The ears are triangular and blackish-brown, and the eyes are very large. It should have been named, Tubenose Smileyface Photogenicus Bat. Hammer-headed bats are frugivores, which means their diet consists entirely of fruit. The tongue is large and powerful, with an expanded, tridentate tip. 1. Retrieved 30 July 2018. The picture was published in 1909 in the Philadelphia Bulletin. The Jersey Devil Might Actually Have Existed. [29], As of 2016[update], the hammer-headed bat is evaluated as a least-concern species by the IUCNits lowest conservation priority. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous' Polygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male. The hammer-headed bat is sometimes considered a pest due to its frugivorous diet and its extremely loud honking noises at night. Members of the same group show little interaction with each other: they do not "squabble", vocalize, or groom each other. Like many other mammals, baby bats are known as pups. Offspring are born five or six months later, typically a singleton, though twins have been documented. | There is a sole report of a bat eating a chicken, but no carnivorous activity has been substantiated. True and I agree with what you said going on the size factor. [19] The classical lek is defined by four criteria:[10], Males form these leks along streams or riverbeds during the mating season, which lasts 13 months. Some smooth dogfish will live their entire lives in the . The hammer-headed bat ( Hypsignathus monstrosus ), also known as hammer-headed fruit bat and big-lipped bat, is a megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa. 2. Jersey Devil seen by many, reportedly caught 100 years ago - Inquirer.com In November 2017 when I channeled the Zeta Reticulans, I had another sighting of this large bat, and so now I feel confident to list this as a species. The fur is long and smooth, though somewhat woolly in texture on the mantle. Terms of Use Males and females are similar in size for their first year of life. The bat has a life expectancy of thirty years in the wild. Please enter a valid email address (formatted as name@company.com). (MacNamara et al., 1979; Langevin and Barclay, 1990) Habitat Regions tropical Terrestrial Biomes forest Wetlands swamp Other Habitat Features riparian Range elevation 1800 (high) m 5905.51 (high) ft From Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey_Devil Males overall have boxy heads with enormous lips, while the females, with their narrower snouts, have more foxlike faces. [1], As a frugivorous species, the hammer-headed bat is sometimes considered a pest of fruit crops. The common description is that of a kangaroo-like or wyvern-like creature with a goat- or horse-like head, leathery bat-like wings, horns, small arms with clawed hands, legs with cloven hooves, and a forked tail. George Steinmetz, Blue Crab: The newborn Jersey Devil slew its midwife, let out a horrible scream and flew into the woods of Pine Barrens, where it has been occasionally sighted and continues to haunt people's imagination even today. Hammer-Headed Bat Facts (Big-Lipped Bat) - ThoughtCo The ears are triangular and blackish-brown, and the eyes are very large. I happened upon a post by a Facebook friend which depicted a real animal that is called the hammerhead bat, and to my surprise this looked so much like the mysterious cryptid creature I recalled having witnessed one time, which I have listed here on this page. It forages at night, sleeping during the day in tree roosts. Although the hammerhead bat is a relatively large bat, the viral image may have given some viewers a false impression of the animal's true size. It was discovered in Papua New Guinea in 2011, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1318093/Bat-resembling-Star-Wars-Yoda-discovered-Papua-New-Guinea-rainforest.html. Public DomainThis illustration of a hammer-headed bat appeared in The American Museum Congo Expedition Collection of Bats c. 1917. The hammer-headed bat was described as a new species in 1861 by American scientist Harrison Allen. New Jerseys coastal wetlands and back bays play an important role in the life cycle of several shark species, serving as nurseries and providing growing young with an abundance of resources. I guess a person could think it was high in the sky when really it wasn't very far above them. In contrast, males are not sexually mature until eighteen months. Female bats fly through the lek, select a male they wish to mate with, and land on the branch beside him. Females appear more like a typical megabat, with foxlike faces. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. In New Jerseys back bays and marshes, juvenile sandbar sharks often feed on blue crabs. It lacks a tail. The hammer-headed bat is a real animal, and its scientific name (Hypsignathus monstrosus) references its monstrous appearance. With the onset of a global pandemic causing the shutdown of fan conventions all over the world, it was only a matter of time before the cancellations hit the Theres something strange moving through Kentucky like a virus, twisting through the Mammoth Cave system and hovering in the skies above the Appalachian Mountains. The bat is categorized as "least concern." If the grassy expanses continue to degrade unchecked, they will no longer provide the nurturing resources and conditions to sustain sharks and many other species. The Hammer-headed bat is a large fruit bat found in Africa. [3] However, in 1997, Epomophorini was recognized as part of the subfamily Epomophorinae. They pick and eat fruit at night. However it is interesting that I would have seen the creature in mental images, presumably before I had known about the Jersey Devil, especially considering how surprised I was to come across this picture of the Jersey Devil, and that my Big Bat and the Jersey Devil would look identical to each other. It much resembles the fruit bat which is a species of bat on