wrinkle-faced bat

About the wrinkle-faced bat

The wrinkle-faced bat (Centurio senex) is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae and the only identified member of the genus Centurio. This bat is found in various countries in and around Central America. It eats fruit but is not classified within the fruit bats, and is instead classified as a leaf-nosed bat even though it does not have a leaf nose. It has an unusually shaped skull which is thought to allow it to eat a wider range of foods than other bats.

Centurio senex is tail-less, medium-sized, and generally has a pelage of a drab brown to yellowish-brown color. It weighs around 17g. Its face is hairless and is covered by convoluted outgrowths of skin (hence the name wrinkle-faced). These skin flaps are more pronounced in males than females. Males also possess a skin mask that can be used to cover their face. The wrinkle-faced bat has storage pouches in its mouth to allow it to store fruit. C. senex subsp. greenhalli differs from the more common C. senex subsp. senex by being larger and in having a more domed braincase, better developed sagittal crest, and relatively shorter maxillary toothrow. Their skulls are extremely short and wide, which is thought... Wikipedia →