Giant Vampire Bat

Desmodus draculae

Giant Vampire Bat

“ A large relative of vampire bats in South America coexisted with humans and megafauna in the Pleistocene epoch, more dangerous than their modern-day cousins. ”

– unkown author

Scientific Taxonomy & Character Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Clade: Synapsida

Class: Mammalia

Order: Chiroptera

Family: Phyllostomidae

Genus: Desmodus

Species: †Desmodus draculae

Descendant: Phyllostomidae

Named by: Gary S. Morgan

Year Published: 1988

Size: 50 centimeters (20 inches) in length and a body mass of 60 grams (2.1 ouches) in weight

Type: 

Title: 

Other Name(s)/Alias(es): 

Pantheon: Terran/Gaian

Time Period: Pleistocene–Holocene

Alignment: Curious

Threat Level: ★★★★

Diet: Carnivorous 🥩🐟🩸

Elements: Dark, air

Inflicts: Bleeding

Weaknesses: Earth, ice, combat, fae, poison

Casualties: none

Based On: itself

Conservation Status: 

The giant vampire bat (Desmodus draculae) is an extinct species of vampire bat that inhabited Central and South America during the Pleistocene and possibly the early Holocene. It was 30% larger than its living relative, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus).

Etymology

Coming soon

Physical Appearance

The silver-gray fur on the undersides of the vampire bat distinguishes it from the darker fur on its back. It is the largest-known vampire bat to have ever lived. The length of its skull is 31.2 mm (1.23 in), and its humerus length was approximately 51 mm (2.0 in), as compared to the extant common vampire bat at 32.4–42.4 mm (1.28–1.67 in). Its skull was long and narrow, and its face had an upturned snout.


Based on its skull dimensions, it may have had a wingspan of approximately 50 cm (20 in) and a body mass of 60 g (2.1 oz). The proportions are equivalent to a smaller megabat or larger microbat of modern chiropteran fauna.


Its braincase was 14.5–14.8 mm (0.57–0.58 in) wide and 13.4–14.8 mm (0.53–0.58 in) high.

Abilities

The vampire bat is a hematophagous species that mostly feeds on the blood of animals. Typically, the bat goes after its target while it's asleep at night. It then splits apart its hosts' skin with its razor-sharp fangs and uses its long tongue to drink their blood.


Vampire bats have special adaptations to help them with the special way they feed. For instance, researchers discovered that flying mammals can locate prey by sensing the sound of an animal breathing. These bats can even recognize the breathing patterns of one animal, like a cow, and return to feed on it night after night. While sometimes debated, vampire bats are considered venomous as they produce a specialised secretion in their saliva (aptly named 'Draculin'), which facilitates their feeding.

Ecology

Due to the species' strong polygynous nature, dominant adult males watch over groups of females. Being one of the most social bat species, it participates in a range of cooperative behaviors like as sharing food and grooming one another. Due to its feeding habits on cattle and ability to transmit rabies, the common vampire bat is considered a pest. These bats have also been observed to consume turtles, crocodiles, toads, and snakes while kept in captivity.


Males compete for territory in regions where females roost. When there are several males using the roost, each male protects a section of it from the other males. Wilkinson observed the male residents fiercely defending their territory against visiting males that were camped out in tree roosts. Fighting, pushing, and chasing are typical defensive strategies. The three primary fighting styles are biting, gestures, and wing strikes.


To commence mating activity, a male will climb up on a female's back, grip her folded wings, and lay his mouth against the back of her neck. Copulation takes about three to four minutes. Other potential prey items that would have been available to Desmodus draculae include plains viscacha, deer, and camelids.

Behavior

Even though bat bites are harmless, vampire bats can carry rabies. This can harm farmers' livestock, particularly cow herds. However, vampire bats can be fairly docile and even friendly toward people. One researcher said that he had vampire bats that would approach him when he called their names.

Distribution and Habitat

Most records of Desmodus draculae are from the late Pleistocene, but some are from the Holocene. A Desmodus canine tooth discovered in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina came from sediments dated at 300 years BP (ca. 1650 A.D.); this fossil was tentatively assigned to Desmodus draculae.


This species is extinct.


Tamed

Bats can adapt to humans by being domesticated, to the point that they become clingy and cuddly. However, their lifespan in captivity is typically significantly lower than that of their wild counterpart, where they can live up to 30 years. You can feed with grubs, fruits, blood, or meat.

Lore

The first Desmodus draculae fossil was located in Cueva del Guácharo in Venezuela in 1965 by Omar J. Linares, which he noted in 1968 as a possible Pleistocene species of Desmodus. A formal and accepted description of the species was published in 1988, designating the collection by Linares, a skull and post-cranial material, as the type specimen.

Known Individuals

Gallery

See also: none

Foreign Languages

Trivia