A Wing and a Prayer Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hand wing

That's right, 'cheir' or 'kheir' means hand in Greek. If you're a chemist you may have used the same root when talking about the chirality of a certain compound, this is where there exists a mirror image compound which is non-superposable to the original.

'Pteron' is perhaps more familiar, with the Pterosaur being one of the first vertebrates to have developed flight. They roamed the earth from the late Triassic, through to the end of the Cretaceous Period.

Answer: Microbats

There are in fact 1,240 different species of bat worldwide, accounting for a large proportion (around 20%) of all mammals. These are divided into the megabats (sometimes called flying foxes) which do not use echolocation to get around and are generally larger than the microbats who do use echolocation.

However, it should be noted that the distinction between megabat and microbat is not just one of size, as there are several megabats that are only around 6cm in length, smaller than the largest microbats.

Answer: Fruit

Some megabats do eat nectar and they are described as nectarivorous. Many species are frugivorous, but despite the fact that they have particularly tough teeth which allow them to get into most fruits, they often only crush the fruit to drink the juice as opposed to eating the flesh itself.

This diet plays an important role in the distribution of plants, with frugivorous bats dispersing seeds, and nectarivorous bats pollinating plants.

Answer: Ebola

There have been several other cases of bats acting as reservoirs for diseases, leading to some bats, particularly some megabats gaining a bad reputation as disease carriers.

For example, in 2007 the Egyptian fruit bat was found to be carrying the Marburg virus, a dangerous viral hemorrhagic fever which can lead to death. Another example is found in some South Pacific islands, where fruit bats are enjoyed as a delicacy. This has been proposed as the cause of Lytico-bodig disease, a disease similar to Parkinson's disease and found on the island of Guam.

Answer: Yes

There are many organizations for the conservation of bats worldwide. A few examples of these are Bat Conservation International and the Organization for Bat Conservation, who are based in Michigan but operate in four continents.

A popular way to attract bats is to build large 'bat houses', similar to the way that birdhouses are build to attract birds. This is often done to attract bats to an area where the locals would like to reduce the presence of insects during the night.

Answer: Thinner

Although the fact that their wings are much thinner gives them greater maneuverability than birds, it also makes them more vulnerable. The wings of a bat are quite fragile, and have been known to tear easily. However, the membrane in the wing of a bat can regrow, repairing small rips.

This maneuverability does not save bats from being the prey of several birds, aptly named bat hawks and bat falcons.

Answer: Bumblebee bat

Kitti's hog-nosed bat is actually one of the two contenders for the title of world's smallest mammal. With an average body weight of just 2g it is second to the Etruscan shrew (1.8g), but has a smaller skull size than the shrew so there has been no definitive winner declared.

Unfortunately the population of Kitti's hog-nosed bat has seen a decline since their discovery in 1974, and it is classified by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as a vulnerable species.

Answer: Yes

Many bats migrate up to several hundred miles for the winter, while some just retreat to their caves and hibernate. Some species have even been known to do both. The main reason they have to wait until the weather is warmer is for food. Those bats that are insectivorous would not be able to gather enough food during the winter months.

Answer: Centipede

How amazing is that! Scolopendra gigantea is the scientific name of the Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede, one of the world's largest species of centipede which can regularly reach over a foot (30cm) in length. A 2005 study found that they hold on to the side of the cave with their rear legs, taking bats out of the air and quickly injecting them with a potent venom which is strong enough to kill.

Apologies to all those who don't like creepy crawlies, I recommend you avoid looking up a picture!

Answer: To ensure maximum food for the offspring

There are several methods through which bats can delay giving birth to their offspring. The first of these is delayed fertilization, where the sperm is stored separately from the egg for up to several months before fertilization occurs.

A second method is delayed implantation, where the egg is fertilized at the time of mating but remains in the reproductive tract until the conditions are optimal for the survival of the young.