mice, or other bats. One species, the yellow-winged bat, roosts in trees and waits for insect prey! Species in the family include: the heart-nosed bat, the Australian false vampire bat, the yellow-winged bat, the greater false vampire bat, and the lesser false vampire bat.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

New Hampshire Species

North/Central American Species

None

Other Species Around the World
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North/Central America South America NH Species
Heart-nosed Bat - Cardioderma cor Yellow-winged Bat - Lavia frons Ghost Bat - Macroderma gigas		Greater False Vampire - Megaderma lyra Lesser False Vampire - Megaderma spasma
Additional Information Key: Profile Photos Video Audio Ghost Bat - Macroderma gigas The ghost bat is found in Northern Territory, Queensland, and Western Australia. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Ghost Bat - Macroderma gigas The ghost bat roosts in caves, old mine tunnels and in deep cracks in rocks. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Greater False Vampire - Megaderma lyra The ghost bat is found in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Lesser False Vampire - Megaderma spasma The lesser false vampire bat is found in Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Lesser False Vampire - Megaderma spasma The lesser false vampire bat live in a variety of habitats including hollow trees, caves, and buildings. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Yellow-winged Bat - Lavia frons The yellow-winged bat is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Megadermatidae - false vampire bats

New Hampshire Species

North/Central American Species

Other Species Around the World

Additional Information

Explore the Natural World - Local & National PBS Video