Chiropteran (Noun)
Meaning
Nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The chiropteran swooped down from the darkening sky, its high-pitched squeaks echoing through the forest as it used echolocation to locate its prey.
- Chiropterans are the only mammals capable of true flight, with their flexible wings beating rapidly as they dart through the night air.
- The biologist spent years studying the unique characteristics of the chiropteran, from its large ears to its complex noseleaf.
- A colony of chiropterans roosted in the cave, hanging upside down from the ceiling as they slept through the day.
- Contrary to popular myth, most chiropterans are not blind, but rather have poor eyesight that is compensated for by their advanced echolocation abilities.