Vault shrikes

The vault shrike (S. "nalaew rond") is a tiny, bright red bat with a long no tongue with which it pokes into holes and crevices for insect: It also secretes from its tongue a highly toxic nerve poison enables it to deal with larger prey. These the vault shrike paralyzes or kills by means of the poison. It then rips its victim to shreds with its tiny sharp teeth.

The vault shrike's diet is further enhanced by its ability to catch small frogs in an ironically froglike manner: by snatching the prey midleap with that long tongue. Vault shrikes get their name from their unnerving, shrieking cry. They are only found in Moria and the caverns of the Misty Mountains.