Bulldog Bats: Noctilionidae

Bulldog bats' lips are similar in appearance to a bulldog's. The lips are thick and the upper one hangs over the bottom lip, forming pouches. Their upper lip is split in the middle. The nose, which sticks out slightly over the lip, is long and thick. The ears are pointed and relatively large. Both species have long legs, and large feet with well-developed claws. The bats have long, narrow wings. They also have a visible tail. Bulldog bats have a strong odor, often described as fishy.

Bulldog bats are relatively large bats, having a combined head and body length that ranges from approximately 2.2 to 5.2 inches (5.7 to 13.2 centimeters). Males are larger than females.

Bulldog bat fur is typically short and slightly curly. Fur colors range from bright orange to orange-brown and gray-brown. There can be a pale stripe running down their backs. The undersides of these bats are lighter in color. At one point researchers thought that male bulldog bats were different in color than females. Males were said to be bright yellow, brown, and orange, and females a brown or gray color. Research has shown that fur color may vary among the species as a whole, and is not necessarily distinct between the sexes.