September 2015 PMID 26601270

Nectar uptake in bats using a pumping-tongue mechanism.

Marco Tschapka, Tania P Gonzalez-Terrazas, Mirjam Knörnschild

Mentions

41
Peak: 2 in Sep 2025
across 6 sources since Feb 2022

Extended reach

136,625
potential audience

Total likes

14,317

Video views

133,329

Mentions per month

Feb 2022 – Sep 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News17 articles
  • Facebook10 posts
  • Blogs9 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Reddit2 posts
  • X / Twitter1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussion reflects admiration for the nectar bat’s behavior, exemplified by phrases like '20/10 for being such a cool nectar bat,' which demonstrates enthusiasm and acknowledgment of the research's novelty. The tone is informal and highlights personal fascination, indicating both high interest and moderate engagement, but limited impact in terms of social change or broader scientific implications.

AgreementModerate agreement

The positive remark about the nectar bat being 'cool' indicates general support or appreciation for the findings.

InterestHigh interest

The enthusiasm expressed in calling the bat 'so cool' shows high curiosity and interest in the topic.

EngagementModerate engagement

The comment reflects some engagement through observational detail but remains light and informal.

ImpactModerate impact

The statement suggests that discovering such unique feeding behaviors is interesting, though it doesn't imply far-reaching influence.

Abstract in brief

  • The study investigates how nectar-feeding bats use different tongue morphologies—hairlike papillae versus near hairless with lateral grooves—to extract nectar, revealing two distinct feeding behaviors.
  • Using high-speed video, researchers observed that grooved-tongue bats maintain contact with nectar while pumping it into their mouths, employing a unique fluid uptake mechanism driven by tongue deformation and capillary action, unlike the lapping movement seen in hairy-tongue bats.
  • The findings suggest that these different tongue structures and feeding strategies represent a case of convergent evolution and highlight a novel drinking mechanism in mammals, raising questions about fluid dynamics and ecological specialization in nectar feeders.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Sharlene Santana
@SESantanaM · X

Finally, Lonchophylla robusta first checks if the coast is clear before it soars up into the night sky to find flowers and pump their nectar with its unique, groovy tongue (https://t.co/XqdMiOg9kW). 20/10 for being such a cool nectar bat. https://t.co/8uzTndPkZn

Feb 14, 2022 · 9 likes · 3,297 followers View post →

All mentions

Sharlene Santana
@SESantanaM · X

Finally, Lonchophylla robusta first checks if the coast is clear before it soars up into the night sky to find flowers and pump their nectar with its unique, groovy tongue (https://t.co/XqdMiOg9kW). 20/10 for being such a cool nectar bat. https://t.co/8uzTndPkZn

Feb 14, 2022 · 9 likes · 3,297 followers View post →