Lesser false vampire bat  (Megaderma spasma)

Description

The lesser false vampire bat is one of only two species belonging to the genus Megaderma (Megaderma spasma and Megaderma lyra). Paradoxically, whilst they are voracious carnivores, they do not resemble the vampire bats of South America, but are instead so-named due to their large teeth which caused confusion before the true vampire bats were confirmed as the only blood-drinkers. They have large, rabbit-like ears that are joined at their base and enclose a long tragus (inner ear) that is split in two. The noseleaf, which is used for echolocation, is an oval-shaped lobe with a central bar that carries flaps on either side. The Megadermatidae do not have tails, but do possess a large area of membrane between the hind legs, known as the interfemoral membrane, which is used for scooping prey from leaf surfaces. The fur is very long and fluffy, and varies in colour from grey to brown. Juveniles are consistently grey (2).