Jun 3

The Hammer-Headed Bat

A listener writes “Thank you for last nights episode it was fascinating. The description the gentlemen gave reminded me very much of a Hammerhead Bat, a very, very large one!

These creatures walk on all fours using their wings, and do look like they have a camel hump. They could leave a single deep print from a back foot if they flew into a place. The elbow joints do leave a print similar to that hoof looking print.

These creatures are also called Horse face bats. They are amongst the largest of the bat family, and have long been associated with Baphomet which led to wide spread slaughter. Even so, the largest known ones are much smaller than the Jersey Devil would appear to be.”

The hammer-headed bat, also known as hammer-headed fruit bat, Hammerhead Bat, and big-lipped bat, is a megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa. It is the only member of the genus Hypsignathus, which is part of the tribe Epomophorini along with four other genera. It is the largest bat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1 m (3.3 ft), and males almost twice as heavy as females. Males and females also greatly differ in appearance, making it the most sexually dimorphic bat species in the world. These differences include several adaptations that help males produce and amplify vocalizations: the males’ larynges (vocal cords) are about three times as large as those of females, and they have large resonating chambers on their faces. Females appear more like a typical megabat, with foxlike faces.

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