Cheiromeles
Genus of bats / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cheiromeles is a genus of bats in the family Molossidae, the free-tailed bats.[1] The genus was erected and described by Thomas Horsfield, who developed the name from the Greek word cheir ("hand"), a reference to the hand-like hindfoot, which has a toe that flexes like an opposable thumb.[2] These bats have mostly hairless bodies and fold their wings into pouches of skin along their bodies when at rest.[3] These are among the largest insectivorous bats, weighing up to 135 grams.[4]
Quick Facts Cheiromeles, Scientific classification ...
Cheiromeles | |
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Cheiromeles torquatus museum specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Chiroptera |
Family: | Molossidae |
Genus: | Cheiromeles Horsfield, 1824 |
Type species | |
Cheiromeles torquata Horsfield, 1824 | |
Species | |
2, see text |
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There are two species in this genus:[2]
- Lesser naked bat Cheiromeles parvidens
- Hairless bat Cheiromeles torquatus