Latin name:Megaderma lyra
Vietnamese Name:Dơi ma bắc
Family:Megadermatidae
Order:Chiroptera
Class (Group):

Identification:

Like Megaderma spasma, the North Ghost Bat (Megaderma lyra) (family: Megadermatidae) is distinguished by large ears joined across the forehead, a long, slender tragus divided into two unequal lobes, a prominent noseleaf, and an interfemoral membrane without a bone connecting to the lower leg. (Forearm length: 67-70 mm; weight: 40-50 g). It possesses a small intermediate noseleaf, a posterior noseleaf with parallel edges, and a higher, more pointed chin.

Biology and Ecology:

Despite its common name, this bat does not consume blood, unlike the true vampire bats found in the Americas. Its primary diet consists of arthropods, but it has also been observed consuming small trapped bats and various vertebrates, including mice, small bats, frogs, and birds. These bats forage for prey from branches or on the ground.

To locate prey, they often rely on sounds emitted by the prey, such as the rustling of dry leaves, the calls of crickets, or the echolocation calls of other bats.

Distribution:

This bat species is found throughout Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, Borneo, and the Philippines. It is also distributed across the mainland but does not inhabit islands.

Value:

This is a rare species, valuable for scientific research, aesthetic purposes, and the control of harmful insects in the natural environment.