Chiroptera and Dermoptera

Chiroptera and Dermoptera having species that are related to flying and gliding type animals.

Chiroptera

Chiroptera is nearly a quarter of the living mammals belong to the group of bats. This order has about 951 species of bats.

They are mostly nocturnal in habits with very small eyes coupled with poor vision.

These are the only mammals that are capable of maintain a sustained flight. Echolocation is the technique being used by bats to locate the prey species. However, the fruit bats may have a well developed eyes and echolocation is poor in them.

Microchiroptera

Small insectivorous bats are grouped in this category. These mammals are the gregarious in nature. In day time, they are seen hanging in tree branches or crevices with their head down. They live on night-flying insects.

Examples of Microchiroptera are Desmodus and Rhindophus.

Macrochiroptera

Macrochiroptera order contains large sized bats like fruit bats or fruit eating bats that are commonly called as the flying foxes.

They don’t have any tail but have an elongated snout. They also live in groups and are seen hanging upside down in tall trees often. During the hanging, the wings are tucked up in the folded condition. They are also nocturnal and gregarious in nature.

Dermoptera

Dermoptera are commonly called as the flying or gliding lemur which is also called as the Colugo.

These animals are restricted to south-east Asia and Philippines. This species is considered as a taxonomic puzzle because it has the head that reveals the features of both the lemurs and insectivores.