Aegyptonycteris

Ay-jipt-o-nik-the-rus.
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Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Aegyptonycteris ‭(‬Egyptian bat‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ay-jipt-o-nik-the-rus.

Named By

Nancy B.‭ ‬Simmons‭; ‬Erik R.‭ ‬Seiffert‭ & ‬Gregg F.‭ ‬Gunnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Boreoeutheria,‭ ‬Scrotifera,‭ ‬Chiroptera.

Diet

Omnivore‭?

Species

A.‭ ‬knightae‭

Size

Uncertain due to lack of remains.

Known locations

Egypt.

Time Period

Late Eocene.

Fossil representation

Partial skull remains.

In Depth

       Aegyptonycteris is a genus of bat that lived in Egypt during the Eocene.‭ ‬Though only known form partial remains,‭ ‬Aegyptonycteris seems to have had an omnivorous diet,‭ ‬revealing that as the bats evolved,‭ ‬they were relatively quick to adapt to different ecological niches.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬A New Family of Large Omnivorous Bats‭ (‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Chiroptera‭) ‬from the Late Eocene of the Fayum Depression,‭ ‬Egypt,‭ ‬with Comments on Use of the Name‭ “‬Eochiroptera‭”‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬American Museum Novitates.‭ ‬3857:‭ ‬1‭–‬43.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nancy B.‭ ‬Simmons‭; ‬Erik R.‭ ‬Seiffert‭ & ‬Gregg F.‭ ‬Gunnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016.

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