Lasiurus borealis (mummified red bat) (Holocene; Gothic Avenue, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, USA) 3 (26553132259)

Description:

Lasiurus borealis Müller, 1776 - subfossil red bat in the Holocene of Kentucky, USA. This is a desiccated red bat in western Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, the longest cave on Earth. As of fall 2017, 412 miles have been explored and mapped. Multiple species of bats were formerly abundant in Mammoth Cave. Populations have been decimated by human activities from the late 1700s to the present and by white nose syndrome. The latter is a fungal disease that only affects bats. The fungus Geomyces destructans (a.k.a. Pseudogymnoascus destructans) grows on the face of bats during winter hibernation. The fungal growth irritates the skin (it's itchy) and wakes the bats during hibernation. Once awake, bats fly outside looking for food. Flying insects are absent in wintertime, so the bats die of starvation. The disease went through Europe's bat populations long ago, and they are now immune. The disease was introduced from the Old World to North America at least by 2006, likely via caving equipment. Remains of bats are moderately common in Mammoth Cave - these include guano deposits, bones, and mummified carcasses with varying amounts of preserved soft parts. Shown above is an exquisitely preserved, "mummified" red bat in Gothic Avenue. It has been preserved by desiccation. A subterranean river used to flow through here during the Pliocene, but the water table has long since lowered. Much of Gothic Avenue is bone dry. This specimen is not technically a fossil. Fossils are any evidence of ancient life, "ancient" meaning Pleistocene-aged or older. I doubt that this specimen has been carbon-dated, but it is likely Holocene in age, making it "subfossil". Classification: Animalia, Chordata, Vertebrata, Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae Locality: Gothic Avenue, Mammoth Cave Ridge, Mammoth Cave National Park, western Kentucky, USA See info. at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_red_bat and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-nose_syndrome