Hammer-headed bat: Where It Lives, Map & Facts

Where the hammer-headed bat lives – recorded in 4 countries, with quick facts from Wikidata and an introduction from Wikipedia.

Scientific name	Hypsignathus monstrosus
Group	Bats
Status	Least concern (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Found in	4 countries
Continents	Africa
Class	Mammal
Order	Chiroptera
Family	Pteropodidae

Where does the hammer-headed bat live?

Open-licence (CC0 / CC BY) wild records published on GBIF place the hammer-headed bat in 4 countries and territories across Africa.

Countries with at least a handful of records (a minimum share of the species’ records, to leave out vagrants and escapes). Records with coordinates only; captive and fossil records excluded.

Is the hammer-headed bat endangered?

The hammer-headed bat’s conservation status recorded in Wikidata is “Least concern” (an IUCN Red List category label). Source: Wikidata.

What kind of animal is the hammer-headed bat?

The hammer-headed bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus) is a mammal in the order Chiroptera and the family Pteropodidae, genus Hypsignathus. (Taxonomy from Wikidata.)

About the hammer-headed bat

The hammer-headed bat (Hypsignathus monstrosus), also known as hammer-headed fruit bat, big-lipped bat, and hammerhead bat, is a megabat widely distributed in West and Central Africa. It is the only member of the genus Hypsignathus, which is part of the tribe Epomophorini along with four other genera. It is the largest bat in continental Africa, with wingspans approaching 1 m (3.3 ft), and males are almost twice as heavy as females. Males and females also greatly differ in appearance, making it the most sexually dimorphic bat species in the world. These differences include several adaptations that help males produce and amplify their voice; the males' larynges (vocal cords) are about three times as large as those of females, and they have large resonating chambers on their faces. Females appear more like a typical megabat, with fox-like faces.

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Hammer-headed bat (revision 1380882388), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: lead section excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Quick facts, taxonomy and status: Wikidata Q304912 (CC0). Countries and pin: GBIF.org occurrence records (CC0 / CC BY 4.0).