Bullen Robert D, McKenzie Norman L
Department of Environment and Conservation, Wanneroo, Western Australia 6946, Australia.
Zoology (Jena). 2008;111(4):279-86. doi: 10.1016/j.zool.2007.09.001. Epub 2008 May 23.
We measured qualitative and quantitative aspects of the head and body pelage of 23 species of Western Australian bats. A functionally appropriate relationship was found with the normal flight speeds and foraging strategy of the bats at three levels of geometric consideration: overall fur texture, individual hair length and cuticular scale attributes (scale type, scale length and diameter, as well as sub-scale detail design). This relationship is best explained by describing the pelage surface as characterised by aerodynamic riblets. For species that utilise high-speed and aerodynamically efficient flight during commuting and foraging, riblets should reduce the skin friction drag of the head and body by up to 10%. The molossids, emballonurids and one pteropid studied have fur that falls within the non-dimensional height range that gives best aerodynamic efficiency, 8<h+ <15. The carnivore studied falls marginally below this range.
我们测量了23种西澳大利亚蝙蝠头部和身体皮毛的定性和定量特征。在三个几何考量层面上，发现其与蝙蝠的正常飞行速度和觅食策略存在功能上的适配关系：整体皮毛质地、单根毛发长度以及表皮鳞片属性（鳞片类型、鳞片长度和直径，以及亚鳞片细节设计）。将皮毛表面描述为具有空气动力学肋条特征，能最好地解释这种关系。对于在往返行程和觅食过程中采用高速且空气动力学效率高的飞行方式的物种，肋条可使头部和身体的皮肤摩擦阻力降低多达10%。所研究的犬吻蝠科、鞘尾蝠科蝙蝠以及一种狐蝠科蝙蝠的皮毛处于能实现最佳空气动力学效率的无量纲高度范围内，即8 < h+ < 15。所研究的食虫蝙蝠略低于这个范围。
