The white-winged vampire bat (''Diaemus youngi''), a species of

vampire bat Vampire bats, members of the subfamily Desmodontinae, are Phyllostomidae, leaf-nosed bats currently found in Central and South America. Their food source is the blood of other animals, a dietary trait called hematophagy. Three extant bat species ...

, is the only member of the genus ''Diaemus''. They are found from

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

to northern

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

and are present on the islands of

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

and

Margarita Island Margarita Island (, ) is the largest island in the States of Venezuela, Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, situated off the north west coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea. The capital city of Nueva Esparta, La Asunción, is located on the ...

Etymology and taxonomy

The white-winged vampire bat was described by Dutch zoologist

Fredericus Anna Jentink Fredericus Anna Jentink (20 August 1844, Wymbritseradeel – 4 November 1913, Leiden)Fredericus Anna Jentink (1844 - 1913). In: Notes from the Leyden Museum Vol. 36, 1913. p 254 was a Dutch zoologist. Biography In 1875, he became curator at the ...

in 1893. Dr. Charles Grove Young (1849–1934) is the

eponym An eponym is a noun after which or for which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. Adjectives derived from the word ''eponym'' include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Eponyms are commonly used for time periods, places, innovati ...

for the species name ''youngi''.Beolens, B., Watkins, M., & Grayson, M. (2009). ''The eponym dictionary of mammals''. JHU Press. Jentink decided to honor Young with the species name because " our Museum is indebted o himfor so many additions to its collections of the British Guyana animals." When it was described by Jentink in 1893, it was initially placed in the same

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

as the

common vampire bat The common vampire bat (''Desmodus rotundus'') is a small, leaf-nosed bat native to the Americas. It is one of three extant species of vampire bats, the other two being the Hairy-legged vampire bat, hairy-legged and the white-winged vampire bats ...

, ''Desmodus''. However, in 1907, Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. placed it in a new genus, ''Diaemus''. That move to a new genus was not immediately accepted, however, with authors continuing to place it in ''Desmodus'' until at least 1982.Honacki, J.H., K.E. Kinman, AND J.W. Koeppl. (1982). ''Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference''. Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas.

Description

Their fur is clay-colored, light brown, or dark cinnamon brown. The outline of their wings is white, as well as the membrane between their second and third finger. Their ears are longer than they are wide, at long. The

anterior Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

surface of the tragus is hairy, and its outer margin is smooth, unlike that of the

, which is serrated. Their thumb is much shorter than that of the common vampire bat. Their forearms are long. The

calcar The calcar, also known as the calcaneum, is the name given to a spur of cartilage arising from inner side of ankle and running along part of outer interfemoral membrane in bats, as well as to a similar spur on the legs of some arthropods. The cal ...

is absent. Their

dental formula Dentition pertains to the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth. In particular, it is the characteristic arrangement, kind, and number of teeth in a given species at a given age. That is, the number, type, and morpho-physiology ...

is , for a total of 22 teeth; the common vampire bat has 20 teeth and the hairy-legged vampire bat 26, respectively. It is the only bat species in the world with 22 teeth.Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's mammals of the world (Vol. 1). JHU Press. The last upper

molars The molars or molar teeth are large, flat tooth, teeth at the back of the mouth. They are more developed in mammal, mammals. They are used primarily to comminution, grind food during mastication, chewing. The name ''molar'' derives from Latin, '' ...

are

vestigial Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on co ...

, though, and older individuals sometimes lose them. The

uropatagium The patagium (: patagia) is a membranous body part that assists an animal in obtaining lift when gliding or flying. The structure is found in extant and extinct groups of flying and gliding animals including bats, theropod dinosaurs (including b ...

and forearms are sparsely furred. From nose to tail, they are approximately long. Greenhall, A. M., & Schutt, W. A. (1996). Diaemus youngi. Mammalian Species, (533), 1–7. They weigh . Both males and females have cup-shaped

scent gland Scent gland are exocrine glands found in most mammals. They produce semi-viscous secretions which contain pheromones and other semiochemical compounds. These odor-messengers indicate information such as status, territorial marking, mood, and se ...

s located in their mouths. These glands might be an anti-predator defense, as the bats produce a foul-smelling odor from these glands when they are disturbed.Goodwin, G. G., & Greenhall, A. M. (1961). A review of the bats of Trinidad and Tobago: descriptions, rabies infection, and ecology (Vol. 122). American Museum of Natural History. Compared to other bats, their brains are especially large in relation to their body sizes—2.7–2.9% by body mass. This may be because their foraging strategy requires more complex thought (such as maintaining stealth) than other species. Their eyes are also relatively large in relation to their body sizes.

