Head to head
Greater Spear-nosed Bat vs Fringe-lipped Bat
Greater Spear-nosed Bat
VS Fringe-lipped Bat
The greater spear-nosed bat and fringe-lipped bat are two large Neotropical bats that eat animals as well as insects, but one is a social omnivore and the other a specialist frog hunter.
| Greater Spear-nosed Bat | Fringe-lipped Bat | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Phyllostomus hastatus | Trachops cirrhosus |
| Diet | Omnivore, eating fruit, pollen, insects, and small vertebrates | Carnivore, eating frogs, large insects, lizards, and small mammals |
| Social life | Lives in groups of females with one male, which defends his harem | Not specifically documented |
| Calls | Uses screech calls that differ between groups, helping members recognise each other | Listens for the mating calls of calling male frogs |
| Learning | Uses calls to help group members forage together | Can learn to tell edible frogs from poisonous toads, including by watching other bats |
| Distinctive feature | A spear-shaped flap of skin on its nose | Small wart-like bumps and a fringe along its lips and chin |
| Range | Tropical forest from Central America through northern South America | Tropical forest from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, with a stable population | Least Concern, with a stable population |
Greater Spear-nosed Bat vs Fringe-lipped Bat: common questions
Which bat eats frogs?
The fringe-lipped bat, which finds frogs by their mating calls, while the greater spear-nosed bat is an omnivore that eats fruit, pollen, insects, and small vertebrates.
Which bat lives in harem groups?
The greater spear-nosed bat, which lives in groups of females with one male that defends his harem.
Where do the greater spear-nosed bat and fringe-lipped bat live?
The greater spear-nosed bat lives in tropical forest from Central America through northern South America, while the fringe-lipped bat lives from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America.