J.R. S. answered • 11/01/17
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Ph.D. in Biochemistry--University Professor--Chemistry Tutor
The idea that vampire bats have an anesthetic substance in their saliva is a myth. They do not. They do have an anticoagulant, termed draculin, but no anesthetic.
J.R. S.
tutor
It's interesting that every citation I look at that purports the existence of an anesthetic in vampire bat saliva, never states the chemical nature of such a substance. They do, however, report extensively on the chemical nature of the anti-coagulant, being a glycoprotein consisting of 411 amino acids and referred to as draculin. But not a word about the chemical nature of the anesthetic. Maybe that's because it doesn't exist. I refer you to the following reference below, where in the 13th paragraph they refer to this a a myth. I'll leave it up to you and your teacher to decide. I've yet to see anyone document what the chemical is that causes numbness, or if it even exists.
http://www.batcon.org/resources/media-education/bats-magazine/bat_article/467
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11/01/17
J.R. S.
tutor
Gee, I just wrote a comment and it didn't seem to go through. All the articles I've read that refer to an anesthetic in bat saliva never, ever, report on the chemical nature. They just say it's there. On the other hand, when you read about the anticoagulant (draculin), there is all sorts of information about it being a glycoprotein of 411 amino acids, etc., etc. So, one has to wonder why so much info on draculin, and nothing on the so-called anesthetic. Maybe it doesn't exist??? I'll leave it to you and your teacher to decide. There is a web page that states it is a myth, but I'm unable to paste it here in the comment section. Here is a quote from the article (the bold, underline and italics are my own):
"Using their heat-sensitive nose pits, vampires select areas on the body of their prey that are well supplied with a rich bed of blood-carrying capillaries directly under the skin's surface. Cows and horses are therefore often bitten on the back or neck. Contrary to myth, vampires do not have an anesthetic in their saliva. Before biting, they soften the bite area by repeatedly licking a patch of skin. Their bite is swift and clean, such that sleeping prey are usually unaware of their nocturnal visitor. Contrary to what most people expect, vampires have fewer teeth than any other bats. Because they do not need to chew their food, their cheek teeth are tiny and few. Vampires use their large razor-sharp incisors to create the small crater-shaped wounds that typify their bites.
"Using their heat-sensitive nose pits, vampires select areas on the body of their prey that are well supplied with a rich bed of blood-carrying capillaries directly under the skin's surface. Cows and horses are therefore often bitten on the back or neck. Contrary to myth, vampires do not have an anesthetic in their saliva. Before biting, they soften the bite area by repeatedly licking a patch of skin. Their bite is swift and clean, such that sleeping prey are usually unaware of their nocturnal visitor. Contrary to what most people expect, vampires have fewer teeth than any other bats. Because they do not need to chew their food, their cheek teeth are tiny and few. Vampires use their large razor-sharp incisors to create the small crater-shaped wounds that typify their bites.
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11/01/17
Dane M.
11/01/17