Biology

Like other vampire bats, their saliva contains

plasminogen activator Plasmin is an important enzyme () present in blood that degrades many blood plasma proteins, including fibrin clots. The degradation of fibrin is termed fibrinolysis. In humans, the plasmin protein (in the zymogen form of plasminogen) is en ...

s, which rapidly dissolves the host's blood clots that form during feeding;

platelet aggregation inhibitor An antiplatelet drug (antiaggregant), also known as a platelet agglutination inhibitor or platelet aggregation inhibitor, is a member of a class of pharmaceuticals that decrease platelet aggregation and inhibit thrombus formation. They are effectiv ...

s, which prevent the formation of blood clots; and other

anticoagulant An anticoagulant, commonly known as a blood thinner, is a chemical substance that prevents or reduces the coagulation of blood, prolonging the clotting time. Some occur naturally in blood-eating animals, such as leeches and mosquitoes, which ...

s. These compounds in their saliva are especially effective on birds. Birds are their preferred prey source, but they will also prey on mammals such as goats and cattle. While it can transmit

rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. It was historically referred to as hydrophobia ("fear of water") because its victims panic when offered liquids to drink. Early symptoms can include fever and abn ...

, this appears to be relatively uncommon: the only reports of rabies transmission from this species are from

. They are not as adept as

s at quadrupedal locomotion, possibly because their thumbs are much shorter. However, they are quite adept at climbing branches. Females are

polyestrous The estrous cycle (, originally ) is a set of recurring physiological changes induced by reproductive hormones in females of mammalian subclass Theria. Estrous cycles start after sexual maturity in females and are interrupted by anestrous phas ...

, capable of becoming pregnant multiple times a year. They give birth to one pup at a time.Carter, D.C. (1970). "Chiropteran reproduction", pp. 233–246, in ''About bats''. B.H. Slaughter and D. W. Walton (eds.). Southern Methodist University Press, Dallas, Texas.Schmidt, C. (1988). "Reproduction", pp. 99–109, in ''Natural history of vampire bats''. A. M. Greenhall and U. Schmidt (eds.). CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. They will roost with many other species of bat, including the

greater sac-winged bat The greater sac-winged bat (''Saccopteryx bilineata'') is a bat of the family Emballonuridae native to Central and South America. They are the most common bats seen in the rainforest, as they often roost on the outside of large trees. They are ...

lesser dog-like bat The lesser dog-like bat (''Peropteryx macrotis''), also known as Peters' sac-winged bat, is a species of bat from South and Central America. First described in 1826, it was renamed in 1843 because the original scientific name was already in use f ...

big-eared woolly bat The big-eared woolly bat or (Peters's) woolly false vampire bat (''Chrotopterus auritus'') is a species of bat, belonging to the family Phyllostomidae. The name ''Chrotopterus'' is derived from Greek roots ''ch''ariots (skin, color), and ''pter ...

, tailed tailless bat, Seba's short-tailed bat, little yellow-shouldered bat, great fruit-eating bat, white-lined broad-nosed bat, Pallas's long-tongued bat, Handley's nectar bat, white-bellied big-eared bat,

greater spear-nosed bat The greater spear-nosed bat (''Phyllostomus hastatus'') is a bat species of the family Phyllostomidae from South and Central America. It is one of the larger bats of this region and is omnivorous. Habitat ''Phyllostomus hastatus'' lives in t ...

, Parnell's mustached bat, Wagner's mustached bat, buffy broad-nosed bat, and

.Trajano, E. 1984. Ecologia de populacoes de morcegos cavernicolas em uma regiao carstica do Sudeste do Brasil. Revista Brasiliera de Zoologia, 2:255–320.Graham, G. L. 1988. Interspecific associations among Peruvian bats at diurnal roosts and roost sites. Journal of Mammalogy, 69:711–720. Their karyotype consists of 32 chromosomes.

Range and habitat

They have been found in

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...

French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

Guyana Guyana, officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, part of the historic British West Indies. entry "Guyana" Georgetown, Guyana, Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the co ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

Suriname Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, smaller i ...

, and

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

. They have flexible roosting and foraging habitat requirements. They prefer moist, open areas, but will still forage in dry deciduous or evergreen forests.Eisenberg, J. F. (1989). ''Mammals of the Neotropics: the northern Neotropics''. Vol. 1. Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. They will roost in both tree cavities and caves.

Conservation

They are consistently assessed as

least concern A least-concern species is a species that has been evaluated and categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as not being a focus of wildlife conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wil ...

by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

. While it is infrequently encountered, it has a broad distribution, and is tolerant of a variety of habitats. The population is assumed to be large. They can be maintained in captivity. Captive populations can be supported with cow and chicken blood. Blood must be defibrinated to prevent clotting. Each bat ingests approximately of blood per day. They are

social animal Sociality is the degree to which individuals in an animal population tend to associate in social groups (gregariousness) and form cooperative societies. Sociality is a survival response to evolutionary pressures. For example, when a mother was ...

s, and should be maintained in colonies. Their colonies have

dominance hierarchies In the zoological field of ethology, a dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social groups interact, creating a ranking system. Different types of ...

References

External links

Vampires: The Real Story
– about the vampire bat
Bat World
– An all-volunteer, non-salaried, non-profit organization devoted to the education, conservation and rehabilitation of bats
Bat Conservation International
– A website devoted to the education, conservation and study of bat
Graduate student research on white-winged vampire bats
{{Taxonbar, from=Q639785 Phyllostomidae Bats of South America Mammals of Colombia Mammals of Venezuela Mammals of Trinidad and Tobago Mammals of the Caribbean Bats of Central America Parasites of birds Mammals described in 1893 Taxa named by Fredericus Anna Jentink Vampire bats