What is the difference between Microbats and Megabats?

Question

Why do only Microbats use echolocation? Are they different in:
-Intelligence?
-Size?
-Prey?
-Biology?
-Anatomy?
-Habitat?

Anything that'll answer why only microbats use echolocation and how they are different is helpful!

Answer 1

Microbats can all echolocate- there are 1 or 2 species of mega bats than can echolocate, I believe. Prey is a huge thing- most megabats are fruit bats.

I really don't want to list everything, but you should check out an excellent article on the evolution of echolocation in bats- it evolved independently- and some megabats are actually mircobats, in evolutionary terms.

The article is :
http://www.erin.utoronto.ca/~w3bio205/echolocation_bats.pdf

Any questions after the article, feel free to IM or email me.

Answer 2

The Bat species is usually divided into 2 main groups - Micro & Mega. Bats are mammals and the female gives birth like humans and suckles their young .
Microbats - are usually small, eat insects and use echolocation, these are the bats you usually see flying around at dusk, they are capable of finding their way in the dark. Microbats usually live within deep caves during the day. A microbat usually has a total wing span of about 25cms or less.

Megabats - are the larger fruit eating bats. They eat fruit, nectar and blossums. They also have a very strong sense of smell. They have large eyes, for seeing in the dark. Megabats are usually the ones you see living in trees, they do not live in caves. Megabats have a total wingspan of approx 1 meter, and their faces are "fox-like" but they are not related to foxes. The megabats are very social.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Both groups have evolved different strategies to locate food. Unlike micro-chiropterans, mega-chiroptarans use keen frontal vision to locate the fruit and nectar they predominately feed upon.
In contrast, microciropterans are mainly insectivores and a visual system wouldn't work in hunting their nocturnal prey.
I'd be surprized if either group was more intelligent than the other as they have both evolved into highly social animals.
I'd imagine the differences are due to a distinctly separate evolutionary pathways.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is the difference between Microbats and Megabats?
Why do only Microbats use echolocation? Are they different in:
-Intelligence?
-Size?
-Prey?
-Biology?
-Anatomy?
-Habitat?

Anything that'll answer why only microbats use echolocation and how they are different is helpful!

Answer 5

Sounds like a Weekend at the Professor's house.

Answer 6

Megabats make me think of puppies with wings.
Sorry, I don't know much about the scientific differences.