Icaronycteris

Icaronycteris is an extinct genus of microchiropteran (echolocating) bat that lived in the early Eocene, approximately 52.2 million years ago, making it the earliest known definitive bat.[1] Four exceptionally preserved specimens, among the best preserved bat fossils, are known from the Green River Formation of North America.[1] There is only one thoroughly described species of bat in the genus, I. index,[2] although fragmentary material from France has also been tentatively placed within Icaronycteris as the second species I. menui.[3] I. sigei is based on well-preserved fragments of dentaries and lower teeth found in Western India.[4]

Icaronycteris index, Houston

Icaronycteris Temporal range: Early Eocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Icaronycteris index, Green River Formation, in the ROM,
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Chiroptera
Family:	†Icaronycteridae
Genus:	†Icaronycteris Jepsen 1966
Species
†Icaronycteris index Jepsen 1966 †Icaronycteris? menui Russell, Louis & Savage 1973 †Icaronycteris sigei Smith et al. 2007

Description

Icaronycteris[5] measured about 14 centimetres (5.5 in) long and had a wingspan of 37 centimetres (15 in). It closely resembled modern bats, but had some primitive traits. The tail was much longer and not connected to the hind legs with a skin membrane, the first wing finger bore a claw and the body was more flexible. Similarly, it had a full set of relatively unspecialised teeth, similar to those of a modern shrew. Its anatomy suggests that, like modern bats, Icaronycteris slept while hanging upside down, holding onto a tree branch or stone ridge with its hind legs.[6]

Phylogeny

According to Simmons & Geisler 1998,[7] Icaronycteris is the first genus, followed by Archaeonycteris, Hassianycetris, and Palaeochiropteryx, in a series leading to extant microchiropteran bats.[8]

←	Megachiroptera                               Icaronycteris                               Archaeonycteris                                             Palaeochiropteryx                 Microchiroptera (Echolocating bats)

[9]

See also

• Onychonycteris
• Australonycteris
• Protictis

References

Notes

1. Gunnell & Simmons 2005, Fossil Bats, p. 214
2. Jepsen 1966
3. Simmons & Geisler 1998, p. 40
4. Smith et al. 2007, Abstract
5. The name relates the mythic flight of Icarus to Nycteris, the genus of "hollow-faced bats".
6. Palmer 1999, p. 211
7. Simmons & Geisler 1998, Abstract
8. Simmons & Conway 1998, Discussion of Phylogenetic Relationships
9. Simmons & Conway 1998

Sources

• Gunnell, G. F.; Simmons, N. B. (2005). "Fossil evidence and the origin of bats" (PDF). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 12 (1–2): 209–246. doi:10.1007/s10914-005-6945-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Jepsen, G. L. (1966). "Early Eocene bat from Wyoming". Science. 154 (3754): 1333–9. Bibcode:1966Sci...154.1333J. doi:10.1126/science.154.3754.1333. PMID 17770307.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Russell, D. E.; Louis, P.; Savage, D. E. (1973). "Chiroptera and Dermoptera of the French early Eocene". University of California Publications in Geological Sciences. 95: 1–57. OCLC 691130847.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Smith, T.; Rana, R. S.; Missiaen, P.; Rose, K. D.; Sahni, A.; Singh, H.; Singh, L. (2007). "High bat (Chiroptera) diversity in the Early Eocene of India". Naturwissenschaften. 94 (12): 1003–1009. Bibcode:2007NW.....94.1003S. doi:10.1007/s00114-007-0280-9. hdl:1854/LU-385394. PMID 17671774.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Simmons, N. B.; Conway, T. (1998). "Chiroptera". Tree of Life. Retrieved September 2014. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Simmons, N. B.; Geisler, J. H. (1998). "Phylogenetic relationships of Icaronycteris, Archaeonycteris, Hassianycteris, and Palaeochiropteryx to extant bat lineages, with comments on the evolution of echolocation and foraging strategies in Microchiroptera" (PDF). Bulletin of the AMNH (235).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

Further reading

• Cox, Barry; Harrison, Colin; Savage, R. J. G.; Gardiner, Brian (1999). The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures: A Visual Who's Who of Prehistoric Life. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-86411-2. OCLC 40943525.
• Naish, Darren; Wyse, Liz (2001). Parsons, Jayne (ed.). Dinosaur Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9780789479358.
• Richardson, Hazel (2003). Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals. Smithsonian Handbooks. Dorling Kindersley. p. 170. ISBN 978-0789493613. OCLC 52532157. OL 8156728M.
• Norman, David (2001). The Big Book Of Dinosaurs. Welcome Books. p. 119. ISBN 978-0941807487. OCLC 47522057.