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Chiroptera

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.46 sec.
Chiroptera
the order which comprises all of the 178 genera in 16 families of bats. Characterized by their ability to fly with the aid of an alar membrane which is attached to all four limbs and tail. They are fast fliers with a special sensory system to enable them to fly at their preferred time, dusk.
There are three groups, insectivorous e.g. Macrotus spp., fruit-eating e.g. Pteropus (called also flying foxes), and blood-drinking or vampire bats e.g. Desmodus, better known by their association with Nosferatu than as carriers of the rabies virus. (Much of the mythology of vampirism can be explained within the parameters of rabies epidemiology). Both fruit-eating and vampire bats are known to be involved in the spread of rabies and similar bat rabies viruses.

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The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera, meaning "hand-wing.
But the five permanent pets, too badly injured to return to the wild, have become traveling public relations for the order Chiroptera, accompanying Mashburn on hundreds of lectures a year to schools, senior centers, Rotary clubs, conservation and farm groups.
Investigation of this novel outbreak showed evolution in action with the emergence of an RABVV that successfully adapted from Chiroptera to Carnivora.
 
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