Wildlifeof Vietnam
Lesser Asian False-vampire
Bats
Photo: Pieter Prins · CC BY-SA 4.0
Megaderma spasma
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Basic stats
Diet
Grasshoppers and moths; occasionally small vertebrates including other bats
Habitat
Caves, rock crevices, foliage and hollow trees
Size
About 10cm head and body, wingspan up to 30cm
The lesser false vampire bat is about 10 cm long with a forearm of about 7 cm and a wingspan up to 30 cm. Its coat is grey-brown to blue-brown, and yellowish veins in the wing give an orange tinge against the light. Its eyes are large and forward-pointing, which is unusual for bats and lets it find prey by sight (Wikipedia, general species account).
It eats mostly grasshoppers and moths, and sometimes small vertebrates such as other bats. It roosts in caves, rock crevices, foliage and hollow trees, usually in groups of 3 to 30. The species ranges from Sri Lanka and India east to Indonesia and the Philippines, including Vietnam.
Quick answers
- What does the Lesser Asian False-vampire eat?
- Grasshoppers and moths; occasionally small vertebrates including other bats
- What habitat does the Lesser Asian False-vampire live in?
- Caves, rock crevices, foliage and hollow trees
- How big is the Lesser Asian False-vampire?
- About 10cm head and body, wingspan up to 30cm