Earth, although the head of this big bat reminds me of the head of a horse. [10], Van Deusan (1968) reports H. monstrosus showing some carnivorous behavior by attacking chickens to drink their blood and scavenging for meat. Throughout Equatorial Africa, the Hypsignathus monstrosus better known as the hammer-headed bat dominates the night sky with its monstrous wingspan and its pestilently loud noises. Despite their menacing looks, sand tiger sharks are a docile, non-aggressive species. Now that youve read all about the hammer-headed bat, learn about seven more of the worlds ugliest animals. [24], The hammer-headed bat has been investigated as a potential reservoir of the Ebola virus. Each male claims a display territory of about 10 m (33 ft) in diameter, in which he honks repeatedly and flaps his wings while hanging from a branch. There are some theories the Devil might be a non-native animal that someone brought over, like a Hammerhead Bat. Tell us on our Facebook page, at Twitter, or in the comments below! Males range in mass from 228 g to 450 g, averaging 377 g. Females are about half the size, weighing from 218 to 377 g, and averaging 275 g. Males range in length from 220 to 280 mm, with an average of 250 mm. Smooth dogfish nurseries have been documented in New Jersey's estuaries and shallow tidal waters, particularly Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor. Keith Dunton, Associate Professor of Biology at Monmouth University, dredged sediment from clogged boat channels, In 2016 a great white nursery was discovered. She is also the author of The Uprising Series and is the CEO of G-Force Marketing & Publicity, which has been featured in The Hollywood Reporter and has obtained film, television, radio, and print placements for blue-chip clients all over the world. Ocean biodiversity begins with sharks, which are key indicators of an ecosystems health; if they are thriving, then the ecosystem is functioning well. [10], Its predators are not well-documented, but may include avian species such as the long-tailed hawk. Instead, at sunset, individuals groom themselves then set off independently to forage. TNC staff surveys results of a marsh restoration project in Avalon, NJ. Viral long-haired Yankees bat boy gets big break for band But just going on looks I can see how if people saw this bat they could confuse it with some of the depictions of JD. They are also susceptible to severe parasite infestations. These estuary habitats clean the water and act as a first-line defense against the force of incoming waves for coastal communities. Males range in weight from 8.0 to 15.9oz, while females weigh 7.7 to 13.3oz. In contrast, males become reproductively mature when they are eighteen months old. The Jersey Devil: Hammerhead Bat Theory (Axis Video) - YouTube Enter your email address to subscribe to Week in Weird and receive the latest weird news delivered directly to your inbox! Description: Large sharks withrobust, muscular bodies of light brown or gray color. Dr. Dunton, a shark specialist engaged in local research, explained that shark tags are small, implanted devices that send out acoustic pings. It is noted that the crane has a loud screech and legend has it, that the Jersey Devil does too. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Their bellies are white while the rest of their body ranges from brown, gray, blue-gray to blackish. Allegedly, Leeds was also a big mysticism guy, and had published a text calledThe Temple of Wisdom,where he discussed things like sorcery and devils. Despite its fearsome attributes, however, this bat is a mild-mannered fruit-eater. Bat Magazine. | The male is huge with a 3-foot. Title VI Notice of Nondiscrimination Cool bat. The Sandhill Crane, in flight and standing. Hammerhead bats are native to Central Africa, and . ThoughtCo. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. The drawing I have made here on this page, was made in 2013 when I had the sighting of the Big Bat. Although colonies up to 25 bats have been observed, the average hammer-headed fruit bat roost is fewer than five bats. It's easy! Both males and females are grayish brown, with brown ears and flight membranes, and tufts of white fur at the base of the ears. Females reach reproductive maturity faster than males; they can reproduce at six months and reach adult size by nine months of age. Instead, they have a harem system. As Dan Evon of Snopes reports, though, there's another possible culprit for Jersey Devil sightings. With wingspans of up to 38 inches and weighing in at around a pound, the hammer-headed bat is Africas largest bat, according to Bat Conservation International. The hammerhead bat is a mammal and its habitat is in equatorial Africa. And they are a critical nursery for biodiversity, sustaining birds, crabs, and fish includingsharks. By using this site you consent to our use of cookies as per our. New Jersey has 200,000 acres of coastal salt marsh. This creature seems to be by all means associated with the Agenda group. The gestation period lasts around 5 or 6 months. 1.22K subscribers The hammerhead bat (or "hammer-headed bat") is a real animal that 100% looks like the classic visual of the Jersey Devil. Hammer-Headed Bat - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio Coastal conservation projects in help New Jersey salt marshes stand up to a rising sea. Females will fly through the lek, selecting a male by landing on a branch next to him and the chosen male emits a "staccato buzz" call. The hammer-headed bat is sometimes considered a pest due to its frugivorous diet and its extremely loud honking noises at night. I have to say, the hammerhead bat would probably seem a lot less cute if it came flying towards you with a one-metre wingspan, but when it's just an image on a screen, I can understand the obsession. Megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa, "Evolutionary relationships of the old world fruit bats (Chiroptera, Pteropodidae): Another star phylogeny? Newborns weigh approximately 40 g (1.4 oz) at birth. