amnhnyc:

What’s the purpose of the sacs of the lesser sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx leptura)?🦇

The sacs on its wings are scent glands, which are used to mark territory and help individuals identify others of its own species! Studies have shown that females recognize and prefer scents that come from a male of the same species over the scent of a male from a closely related species. The winged mammal lives in forests in parts of Central and South America, where it awakens from its roost during the last hours of the day and remains active into the night, when it looks for moths and other small insects to munch on.

Photo: David Schenfeld, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, flickr

#AnimalFacts #bats #lessersacwingedbat #mammals #mammology #dyk #nature
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