Mammals
Parnell's Mustached Bat
Pteronotus parnellii · also called Parnell's moustached bat
Flying through the dark of a tropical forest, a Parnell’s mustached bat hums a steady note and tunes it on the fly, listening for the tiny flutter of a moth’s wings.
Overview
Parnell’s mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii, is a Least Concern bat of tropical forests from Mexico to northern South America and the Caribbean. Its constant-frequency calls, Doppler-shift compensation, and wing-flutter detection make it one of the most sophisticated echolocators among bats.
A rival to the horseshoe bats
This bat evolved a system of echolocation very similar to that of the Old World horseshoe bats, an example of two groups arriving at the same solution independently.
Status
Least Concern, widespread and common across a large range.
Parnell's Mustached Bat: common questions
How does Parnell's mustached bat echolocate?
It uses long calls pitched at a nearly constant frequency and adjusts them as it flies to compensate for the Doppler shift.
How can it detect insects in thick forest?
It can pick up the flutter of an insect's wings in the returning echoes, helping it find prey among foliage.
Why is it called a mustached bat?
It has stiff hairs around its mouth that give the appearance of a mustache.
Where is Parnell's mustached bat found?
It lives in tropical forest from Mexico through Central America to northern South America and the Caribbean.