do any of u know animals that are similar to bats?

Answer 1

First of all, I want to correct some of the erroneous statements made by other answerers:

1.) Bats are not rodents.
They are members of the order Chiroptera. There are over 1,116 described species in the order Chiroptera and all are referred to as bats. Rodents (mice, rats, hamsters, capybaras, squirrels, springhares, etc.) are in a distinct order, Rodentia.

2.) Flying squirrels do not fly. They glide. Bats are the only flying mammals.

3.) Bats are not particularly closely related to colugos (flying lemurs). This answer and the cited websites are referring to the Archonta hypothesis, which has been disproven based on genetics. Fruit bats have a similar visual system to colugos, primates, and tree shrews. As a result, researchers used to place all of these orders in the same group called Archonta. Colugos in particular were thought to be connected to bats due to similarities that their gliding membranes have with bats. Genetic studies have determined that although colugos, tree shrews, and primates are related (the group is called Euarchonta), bats are on a different part of the mammal tree.

Closest relatives:
Bats are on a very distinct branch from other placental mammals. Their closest living relatives are a large group called the Ferungulata. The Ferungulata includes carnivorans (cats, dogs, pandas, seals, skunks, mongooses, etc.), pangolins, artiodactyls (pigs, camels, whales, dolphins, hippos, cattle, giraffes, etc.), and perissodactyls (horses, rhinos, and tapirs). The closest relative to the Ferungulata/Chiroptera clade is the Insectivora (hedgehogs, shrews, moles, and solenodons). These three groups combine to form the Laurasiatheria. The closest relative to the Laurasiatheria is the Euarchontoglires (Euarchonta+Rodentia+rabbits). That clade is called Boreoeutheria. The remaining placental mammals (armadillos, anteaters, sloths, elephants, hyraxes, manatees, tenrecs, golden moles, aardvark, and elephant shrews) are even more distantly related.

Other fliers:
Outside of actual relationship and the similarity that colugos express in terms of vision and aerofoil membranes, the big thing that sets bats apart from other mammals is flight.

Flight has evolved four times in animals.
1.) Insects are very different from all the vertebrate examples.
2.) Birds are a type of dinosaur that evolved to use their forelimbs for flight in a manner similar to bats. Their feathers, however, form an important part of the aerofoil and their hind limbs are not involved with flight.
3.) Pterosaurs are probably the best example of an animal that takes a somewhat bat-like approach to flight. These flying reptiles were not dinosaurs, but were closely related to them. Their wings were leathery and involved attachment at the ankles similar to bats. Unlike bats, the whole hand was not involved in the flying process.

Answer 2

There are a lot of different types of bats. I think that most of that type of animal just falls under the 'bat' umbrella.

In Australia, we have an animal called a flying fox, which is like a big bat. Although they are also called fruit bats, so that might not actually help.

Answer 3

Bats are NOT rodents!!! Rodents are in the order Rodentia, while bats are in the order Chiroptera. I would say they are closest to birds in that they fly, but they are mammals and bird aren't, so the similarities end there.

Answer 4

Similar how?

Bats are rodents... so, Mice, Rats, Squirrels, Chipmonks

Flying Squirrel?

Answer 5

How about dolphins for their echolocation? Bats locate their food by bouncing ultrasonic 'clicks' off of them and listening for the echo.

Answer 6

Colugos or flying lemurs and their extinct relatives

Next closest are Primates (which we humans are a part of) and Tree Shrews

Answer 7

WHO CARES???

Those *%$&!@ live in my attic which I thought was sealed off! I get them in my house almost every summer; just last week I almost gassed myself trying to off one with Raid House & Garden...

BATS SUCK &%$!

Answer 8

You mean like flying squirrels.? Aside from that I cant think of any other flying mammals.

Answer 9

yep .... they are just mice with ugly faces and wings.....

Answer 10

ahh yes i do............. Birds are similar