CHIEOPTERA. 
8B 
CHIEOPTERA. 
Mammals with their anterior extremities modified for aerial flight. Ulna imperfect; 
radius long and curved, supporting a six-boned carpus with its five digits; first digit 
usually short, free from the others; the four remaining digits greatly elongated, with 
a wing-membrane or patagium extended between them and along the radius, ulna and 
humerus, sides of the body, and hinder extremities; a short antibrachial membrane 
stretches from the shoulder along the humerus and forearm; an accessory membrane 
is attached between the hinder extremities, usually supported by a cartilaginous process 
(the calcaneum) arising from the inner side of the ankle-joint. Knee directed back¬ 
wards. Mammary glands thoracic and generally postaxillary; pubic teats absent or 
present. Penis pendent, with or without a bone ; testicles abdominal or inguinal; 
uterus simple or two-horned ; placenta discoidal and deciduate. Cerebral hemispheres 
smooth, not extending backwards over the cerebellum. Dentition; incisors, canines, 
premolars, and molars—never more than 38 teeth. 
This order is resolvable into two suborders, the Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. 
The members of the first are frugivorous, and those of the second insectivorous. 
Suborder MEGACHIROPTERA. 
Fruit-eating Bats, usually of large size. Molar teeth with smooth crowns, longi¬ 
tudinally furrowed (cuspidate in Pteralopex i). Osseous palate prolonged behind the 
last molar; second digit of manus with three phalanges, terminal phalanx generally 
clawed. Ear-conch usually forming a complete ring at the base.. Pyloric extremity 
of the stomach usually elongated. 
The Megachiroptera constitute a single family, viz. the Pteropodidse, the characters 
of which are the same as those of the suborder itself. 
^ Thomas, Ann. & Mag. N. H. (6) i. 1888, p. 155. 
