Panama's Adaptable Bats - Photo Gallery - National Geographic Magazine

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Winged Victors

Seventy-four species of bats flourish on one small Panamanian island, carving out distinct niches for habitat and forage.

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Noctilio leporinus, photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065681 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/2-pregnant-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/2-pregnant-bat-60.jpg
Artibeus jamaicensis]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1069089 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/3-fruit-eating-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/3-fruit-eating-bat-60.jpg
Artibeus lituratus, photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065680 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/4-greater-bulldog-bat-475h.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/4-greater-bulldog-bat-60.jpg Noctilio leporinus, is able to trawl for prey.]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065679 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/5-chestnut-shorttailed-bat-475h.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/5-chestnut-shorttailed-bat-60.jpg
Carollia castanea]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065677 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/6-barro-colorado-island-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/6-barro-colorado-island-60.jpg http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065688 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/7-greater-bulldog-hunt-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/7-greater-bulldog-hunt-60.jpg N. leporinus might down a dozen fish in a night.

Noctilio leporinus]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1069090 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/8-fringe-lipped-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/8-fringe-lipped-bat-60.jpg Trachops cirrhosus, swoops in and grabs it with a powerful bite. This bat's ears are longer than its head, which helps explain how it can find frogs by the sound of their mating calls, even distinguishing the calls of edible species from those of toxic species. Chemical sensors in its lip fringe give added protection from a toxic meal.

Trachops cirrhosus bat, photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1069093 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/9-bat-species-panama-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/9-bat-species-panama-60.jpg Vampyrodes caraccioli—that inhabit the canal's smaller islands. Says Kalko, "The bats here are so specialized, yet still highly adaptable if they find new resources. That's the key to their success."]]> /2007/06/panama-bats/img/10-fruit-eating-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/10-fruit-eating-bat-60.jpg Artibeus watsonii, an energizing mixture of sugar and water prior to releasing it.]]> /2007/06/panama-bats/img/11-bat-eats-frog-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/11-bat-eats-frog-60.jpg Trachops cirrhosus, ignores blooms, instead listening for frog mating calls. It snatches one with its well-developed canines and may down ten more before the night is out. (Some frogs' calls have changed in response to regular predation by bats.)

Trachops cirrhosus bat, photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065689 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/12-spix-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/12-spix-bat-60.jpg
Thyroptera tricolor, photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1069092 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/13-spix-disk-winged-bats-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/13-spix-disk-winged-bats-60.jpg
Thyroptera tricolor]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065686 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/14-lophostoma-bats-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/14-lophostoma-bats-60.jpg Lophostoma bats, which may derive warmth from the active insect colony within. Scientists suspect chemical signals between bats and bugs could prompt the termites to wall themselves off from, rather than attack, their unwelcome guests.

Lophostoma silvicolum]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065684 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/15-long-tongued-bat-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/15-long-tongued-bat-60.jpg
Glossophaga sp., photographed in an enclosure]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065682 /2007/06/panama-bats/img/16-bat-sounds-research-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/16-bat-sounds-research-60.jpg
Hear some of Kalko's recorded bat calls and learn how bats use them in this interactive graphic.]]> /2007/06/panama-bats/img/17-lake-gatun-714.jpg /2007/06/panama-bats/img/17-lake-gatun-60.jpg
Noctilio leporinus]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1065685