Chiropterans, members of Chiroptera, are an order of mammals most commonly known as the bats. Bats are unique among mammals as they are the only group to have evolved true flight. Some mammals such as the flying squirrels or sugar gliders can glide through the air with their patagium, but they are not capable of sustained flight. Bats are nocturnal and usually roost in caves, trees, tight crevices, and underneath structures such as buildings and bridges.

The bat's forearms are unique, being modified into membrane covered, clawed wings. Due to this, their digits are long and far apart, wrapped in a membrane, forming their iconic membranous wings. Their hindlimbs are also unique, though not as specialized as their forearms. Their hips are rotated 90 degrees, giving them a "duck footed", or pointed outwards, awkward gait. This makes walking often difficult and bizarre looking for most Chiropterans. Though awkward in movement, their limbs allow for them to roost upside down by their feet, and even have "locking" tendon systems to keep themselves rooted in place even when asleep.

General anatomy

• bat_nose
• beady_eyes
• big_ears
• membranous_wings
• bat_wings
• patagium
• teeth
• fangs
• sharp_teeth

Families and species

• chiropteran (bats)
• pteropodid (megabats/fruit bats/flying foxes)
• egyptian_fruit_bat
• stripe-faced_fruit_bat
• sulawesi_stripe-faced_fruit_bat
• mindoro_stripe-faced_fruit_bat
• spectacled_flying_fox
• mauritian_flying_fox
• indian_flying_fox
• grey-headed_flying_fox
• great_flying_fox
• comoro_flying_fox
• black_flying_fox
• epomophorine
• franquet's_epauletted_fruit_bat
• peters's_dwarf_epauletted_fruit_bat
• microchiropteran (microbats)
• rhinopomatid (mouse-tailed bats)
• rhinolophid (horseshoe bats)
• hipposiderid (old-world leaf-nosed bats)
• megadermitid (false vampire bats)
• ghost_bat
• yangochiropteran (vespertilioniformes)
• phyllostomid (new-world leaf-nosed bats)
• vampire_bat
• honduran_white_bat
• spectral_bat
• vesper_bat (common bats)
• spotted_bat
• pied_bat
• pallid_bat
• painted_bat
• jamaican_red_bat
• free-tailed_bat
• house_bat
• big_brown_bat

Fictional

• bat_humanoid
• nimbat
• succubat_(dragon_quest)

Related

• ambient_bat
• halloween
• moon
• night
• vampire (often associated with and can transform into bats, though not always)
• witch

See also

• tag group:species
• mammal
• afrosoricid - Golden mole and tenrec.
• bovine - Buffalo, cattle, yak, etc.
• camelid - Alpaca, camel, llama, etc.
• canine - Dog, fox, wolf, etc.
• caprine - Goat, ibex, sheep, etc.
• cervine - Elk, moose, reindeer, etc.
• cetacean - Dolphin, porpoise, whale, etc.
• chiropteran - Bats
• equine - Donkey, horse, zebra, etc.
• eulipotyphlan - Hedgehog, mole, shrew, etc.
• euplerid - Fanaloka, fossa, vontsira, etc.
• feline - Cat, lion, tiger, etc.
• giraffid - Giraffe, okapi, etc.
• herpestid - Mongoose
• hippopotamid - Hippo
• lagomorph - Rabbit, hare, pika, etc.
• marsupial - Kangaroo, koala, opossum, etc.
• mephitid - Skunks and stink badgers.
• monotreme - Echidna and platypus
• mustelid - Ferret, otter, weasel, etc.
• pinniped - Sea lion, seal, walrus, etc.
• porcine - Boar, pig, warthog, etc.
• primate - Ape, lemur, monkey, etc. (excludes human)
• proboscidean - Elephant, mammoth, mastodon, etc.
• procyonid - Kinkajou, raccoon, ring-tailed cat, etc.
• rhinocerotid - Rhinoceros
• rodent - Mouse, rat, squirrel, etc.
• ursine - Grizzly bear, panda, polar bear, etc.
• viverrid - Civet, genet, linsang, etc.
• xenarthran - Anteater, armadillo, and sloth.