Description ²

The European free-tailed bat has large, broad ears, each with a very small tragus, a backward-pointing projection which helps direct sound into the ear. Its muzzle has wrinkled lips, which gives its face a similarity to a dog's face and is the origin for its common names of bulldog or mastiff bat. Its tail is fleshy and robust, and the rear third is not connected to any membranes. Its fur is short and even, the dorsal (upper) surface is greyish-black, with a brownish shine, while the ventral (under) surface is paler. Its ears, wing and tail membranes are black and it has an unpleasant smell. This bat's head and body length is about 3.5 inches (89 mm), its tail about 2 inches (51 mm) and its weight from 1 to 2 ounces (28 to 57 g).

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Aleksandar, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Aleksandar
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_free-tailed_bat

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• AMNH Bats of the World
• Animal Diversity Web
• ASM Mammal Diversity Database
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• iNaturalist Mammal Working Group
• VertNet

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