Miniopteridae
| Miniopterus | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Schreibers' bat, Miniopterus schreibersi | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Chiroptera |
| Superfamily: | Vespertilionoidea |
| Family: |
Miniopteridae Dobson, 1875 |
| Genus: |
Miniopterus Bonaparte, 1837 |
| Species | |
|
See text |
|
See text
Miniopterus (bent-winged bat, long winged bat) is the only genus of bats in the family Miniopteridae. The genus had been placed in its own subfamily among vesper bats, Miniopterinae, but is now classified as its own family.
Bent-winged bats are typically small (total length c. 10 cm, wingspans 30–35 cm, mass less than 20 g), with broad, short muzzles. The cranium is bulbous and taller than the snout, a feature shared with woolly bats and mouse-eared bats. This combination of features was likely present in the common ancestor of the vesper bats. They have two tiny, vestigial premolars between the upper canines and first large premolar. Unlike other bats, they lack a tendon-locking mechanism in their toes.
The common name of bent-winged bat refers to the group's ability to fold back their extra-long third finger when the wings are folded. This finger gives the bats long, narrow wings.
In 2017, evidence of deltaretroviruses was found in the genome of the Miniopteridae. Deltaretroviruses only affect mammals, and this was the first evidence that they affected bat species. The presence of the deltaretrovirus in multiple Miniopterid species suggests that the virus was present in the family before speciation 20 million years ago. The evolutionary history of deltaretroviruses is important because they cause leukemia in humans.
Family Miniopteridae
Bent-winged bats occur in southern Europe, across Africa and Madagascar, throughout Asia, and in Australia, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. One species, the common bent-wing bat, inhabits the whole of this range. The group rapidly colonized much of this area in the last 15,000 years.
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