Some bats, such as vespertilionids, have large uropatagiums with tails that run to the end of the membrane or just beyond. This fur probably serves to insulate and camouflage the bat.īats also differ in the structure of their tails, and tail structure provides important clues for classification. A few species have a thick layer of fur on their tail membranes and some parts of their wings these include tree roosting species such as members of the vespertilionid genus Lasiurus. The function of these hairs may be to modify the aerodynamic properties of the surface of the wings, but this is speculative. Wing and tail membranes appear naked in most bats, but on close examination they can be seen to be covered with minute hairs, and in some species, with distinctive tufts and fringes of hairs. In some species, both the uropatagium and calcar are absent. The calcar sometimes bears a distinctive projection called a keel.
It is supported by the legs, the tail skeleton, and by the calcar, a special cartilaginous extension of the ankle. The hind legs of many bats are partially or completely joined by a membrane, the uropatagium, which also may enclose the bony tail. The membrane spanning digits 2-5 is called the dactylopatagium. The plagiopatagium includes the area from the body to the 5th digit. The propatagium runs from the shoulder to the wrist and is the leading edge of the wing. Bat biologists use different names to refer to different parts of the membrane. The wing membrane joins the body along the sides, except in a few cases in which it arises near the middle of the back. If torn, it heals remarkably fast, which is perhaps not surprising considering the importance of flight to bats.īat wings usually run from the shoulder region to the ankle, or in some cases, to the digits themselves. These muscles control the curvature of the wing in flight. It is made up of external epidermis and an internal layer of dermis, which contains blood vessels (easily seen in a live bat when the wing is stretched in front of a light) and muscles.
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The wing membrane is an extension of the skin of the body. The second digit bears a claw in pteropodids, but not in any microchiropteran. The skeleton of each includes a basal metacarpal, which is the largest element of the digit, and usually 1-3 phalanges. The rest of the digits (2-5) support the wing. Bat thumbs vary considerably in size generally species whose feeding or roosting habits involve much crawling have longer and stronger thumbs.
It usually has a substantial claw, which is used for climbing, food handling, and fighting.
It is specialized to support the particular motions associated with flying.Īll bats have a thumb, which sits along the leading edge of the wing. The wrist region is very similar to that of other mammals, although less flexible. The ulna is much reduced in size the olecranon process (at the articulation with the humerus) is the most substantial part of the ulna the rest is considerably reduced and fused with the radius. The radius is also long and thin, but it is a strong bone that supports the wing. It is long and thin compared to the humerus of other mammals, but its articular surfaces and areas for attachment of muscles are fundamentally like those of most mammals.Īttached to the humerus are the radius and ulna. The element of the wing skeleton closest to the body is the humerus. Every element of that skeleton is clearly homologous with structures in the forelimbs of other mammals, and there is no question that bat wings evolved as a result of modifications to the forelimbs of their ancestors. The origin of bat wings is most clearly revealed by their skeleton. They give the order Chiroptera its name (literally, "hand-wing"), and functional wings and true flight are characteristics of all bats. The wings of bats are their most distinctive - and perhaps most remarkable - feature.
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