WillemSvdMerwe on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/willemsvdmerwe/art/Wahlberg-s-Epauletted-Fruit-Bat-568678456WillemSvdMerwe

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Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat

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A big name for a small critter!  Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat, Epomophorus wahlbergi, is the only common fruit bat around my home town of Polokwane.  Here their ringing voices can often be heard on summer nights!  Most people don't even know that fruit bats make the noise, they think it's frogs or insects.  The fruit bat has pouches on its shoulders (the 'epaulettes'), with long white fur on the inside; when it calls, the muscular contraction pushes the pouch inside-out to expose the white fur in a brief white flash.  At the same time glands inside the pouch release a scent into the air - so the signal is both in sound, sight and smell!  These fruit bats can also be recognized when sleeping in the trees, because they have prominent white spots at the bases of their ears - and even by daytime some will be awake and will gawk down at you as you look up at them.  I think that there are sentries posted to stay awake while the others sleep, to warn them of any threats.  Charcoal (drawn upside down!) coloured with Photoshop.
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silverwingbat's avatar
Cute! And very detailed.