Re: Pterosaur Fur

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

On Tuesday, October 16, 2007, at 09:02  PM, jrc wrote:

> I agree that it's moot, and you aren't mistaken, but even soft bat fur  
> is capable of triggering a flow seperation.  It doesn't take much to  
> do that.

Ah, gotcha.  Thanks!

> Incidentally, the only bats that I'm aware of that have hair on the  
> wings are solitary bats that don't sleep in tightly packed clusters,  
> and they have it only on the undersurface of the inner wing where  
> there is a flow separation anyway,   Seems to be a case of a need for  
> insulation superceding flight needs.  As always, compromise rules....   
>  For pterosaurs, I could see some uses for more 'bristlely' fur or  
> fuzz along the upper juncture of the neck and shoulders, but don't  
> remember if any actually have it.

If memory serves, Myotis volans has some fur on the underside of the  
wing as you describe.  There are others that have fur on the upper  
surface, though it is usually limited.  That uropatagium is sometimes  
heavily furred.  An example is the genus Lasiurus, and a decent picture  
can be found at:

http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/MMD/AML/Bat%20list/images/ 
WesternRedBat_001.jpg

I know that others exist, as well, but my memory seems to be below par  
at the moment and the names escape me.  Incidentally, Lasiurus are  
indeed solitary roosters that generally utilize trees (possibly making  
them somewhat exposed to low temperatures).

Cheers,

--Mike H.