NEXT UP: #4 Tasmanian Devil vs. #13 Ghost Bast #2018MMM
The ghost bat (Macroderma gigas) gets its name from the Greek "macros"=large and "derma"=skin #2018MMM 
Hopefully you didn't confuse our competitor with the south american bats of a similar name (genus Diclidurus, way more fuzzy) #2018MMM
Marco here is featured in Great Adaptations b/c of it's huge ears, which comprise almost half the length of it's face! #canyouhearmenow #2018MMM
Most bats echolocate, but some like the ghost bat utilize other senses like hearing to hunt prey ranging from insects and geckos to other small bats and mice. #yikes #2018MMM
In fact, the Ghost bat is one of the largest bats in the suborder Microchirpotera, weighing 130-170g (that's 3/4's of a stoat!). #stoatsasmeaurement #2018MMM
However, Ghost bat's competitor tonight tilts the scale between 6-8kg (that's 27-36 stoats...). #stoatsasmeasurement #2018MMM
You've already been introduced to the Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) by @bittlemethis from #ButtofWhat fame. #2018MMM
But for the new fans, devil's are well known for being, well, little devils. As scavengers, they fight over carcasses & make scary, devil-like noises. #2018MMM Watch you volume on this video...
Notably, Tasmanian devils have the MOST powerful bite force (relative to body size) of ANY LIVING mammalian carnivore! #biteclub #actuallivingscientist thefearlab.com #2018MMM paper here ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
Both competitors are native to Australia (this marsupial & bat diverged somewhere around 150 MYA timetree.org), so tonight's battle takes place on the island of Tasmania. #higherseed #2018MM
Dusk has fallen and the ghost bat is out hunting. Ghost bat's teeth are "large, robust, and highly cuspidate" meaning they are great for crushing & crunching (Hudson and Wilson, 1986). #dentition #2018MMM paper here web.archive.org/web/2016031605…
But guess who else has specialized dentition, including "carnassial-like molars"? Hint: an opportunistic carnivore that is known to hunt live prey. #2018MMM
The ghost bat hears too late the rustling of a nearby bush, and tonight gets itself crunched instead. #2018MMM
TASMANIAN DEVIL DEVOURS GHOST BAT! #2018MMM
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