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com, A photograph showing an odd-looking, large bat with an elongated face known as a "hammerhead bat. It is not considered a species of conservation concern due to its large range and presumably large population size. [26][27][28] Megabats like the hammer-headed bat tend to be over-sampled relative to other potential Ebola virus hosts, meaning that they may have an unwarranted amount of research attention, and as of 2015[update], no bat hunter or researcher is known to be the index case ("patient zero") in an Ebola outbreak. It has been investigated as a potential reservoir of the Ebola virus, with several testing positive for antibodies against the virus. It is classified as a megabat and is native to Africa.it might be possible that this bat was brought to NJ on a boat and escaped, primitive man may have seen him and the Jersey Devil sightings were sparked in 1909 your thoughts? It prefers. It meets the criteria for this classification because it has a wide geographic range; its population is presumably large; and it is not thought to be experiencing rapid population decline. The hammerhead bat is a mammal and its habitat is in equatorial Africa. The picture on the right is from the Wikipedia article. In some hammer-headed bat populations, males perform their display to attract females, but do not form groups. Fun Fact: Threshers slap prey with their tail, stunning them long enough to devour. The Sandhill Crane is a favorite and popular explanation of skeptics claiming what Jersey Devil witnesses have been seeing. In addition to its use as a food source in these Equatorial African countries, hammer-headed bats also occasionally turn up in wet markets in other parts of Africa and throughout the world. [14] This is seen in a few other bat genera, including Epomophorus and Epomops. This creature seems to be by all means associated with the Agenda group. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. Females usually give birth to one offspring. Though most commonly observed far from shore, at times they will venture closer in search of food. An adult bat ranges from 7.7 to 11.2 in body length, with a wingspan of 27.0 to 38.2in. They are also a favorite food of sand tiger sharks. Every New Jerseyan has heard at least some variation of its tale. The wing loading is considered exceptionally high, meaning that it has a large body weight relative to the wing area. Male hammer-headed bats can have a wingspan of greater than three feet. [22] It is eaten in Nigeria,[23] as well as seasonally in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. ", "Description of new pteropine bats from Africa", "Taxonomy and biogeography of African fruit bats (Mammalia, Megachiroptera). In 2013 I had a sighting of this alien cryptid which I had named "Big Bat". They sound a little like croaking frogs! Females use trap-lining, in which they travel an established route with dependable and predictable food sources, even if the food is lower quality. The Nature Conservancy is using innovative natural solutionsto help salt marshes persist. During the day, the bats roost in trees, relying on their coloration to camouflage them from predators. A Speculative Look at the Jersey Devil's Diet - Academia.edu [12] Upon finding suitable fruit, the hammer-headed bat may eat at the tree or pick the fruit and carry it away to another site for consumption. [10] It has a wide range in West and Central Africa, including the following countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. The drawing of this big bat was made on June 26, 2013, and so without looking through the archives I presume that my first encounter of this being was in 2013. [10], The wings are characterized by low aspect ratio, meaning that it has a smaller wingspan relative to the wing area. It is believed to be the only bat species with a classical lek mating system, wherein males gather on a "lek", which in this case is a long and thin stretch of land, such as along a river. Its predators are not well-known, but may include hawks. It is the largest bat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1m (3.3ft), and males almost twice as heavy as females. [15][16], Hammer-headed bats are frugivores. Hammer-headed bats are found in West and Central Africa, including the following countries: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. It has been investigated as a potential reservoir of the Ebola virus, with several testing positive for antibodies against the virus. They eat fruit mostly figs. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations. The time required for gestation and weaning is unclear, but females are known to mature more quickly than males. Occasionally, groups of up to twenty-five have been documented. The hammer-headed bat is sometimes confused with Wahlberg's epauletted fruit bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi), which belongs to the same family but is smaller. Bats have such incredibly bizarre faces, they are fascinating to me. [12] Most records of this species occur in rainforest habitat, including lowland rainforest, swamp forest, riverine forests, and mosaics of forest and grassland. To review your email preferences, please visit nature.org/emailpreferences. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1862. Privacy Statement It's probably just a coincidence that the Jersey Devil story started going around at that exact time, and that it was originally known as the Leeds Devil. Indeed, websites and social media describe the hammer-headed bat's appearance as "the spitting image of a devil" and even claim that it's a cryptid known as the "Jersey Devil." According to a study published in the Journal of Zoology, the hammer-headed bat is one of the only confirmed species of bat that takes part in the lek mating system.