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February 3, 2017
Q. They're an evolutionary success story for sure, with this order comprising about one-fifth of all living mammals. The order is Chiroptera, for “hand-wings,” and they're found on every continent but Antarctica. What are these shadowy creatures commonly called?
A. They're bats, and while they've been symbols of good luck in China, most of the world has associated them with night and darkness and danger, says Gemma Tarlach in Discover magazine. Neither birds nor rodents, bats have been capable of powered flight for 50 million years or more, but “unlike the more rigid wings of birds and insects, bat wings have multiple joints and move in and out as well as up, down, back and forth with every stroke.” Like birds, though, the outer layer of their skin contains a compound that enhances pliability. “No other mammal has this adaptation.” Also, a recent study “found that when competing for food, Mexican free-tailed bats emit an ultrasonic signal that effectively blocks the sound waves another bat sends out to home in on an insect,” causing the rival to miss its target.
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