barbastelle

/ ˌbɑːbəˈstɛl /

noun

1. an insectivorous forest bat, Barbastella barbastellus , widely distributed across Eurasia, having a wrinkled face and prominent ears: roosts in trees or caves

Word History and Origins

Origin of barbastelle¹

French: from Italian barbastello , from Latin vespertilio bat; see _pipistrelle

Example Sentences

But something puzzled him and his colleagues: If you look at the barbastelle's close relatives, there are virtually no other members catching insects in the air.

From Science Daily

The barbastelle is a hawking bat.

From Science Daily

Accordingly, it is therefore unlikely that the ancestor of the barbastelle was a loud hawker that evolved into the whispering barbastelle as a response to insect hearing.

From Science Daily

But if the barbastelle didn't evolve its ability to be quieter when hunting in the air, as part of the arms race between insects and bats; where does it come from?

From Science Daily

But they cannot hear well enough to register the barbastelle, so they end up as their prey.

From Science Daily