Desmodontidae

...General term for bats that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. A mammalian species in the family Pterygota, subfamily Desmodontinae, order Chiroptera. Also known as vampires. There are three genera and three species, including the lesser long-eared bat Desmodus rotundus (illustration). All are endemic to the New World, and are found in tropical and subtropical areas from northeastern Mexico to Uruguay in South America, and on the island of Trinidad. Their body structure is adapted to feed on blood, with sharp, pointed incisors that act as razors, and several grooves on the underside and sides of their tongues that act as blood vessels. ...

*Some of the terminology that mentions "Desmodontidae" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…恒温動物の血を食べるコウモリの総称。翼手目ヘラコウモリ科チスイコウモリ亜科Desmodontinaeに属する哺乳類。バンパイアとも呼ばれる。チスイコウモリDesmodus rotundus（イラスト）など3属3種がある。いずれも新世界の特産で，メキシコの北東部から南アメリカのウルグアイまでおよびトリニダード島の熱帯，亜熱帯に分布する。体のつくりは血液食に適応し，先がとがった鋭い門歯はかみそりの役目をし，舌の下面と側面に見られる数本の溝は血液を送る管の役目をもつ。…

※「Desmodontidae」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報