Yangochiroptera
Encyclopedia
The Yangochiroptera is a proposed suborder of Chiroptera that includes most of the microbat
families, except the Rhinopomatidae
, Rhinolophidae and the Megadermatidae
. These other families, plus the megabats, are seen as part of another suborder, Yinpterochiroptera
.
The rationale for the Yangochiroptera taxon
is primarily based on molecular genetics data. The Yangochiroptera/ Yinpterochiroptera
classification remains a relatively recent proposal, which challenges the traditional view that megabats and microbats form monophyletic groups of bat
s. Further studies are being conducted, using both molecular and morphological cladistic methodology, to assess the merit of this alternative view of bat evolution
.
The term Yangochiroptera was apparently proposed in 1984 by Karl F. Koopman.
As an alternative to the subordinal names Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, some researchers use the terms Pteropodiformes and Vespertilioniformes. Under this new proposed nomenclature, Vespertilioniformes is the suborder that would replace Yangochiroptera.
Microbat
The microbats constitute the suborder Microchiroptera within the order Chiroptera . They are most often referred to by their scientific name...
families, except the Rhinopomatidae
Rhinopomatidae
Mouse-tailed bats are a group of insectivorous bats of the family Rhinopomatidae with only three to five species, all contained in the single genus Rhinopoma. They are found in the Old World, from North Africa to Thailand and Sumatra, in arid and semi-arid regions, roosting in caves, houses and...
, Rhinolophidae and the Megadermatidae
Megadermatidae
Megadermatidae, or False Vampire Bats, are a family of bats found from central Africa, eastwards through southern Asia, and into Australia. They are relatively large bats, ranging from 6.5 cm to 14 cm in head-body length. They have large eyes, very large ears and a prominent nose-leaf. They have a...
. These other families, plus the megabats, are seen as part of another suborder, Yinpterochiroptera
Yinpterochiroptera
The Yinpterochiroptera is a proposed suborder of the Chiroptera, which includes the megabats and three of the microbat families: Rhinopomatidae, Rhinolophidae and Megadermatidae. This taxon is primarily based on molecular genetics data. This is a relatively recent proposal, which challenges the...
.
The rationale for the Yangochiroptera taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
is primarily based on molecular genetics data. The Yangochiroptera/ Yinpterochiroptera
Yinpterochiroptera
The Yinpterochiroptera is a proposed suborder of the Chiroptera, which includes the megabats and three of the microbat families: Rhinopomatidae, Rhinolophidae and Megadermatidae. This taxon is primarily based on molecular genetics data. This is a relatively recent proposal, which challenges the...
classification remains a relatively recent proposal, which challenges the traditional view that megabats and microbats form monophyletic groups of bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s. Further studies are being conducted, using both molecular and morphological cladistic methodology, to assess the merit of this alternative view of bat evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
.
The term Yangochiroptera was apparently proposed in 1984 by Karl F. Koopman.
As an alternative to the subordinal names Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera, some researchers use the terms Pteropodiformes and Vespertilioniformes. Under this new proposed nomenclature, Vespertilioniformes is the suborder that would replace Yangochiroptera.
Classification
Suborder Yangochiroptera (Vespertilioniformes)- Family Antrozoidae (Pallid BatPallid batThe Pallid Bat is a species of bat that ranges from western Canada to central Mexico. It is the sole species of its genus and is closely related to Van Gelder's Bat , which is sometimes included in Antrozous...
and Van Gelder's BatVan Gelder's BatVan Gelder's Bat is a species of vesper bat in the Vespertilionidae family.It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Mexico. It is monotypic within its genus...
) - Family Craseonycteridae (Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat)
- Family Emballonuridae (Sac-winged bats)
- Family FuripteridaeFuripteridaeFuripteridae is one of the families of bats. This family contains only two species, the Smokey Bat and the Thumbless Bat. Both are from Central and South America, and are closely related to the bats in the Natalidae and Thyropteridae families. They can be recognized by their reduced and...
(Smoky bats) - Family Molossidae (Free-tailed bats)
- Family MormoopidaeMormoopidaeThe family Mormoopidae contains bats known generally as mustached bats, ghost-faced bats, and naked-backed bats. They are found in the Americas from the Southwestern United States to Southeastern Brazil....
(Ghost-faced bats) - Family MystacinidaeMystacinidaeMystacinidae is a family of unusual bats, the New Zealand short-tailed bats. There is one living genus, Mystacina, with two extant species, one of which is believed to have become extinct in the 1960s. They are medium-sized bats, about in length, with grey, velvety fur.Mystacinids are the most...
(New Zealand short-tailed bats) - Family Myzopodidae (Sucker-footed bats)
- Family NatalidaeNatalidaeThe family Natalidae, or funnel-eared bats are found from Mexico to Brazil and the Caribbean islands. The family has three genera, Chilonatalus, Natalus and Nyctiellus. They are slender bats with unusually long tails and, as their name suggests, funnel-shaped ears. They are small, at only 3.5 to...
(Funnel-eared bats) - Family Noctilionidae (Bulldog bats)
- Family NycteridaeNycteridaeNycteridae is the family of slit-faced or hollow-faced bats. They are grouped in a single genus, Nycteris. The bats are found in East Malaysia, Indonesia and many parts of Africa....
(Hollow-faced bats) - Family Phyllostomidae (Leaf-nosed bats)
- Family ThyropteridaeThyropteridaeDisc-winged bats are a small group of bats of the family Thyropteridae. They are found in Central and South America, usually in moist tropical rain forests. It is a very small family, consisting of a single genus with four species....
(Disk-winged bats) - Family Vespertilionidae (Vesper bats)