noseleaf en · NOUN
Etymology
From nose + leaf.
Meanings
-
The elaborate structure of skin surrounding the nostrils of many species of bat.
Vampire bats are capable of perceiving infrared radiation (heat) through the pocketings in their noseleaves that can allow them to find a feeding spot on their prey that is well supplied with blood vessels.
2011, Terry A. Vaughan, James M. Ryan, Mammalogy, page 23:
- A noseleaf bat, one of many species of bat that have a noseleaf.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| noseleaves | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| noseleafs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |