Species MammalsParnell's Mustached Bat

Parnell's Mustached Bat

Pteronotus parnellii

RareMammal
Illustration of Parnell's Mustached Bat (Pteronotus parnellii)
Safety note: May carry rabies — do not approach or handle.

Parnell's Mustached Bat is a Neotropical bat renowned among echolocation researchers for its constant-frequency echolocation calls and a cochlea specialization called the acoustic fovea, allowing it to detect the tiny Doppler frequency shifts caused by a fluttering moth's wings. It reaches caves and forests of southern Mexico and just crosses into the extreme southern United States occasionally. It is a key model organism in neurobiological studies of auditory processing.

Habitat
Tropical caves and forests of southern Mexico
Diet
Flying insects, especially moths
How common
Rare

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