Hairy-legged Vampire Bat

The Hairy-legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata) is one of three species of vampire bat. Despite connotations of vampires, it mainly feeds on the blood of birds. This vampire bat lives mainly in tropical and subtropical forestlands of South America. It is the sole member of the genus Diphylla.

It generally rests during the daylight with less than twelve other bats in a cave, although a cave was once found with 35 bats. It also shares its food via regurgitation, mouth to mouth.

It also has good sight, but poor echolocation. It is often found in caves with the Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), but it is a solitary bat and does not form groups like Desmodus. There are no lingual grooves under the tongue as in Desmodus and Diaemus but it does have a groove along the roof of the mouth which may serve as a "blood gutter".

As with all mammals, it can be a carrier of rabies.

Subspecies

There are two recognized subspecies Diphylla ecaudata centralis is found from western Panama to Mexico.
Diphylla ecaudata ecaudata is found from Brazil and eastern Peru to eastern Panama.

Translation of "Hairy-legged Vampire Bat"

German: Kammzahnvampir, Spanish: Diphylla, French: Diphylla ecaudata, Hebrew: ערפד שעיר רגליים, Portuguese: Diphylla ecaudata, Chinese: 毛腿吸血蝠.