Palaeochiropteryx
Palaeochiropteryx ( ) is an extinct genus of bat from the Middle Eocene of Europe and North America. It contains three very similar species – Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon and Palaeochiropteryx spiegeli, both from the famous Messel Pit of Germany, as well as Palaeochiropteryx sambuceus from the Sheep Pass Formation (Nevada, United States). They are usually found complete and exceptionally preserved, even retaining the outlines of their fur, ears, and wing membranes.
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Discovery and classification
- Taxonomy and phylogeny
- Description
- Paleobiology and paleoecology
- Echolocation
- See also
- References
- External links
Palaeochiropteryx ( ) is an extinct genus of bat from the Middle Eocene of Europe and North America. It contains three very similar species – Palaeochiropteryx tupaiodon and Palaeochiropteryx spiegeli, both from the famous Messel Pit of Germany, as well as Palaeochiropteryx sambuceus from the Sheep Pass Formation (Nevada, United States). They are usually found complete and exceptionally preserved, even retaining the outlines of their fur, ears, and wing membranes.
They are one of the oldest bats known, existing around 48 million years ago. Despite this, they were already quite advanced, showing evidence of the ability to hunt by echolocation like modern insect-eating bats.