The Leaf-nosed bats, family Phyllostomidae are by far the most varied and diverse within the whole order Chiroptera and count within their number true predatory species that take vertebrate prey including small Dove -sized birds in the case of the False Vampire, Vampyrum spectrum, the largest bat in the Americas.
Within the group, species have evolved to utilize food groups such as fruit, nectar, pollen, insects, frogs, other bats and small vertebrates, and closely allied families that feed on fish Noctilionidae and the three highly specialised species that feed on blood.
The family gets its name from the often large, lance shaped nose projection used to direct their sonar, though some of the nectar/pollen feeders have greatly reduced it.
There are 148 species within 48 genera which are listed below.
The representative genera:
Blattnasen | Phyllostomidae | Bladneusvleermuizen van de Nieuwe Wereld | Phyllostomidae | Листоносые
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It uses material from the
"Leaf-nosed bat".
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