Onychonycteris

Oh-nik-o-nik-teh-riss
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Nisha Yadav

Physicist

Nisha Yadav is a dedicated physicist whose work bridges the gap between physics and paleontology. With a deep interest in the processes that preserve ancient life, she explores how physical principles govern fossilization and the preservation of extinct species.

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Name

Onychonycteris ‭(‬Clawed bat‭)‬.

Phonetic

Oh-nik-o-nik-teh-riss

Named By

Nancy B.‭ ‬Simmons,‭ ‬Kevin L.‭ ‬Seymour,‭ ‬Jorg Habersetzer‭ & ‬Gregg F.‭ ‬Gunnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2008.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Mammalia,‭ ‬Chiroptera, Onychonycteridae, Onychonycteris.

Diet

Insectivore.

Species

O.‭ ‬finneyi

Size

Roughly‭ ‬25‭ ‬centimetres long,‭ ‬52‭ ‬centimetre wingspan.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Wyoming‭ ‬-‭ ‬Green River Formation.

Time Period

Ypresian of the Eocene.

Fossil representation

Almost complete skull and skeleton preserved flat on a slab.

In Depth

       Onychonycteris existed during the Eocene,‭ ‬and is regarded as one of the most primitive bats known.‭ ‬So primitive is Onychonycteris that the fingers all still have large claws on their ends,‭ ‬and study of the skull and ear bones strongly suggests that Onychonycteris was incapable of using echolocation to find prey.‭ ‬This is a clear indication that echolocation was developed in bats after they had already taken to the air.‭

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Primitive Early Eocene bat from Wyoming and the evolution of flight and echolocation.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nature‭ ‬451‭ (‬7180‭)‬:‭ ‬818‭–‬21.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Nancy B.‭ ‬Simmons,‭ ‬Kevin L.‭ ‬Seymour,‭ ‬Jorg Habersetzer‭ & ‬Gregg F.‭ ‬Gunnell‭ ‬-‭ ‬2008. – A bony connection signals laryngeal echolocation in bats. – Nature. Nature Publishing Group. 463 (7283): 939–942. – Nina Veselka, David D. McErlain, David W. Holdsworth, Judith L. Eger, Rethy K. Chhem, Matthew J. Mason, Kirsty L. Brain, Paul A. Faure & M. Brock Fenton – 2010.

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