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Glite Dictionary
chiropteran

chiropteran

9.9
A mammal like a bat that flies using winged front legs and finds things by sound
  • noun
  • /kaɪˈrɒptərən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : quiróptero
  • Researchers are studying the echolocation abilities of various chiropteran species to understand how they navigate in the dark.

Examples

  • The chiropteran diversity of Pakistan is comparable to any other region of the world with similar climatic conditions and topography.

    Academic text (2014)

  • In Pakistan, the taxonomy, distribution, ecology, and biology of most of the chiropteran species are little known.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The chiropteran hero hasn't introduced many substantial changes to his modus operandi since his last, incredibly well-received video game outing.

    Blog text (12)

  • Many chiropteran species, such as bats, play a crucial role in pollinating plants and controlling insect populations.

  • The chiropteran population in the region has significantly declined due to habitat loss and environmental changes.

Synonyms

bat
vschiropteran
201 1.0

A small animal that flies at night and finds food by sound

is the formal scientific name used in biology

Surface Forms

chiropteran singular
chiropterans plural

Morphology

chiropteran = Chiroptera (opaque) = chiroptera + ??? + an

Formed from the technical taxonomic name 'Chiroptera' plus the suffix '-an'; the elements are specialized Greek combining forms unfamiliar to average learners, so the meaning is not inferable by B1 learners.

Etymology

The word chiropteran comes from Greek parts cheir and pteron, which mean 'hand' and 'wing'. Think of a bat as a 'hand-wing' because its wing is skin stretched over long fingers, and that is why chiropteran names this flying mammal.