vampire bat
nounDefinition of vampire bat
: any of several bats (Desmodus rotundus, Diaemus youngi, and Diphylla ecaudata of the subfamily Desmodontinae of the family Phyllostomidae) of Mexico and Central and South America that feed on the blood of birds and mammals and especially domestic animals and that are sometimes vectors of disease and especially of rabies
also
: any of several other bats (as of the families Megadermatidae and Phyllostomidae) that do not feed on blood but are sometimes reputed to do so
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Examples of vampire bat in a Sentence
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Today's common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, has an 8-inch wingspan, much smaller than its ancestor, D. draculae. — Andrew Daniels, Popular Mechanics, "The OG Batman Was Actually a Mesoamerican Humanoid Monster," 28 June 2019 For example, vampire bats donate some of their blood meal to community members that fail to find prey. — Quanta Magazine, "Game Theory Calls Cooperation Into Question," 12 Feb. 2015 The paper cites, for instance, studies of favors apparently given and repaid among species ranging from chimpanzees (exchanging grooming for food) to vampire bats (sharing regurgitated blood). — Jennifer Breheny Wallace, WSJ, "For Couples, Gratitude Is a Boomerang," 12 Oct. 2018 The expansion also includes a new nocturnal house, with night-loving species like Seba and vampire bats, night monkeys and zebra tarantulas. — Jennifer Larino, NOLA.com, "What's a cavy? You can now see 3 of them at the Audubon Zoo," 22 May 2018 Mexico’s efforts to curb vampire bats due to rabies threats also unintentionally impacted the lesser long-nosed bat. — Julissa Treviño, Smithsonian, "Once Rare Nectar-Feeding Bat Removed From U.S. Endangered Species List," 20 Apr. 2018 But even with their new insights into vampire bats, researchers find the blood-sucking mammals somewhat mystifying. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "How Vampire Bats Can Survive on a Diet of Blood," 24 Feb. 2018 Every performance today contains at least traces of a lost world of courtiers, etiquette and aristocratic graces, even if the subject matter is magic swans or vampire bats. — Marilyn Bailey, star-telegram, "Music plays as big a role as choreography in the intriguing 'Henry VIII,' 'Seven Sonatas' | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 1 Mar. 2018 The unique opportunity that vampire bats offer is twofold. — Jackson Landers, Smithsonian, "What a Vampire Bat Can Teach Us About the Economics of Friendship," 31 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vampire bat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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