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bat
A bat is a mammal in the order Chiroptera. The forelimbs of all bats are developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of flight (though other mammals, such as flying squirrels, flying possums and colugos, can glide for limited distances). The word Chiroptera comes from the Greek words cheir (χειρ) "hand" and pteron (πτερον) "wing," as the structure of the open wing is very similar to an outspread human hand with a membrane (patagium) between the fingers that also stretches between hand and body.
A measure of the success of bats is their estimated total of about 1,100 species of bats worldwide, accounting for about 20 percent of all mammal species.[2] About 70 percent of bats are insectivores. Most of the rest are frugivores, with a few species being carnivorous. Bats are present throughout most of the world.
Bats perform a vital ecological role by pollinating some flowers, and also have an important role in seed dispersal; indeed, many tropical plants are entirely dependent on bats. This role explains environmental concerns when a bat is introduced in a new setting.[clarify] Tenerife provides a recent example with the introduction of the Egyptian fruit bat.[clarify] Bats range in size from the Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat to the Giant golden-crowned flying fox.
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