Icaronycteris

Icaronycteris
Temporal range: Early Eocene
Icaronycteris index, Green River Formation, in the ROM,
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Chiroptera
Suborder: Microchiroptera
Family: Icaronycteridae
Genus: Icaronycteris
Jepsen 1966
Species

Icaronycteris is an extinct genus of microchiropteran (echolocating) bat that lived in the early Eocene, approximately 52.2 million years ago, making it the earliest known definitive bat.[1] Four exceptionally preserved specimens, among the best preserved bat fossils, are known from the Green River Formation of North America.[1] There is only one thoroughly described species of bat in the genus, I. index,[2] although fragmentary material from France has also been tentatively placed within Icaronycteris as the second species I. menui.[3] I. sigei is based on well-preserved fragments of dentaries and lower teeth found in Western India.[4]

Icaronycteris index, Houston

Description

Icaronycteris[5] measured about 14 centimetres (5.5 in) long and had a wingspan of 37 centimetres (15 in). It closely resembled modern bats, but had some primitive traits. The tail was much longer and not connected to the hind legs with a skin membrane, the first wing finger bore a claw and the body was more flexible. Similarly, it had a full set of relatively unspecialised teeth, similar to those of a modern shrew. Its anatomy suggests that, like modern bats, Icaronycteris slept while hanging upside down, holding onto a tree branch or stone ridge with its hind legs.[6]

Phylogeny

According to Simmons & Geisler 1998,[7] Icaronycteris is the first genus, followed by Archaeonycteris, Hassianycetris, and Palaeochiropteryx, in a series leading to extant microchiropteran bats.[8]

            
             

Megachiroptera


             
             

Icaronycteris


             
             

Archaeonycteris


             
             
             

Palaeochiropteryx


             

Microchiroptera (Echolocating bats)







[9]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Icaronycteris.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Gunnell & Simmons 2005, Fossil Bats, p. 214
  2. Jepsen 1966
  3. Simmons & Geisler 1998, p. 40
  4. Smith et al. 2007, Abstract
  5. The name relates the mythic flight of Icarus to Nycteris, the genus of "hollow-faced bats".
  6. Palmer 1999, p. 211
  7. Simmons & Geisler 1998, Abstract
  8. Simmons & Conway 1998, Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
  9. Simmons & Conway 1998

Sources

Further reading

  • Cox, Barry; Harrison, Colin; Savage, R. J. G.; Gardiner, Brian (1999). The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-684-86411-8. OCLC 40943525. 
  • Naish, Darren; Wyse, Liz (2001). Parsons, Jayne, ed. Dinosaur Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9780789479358. 
  • Richardson, Hazel (2003). Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals. Smithsonian Handbooks. Dorling Kindersley. p. 170. ISBN 0789493616. OCLC 52532157. OL 8156728M. 
  • Norman, David (2001). The Big Book Of Dinosaurs. Welcome Books. p. 119. ISBN 0941807487. OCLC 47522057. 


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