Cute, ugly or both? Bats may be Fledermaus in German but they're much more than just flying mice... and much less cute as well. These 10 bizarre bats take ugliness to the next level, in fact, and we're talkin' cracked mirror, turn-to-stone ugly. If you don't believe me, check 'em out... but be sure to hide the kids first.
10) Freaky-Faced Griffin's Leaf-Nosed Bat
More like “Leaf-Eared” if you ask me but with a honker like that, who even notices this bat HAS ears? Seriously, that's some kisser... looks like Hipposideridae griffini had a run-in with a forest tree and the tree won. Making matters worse, it appears (in more ways than one) it was named after Kathy Griffin. Harsh, scientist dudes, very harsh. (Ugly Bat images via NatGeo and Mammology)
9) Lip Smackin' Common Vampire Bat
Vampire Bats are pretty weird from the get-go so prefixing the name of the grinning ghoul above with “Common” immediately makes one wonder how nightmarish the uncommon Vampire Bats look. Guess I'll find out later, after I fall asleep. (Ugly Bat images via Consejo Belize and Film Web)
8) Eye-poppingly Ugly Visored Bat
Meet Sphaeronycteris toxophyllum, otherwise known as the Visored Bat. If looks can kill, then it's better to be older but Visor, amiright? Maybe posing it in front of a background color not found in the “Big Book of Bathrooms Of The Fifties” décor guide would help, though I doubt even gilded carbon fiber wrapped in bacon would do the trick. (Ugly Bat image via Thoughts of Futura)
7) Horrifying Hemprich's Big-eared Bat
Hemprich's Big-eared Bat (Otonycteris hemprichii) seemingly doesn't need wings at all: he could fly Dumbo-style. This white-furred, insect-eating bat uses those oversized aural oscillators to capture the sounds of beetles scuttling softly across desert sands... upon which it proceeds to capture the noise-making beetles and eat them head first. Consider yourselves lucky, Rolling Stones. (Ugly Bat image via Battime)
6) Looney Tunes-esque Angry Ugly Bat
Angry Birds, ho-hum. Angry Bats, holy-heck! According to the photographer, this silently screaming sentry of Satan was found “under our luggage as we were packing up.” What, did someone say “Abraca-pocus!” to the bellboy? Hope you left him a tip: “Don't take that left at Albuquerque!” (Ugly Bat images via Acodring and Wikipedia)
5) Goofy & Ghoulish Hammer-headed Bat
What's uglier than a bag of hammers? A bag of Hammer-headed Bats, of course! Maybe “Moose-headed Bat” would be a better name but we've been warned never to insult moose... mooses... meece, whatever. Hey, ever wonder what the unwanted lovechild of Rocky and Bullwinkle would be like? Wonder no longer. (Ugly Bat images via Taringa! and Sodahead)
4) Goosebump-raising Frog-eating Bat
Trachops cirrhosus sounds like a disease and y'know what? It looks like one too. Known to us lay-folks as the Frog-eating Bat, Trachops cirrhosus sort of resembles a tiny, furry, flying Triceratops with weird fleshy spikes and studs all over its lips and lower face. If the real Triceratops had those way back when, T Rex probably would've starved. (Ugly Bat image via Ugly Overload)
3) Tongue-tied Ugly Wrinkle-faced Bat
Did your Mom ever warn you not to stick your tongue out at people, or it might stay that way? The Wrinkle-faced Bat above didn't get the message, nor did it watch A Christmas Story. I don't hold bat society responsible, I blame the old bat that raised him. (Ugly Bat images via Perpetual Repertoire and Warming Glow)
2) Unlucky & Ugly Horseshoe Bat
Does this bat get its name from the horseshoe-shaped protuberances on its nose, or because it looks like it just got stomped by a stallion - a Clydesdale, at that? At least its fur is nice, and... is that a spider on the bat's head? Yes, yes it is, and I don't know which one should be more afraid. (Ugly Bat image via Naturfoto)
1) Familiar-looking Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat
The recently described Tube-Nosed Fruit Bat sports supersized outie nostrils used to... to... well, scientists aren't exactly sure but then, they're not all that imaginative either if the bat's name is any indication. I prefer to assume the bat employs its double-flute snoot sniper style, precisely targeting flying insects and then letting loose an echo-guided stereophonic snot rocket to bring 'em down. Eh, it's a Fruit Bat? Never mind then... and oh yeah, it looks like Yoda. (Ugly Bat images via Daily Mail UK) 
They may be batty but they ain't no beauties, agreed? To be fair, though, there ARE some bats who've avoided being hit (full force, at least) with the ugly stick. Take the Honduran White Bats above, huddled together on a leaf trying to keep warm... not literally, of course, but admit it: you'd LIKE to take them home, hmm? (Top Ugly Bat image via Noctilio, above image via Earth's Featured Creatures)
