Status: | Species: | Common Name: | Last Update: |
---|---|---|---|
Offline | Craseonycteris thonglongyai | Hog-Nosed Bat | ----- |
The Family Craseonycteridae contains a single species, the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), often regarded as the world’s smallest mammal by size. Found in western Thailand and southeast Myanmar, these bats inhabit limestone caves and feed primarily on insects. They have a distinctive pig-like snout, tiny eyes, and delicate wings, and live in small colonies. Despite their minute size, they play an important ecological role as insect predators, helping control local insect populations. Craseonycteridae is notable for its unique combination of primitive and specialized traits among bats.