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Molecular evidence unites the Dermoptera, Scandentia, and Primates as Euarchonta in the Euarchontoglires and places bats in the Laurasiatheria.

Order DERMOPTERA--colugo or "flying lemurs"

• Oriental  (tropical)
• monotypic order (1 genus, 2 species)
• learn more about colugos from
  1. the University of Michigan Animal Diversity web
  2. Mammals of the World Online
  3. Paisley University

Cynocephalidae [fig. 12.17]

Cynocephalus: two species

Traits

1. feed on leaves, buds, flowers, fruit
2. 2 inner lower incisors procumbent, pectinate for grooming, also scraping leaves [Fig. 12.18].
3. arboreal gliders (glissant)
   1. membrane extending from neck to digits of forefeet, from forelimbs to digits of hindfeet, and from hindlimbs to tip of tail

 Order CHIROPTERA--bats

• 18 families, 202 genera, 1,116 species (the second largest mammalian order)
• Learn more about Bats from the
  1. University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web
  2. University of California Museum of Paleontology
  3. American Museum of Natural History on the Tree of Life
  4. Bat Conservation International website is a source of useful information about bats
  5. The Mammals of Texas - Online

Morphology [Figs. 6.19, 13.1]

1. forelimb modified for flight
   1. Wing membrane supported by elongate metacarpals and digits 2-5
   2. Modification of shoulder girdle and musculature
   3. Sternum usually keeled
2. Uropatagium [Fig. 13.2A]
3. Hindlimbs relatively small, knee directed outward and backward

Diet

• typically insects, but also fruit, nectar, meat, fish, blood.

Bat Flight

1. Bat Flight from the UCMP
2. Aerodynamics of Bat and Bird Flight from Dr. Steven Carr
3. Terminology [Fig. 13.3]
   1. lift
   2. drag
   3. camber
   4. angle of attack
   5. aspect ratio [Fig. 13.4]
   6. Wing Loading

Classification

• Bats are subdivided into two suborders: Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera [Table 13.1, Fig. 13.11].
• Molecular evidence indicates the Microchiroptera are paraphyletic, with megabats more closely related to rhinolophoid microbats.

Suborder Microchiroptera

17 families [Fig. 13.11]

traits

1. echolocation through ultrasonic sounds produced in larynx and emitted through nose or mouth enables bats to occupy at night niche filled by birds [Figs. 13.5-13.8]
2. many are heterothermic and hibernate
3. pinna often complex, tragus or antitragus present
4. nose or facial ornaments often present
5. second digit of wing without claw, completely enclosed in wing membrane [Fig. 13.10B]

Nearctic Microchiropteran Families

Emballonuridae--sac-winged bats, ghost bats [Fig. 13.16]

1. Neotropical, Ethiopian, Palearctic, Oriental, Australian
2. 13 genera, 51 species
3. often with glandular sac anterior to elbow joint in wing membrane (propatagium)
4. tail emerges from dorsal surface of relatively large uropatagium

Noctilionidae--fishing or bull-dog bats [fig. 13.20 ]

1. Neotropical (1 genus, 2 species)
2. pointed muzzle with strongly projected pad, heavy lips
3. insectivorous and piscivorous
4. feet with sharp, recurved claws

Mormoopidae--leaf-chinned bats

1. Southwestern U.S., Mexico, Neotropical
2. 2 genera, 8 species
3. conspicuous leaf-like flap of skin on chin
4. insectivorous
5. Texas genus: Mormoops; Mormoops megalophylla

Phyllostomidae--leaf-nosed bats, vampire bats [Table 13.4]

1. 55 genera, 160 species
2. Southwestern U.S., Mexico, Neotropical
3. conspicuous nose leaf present on muzzle [figs. 7.15, 13.22].  Photograph © 2001by Dr. Allan H. Chaney,  used  with permission.  Click on image to enlarge.
4. variable diets: insects, fruit, blood, lizards, rodents, etc.
   1. fruit eaters: ecological equivalents of Pteropodidae
   2. nectar and pollen feeders [pp. 134-136]
      1. Texas genera: Leptonycteris, Choeronycteris.
   3. frog eaters
   4. Desmodontinae [figs. 7.7, 13.21, 23.10]
      1. sanguivores [pp. 124-126]
      2. Diphylla the  hairy-legged vampire is known from a single record in west Texas; feeds on birds
      3. Vampire Bat locomotion

Molossidae--free-tailed bats

1. Cosmopolitan

2. 16 genera, 100 species

3. 1st and 5th digit of feet with fringe of stiff bristles
4. tail extends well beyond margin of uropatagium
5. fastest flying of the bats: high aspect ratio wings [Fig. 13.4F]
6. insectivorous
7. Texas molossids:  Nyctinomops, Eumops,
• and Tadarida
[Fig. 13.27]
• roosts on campus in large numbers, but is best known from Bracken Cave where they roost by the millions, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Congress Avenue Bridge
• more from BCI
• mammals of Texas on-line
• texas parks and wildlife wildlife fact sheets
• Tadarida from the University of Michigan
• the Texas State flying mammal

BIOLOGY OF BATS

REPRODUCTION - pp. 204-205

1. Delayed Fertilization
   1. Adaptation to winter dormancy. 
   2. Common in hibernating, north temperate insect eating bats (e.g. Vespertilionidae -some Myotis, etc.); also some tropical species
   3. General sequence
   4. pattern in Myotis lucifigus
2. Delayed Implantation
   1. a few bats
3. Delayed Development
   1. occurs in both micro- (some Myotis, some phyllostomids (Neotropical fruit bats, etc.) and macrochiropterans) 
   2. also a synchronizing strategy related to resource availability
   3. Artebeus jamaicensis has both delayed implantation and delayed development

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR

1. Desmodus rotundus
   1. reciprocal altruism in vampire bats [pp. 442-443]
   2. reciprocal altruism and the prisoners dilemma
2. Hypsignathus monstrosus 
   1. hammer-headed bats
   2. leks [pp. 416, 431, 438] 

THERMOREGULATION

1. How North American Bats Survive the Winter
2. adaptive hypothermia (pp. 171176) 
3. migration

ECHOLOCATION [pp. 261-264]

1. bat detectors:  Seeing In The Dark by M. Brock Fenton
2. Seeing in the dark
3. avoiding being eaten: Sounds of Silence by Jacqueline J. Belwood

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