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Description

They appeared during the initial flowering of Cenozoic, and scored mark as the third kind of vertebrates to evolve flight capacity, and considered as the second most diverse group of mammals, about 20% of all species that have existed for the Holocene, bats have spent 50 million years flying around the warm and cold skies of the earth: facing climate and environmental changes. Most are small just some exceeding one meter in length; however, they do not need to be prominent in length to be noticed in the terrestrial biosphere. Their diets, behavior and morphological features are extravagant and unique to any other mammal. The time when humanity appeared, it was not something that threatened the entire group, and of course, the departure of these hominids did not mean much, just another species.

Now in the ages to come, they will face some of the strange challenges that many of its predecessors never faced, and with the odds, they can overcome and survive, even beyond its current forms. Some of the future species that are presented below, seem familiar to contemporary of mammals, but keep in mind that each of the beings who presented below come from different places and times. You could call it convergence, but there is more than what you see.

Across the Cenozoic
In the next part of the "age of mammals" bats followed in their own niches varying both in distribution and in their lifestyles. In the late Holocene with the new global warming, climatic conditions allowed them to these fly and settle in areas further north as islands like Iceland and even Greenland, much easier than rodents; however, in the south, the situation was still not being favorable for the winged mammals to cross into the Antarctica.

The asteroid hit Russia in the late Quaternary (39 million years ago) caused a huge damage to the terrestrial biodiversity, annihilating many of the specialized lines of bats; the good news is that much of the group survived. The climate into the Exevocene epoch (39-65 my) became more hospitable around Antarctica, giving chance to the bats to colonize the continent devoid of mammals (Well, apart of seals).

South American species had the chance to cross the land of fire, from the slightly larger Drake Sea, and finally reaching the continental shores. Of course, they found a little competition for the birds which had managed to get there first by millions of years ahead, however, they took paths that the birds had not exploited largely, and giving them the opportunity to rule in other ecological level, as insectivorous, fruit eaters, and soon after, as carnivores.

In a matter of time, many of these Antarctic forms soon be established permanently in a way that none of his predecessors has done. With a small competition from birds, they took advantage of many more varied and unique ways, through new clades and lineages.
For more information about the diversity of some small species, look here
Bats part II

Aeolptera atlas, the pinnacle of flying mammals
In Agresti period, a separate group of bats residing in the subcontinent Aaru (East Africa) had the tendency to grow beyond the limits, i.e. some species developed lengths greater even than their extinct cousins, the mega-bats.
At some point, this group went from tiny mammals, to become into the one of the largest flying animals in the world of its time.
The Aeolptera is one of these examples, with a wingspan of 4.5 meters and a weight of 18 kg, are active hunters living near areas of ascending currents that allows it to elevate easily in the air. They feed medium size mammals, reptiles and birds. Most of them are solitary; spend several hours flying over their territory in search of food or place to rest and when they run out, they prefer to stay near loud and clear areas with little vegetation. Sometimes they can gather in huge groups of dozens of individuals, but not interact with each other, only interact with those of the same species when to breed.

Sciurosimulus australis, the sign of the beginning
(Behaving like squirrels)
This kind of arboreal bats inhabit the branches of Antarctic temperate forests trees in the Optimacene (65 my); with a size of about 16 cm in length with a wingspan of 22 cm. They spend most of climbing between the bark of trees and making short flights when is convenient. Their diet is based rather on invertebrates, but is also able to feed on berries and nuts. It is a species belonging to vespertilionids, a family of bats that inhabit the temperate zones of the planet and had a huge range of distribution throughout the age of mammals; after the extinction of the Quaternary, was the only of the families managed to settle in Antarctica during rewarming the continent.

Icaroptera, fallen from the sky
The bats that were established in Antarctica during Agresti (39-107 million years) soon suffered notable changes that eventually led to their offspring to develop a complete loss of flight, becoming terrestrial species. In some cases they were caused by the increase in size and weight, but several of these original forms were extinguished without remedy.

Everything changed in early Crescgeon (110 million years), the environmental changes became deeper, with the movement of the melted continent from south to the tropics, and the slow melting of other land masses in the north, thus changing the climate around the world in profound ways. The climate of Antarctica became completely tempered and quite hostable for animals that have long resided there.
This promoted an increase in the continent's biodiversity, and of course, a new animal radiation, and form that radiation was finally born the group of bats who inherited this continent.

We are talking about the "Thumbats", originally a suborder of bats and after the extinction of the late Cenozoic, a monophyletic descending order of these of these which are characterized by the complete loss of the features of flight and its complete adaptation to terrestrial life.

Family Sceliplicatidae, strange legs
(Folded legs)
The Sleciplicatids are the basal form of the Thumbats who still have a fairly conservative position of their flying ancestors, with their hindlimbs extended on the sides, rather than below of the body. Many of the most primitive species still retained membrane, clinging to some vestigial wing fingers; however, later forms lost that feature.

Specimen:
Ursops gigas
(Bear face)
This is one of the largest mammals that inhabit Antarctica during the Crescgeon (107 million years), with a weight of about 25 kg. They tend to feed the huge birds coexist with them, although they may also prefer medium feed animals. They are kept in pairs or sometimes in groups of four when they have Quiries (baby of terrestrial bats) in growth, mobilizing through forests in large areas in search of prey. Although they do not hibernate during winters, they can remain in a state of lethargy if conditions are not favorable. Still have its vestigial wings with a finger holding the membrane almost atrophied, and with 2 free functional fingers.

Rising

Living on earth is not always pleasant, and to be specific, the world passed again by a mass extinction 145 million years after humans, thus ending the Cenozoic era and beginning the Therozoic era.

After the dust settles, the new world welcomed to the quite strange and different new animal groups which took their places in their habitat.

The bats were not far behind, and with other clades of mammals began the long road to recovery. At this point in the future history, around the world, only a few lines of small real bats had survived and were clinging to a few species, which will likely recover in the long term but will be unable to claim their niches in the far future, however, Icaroptera are an exception.

Them after the devastation soon grew in number and began to diversify.

But there was a peculiar mishap; the closeness of South America to Antarctica had caused the exchange of many species of both sides, resulting in a mix of the single and fairly conservative Antarctic fauna with enormously derived South American fauna.

But, this did not mean resistance to these unique mammals.

Cranifelis leophoba
Family Orthodactyla, the dominant base
(Right finger)
This clade is characterized by having reconfigured its structure, adopting a posture more similar to the terrestrial mammals, with upright limbs under the body rather than stand by the side posture. Many of them include several lineages more suited to generalist diets, as omnivores, and some specialized in herbivores.
Lepucephalus
(Head of rabbit)
This lagomorph–like Orthodactyla is one of the first specialized herbivorous species of orthodactyl, with a length of 80 cm and 30 kg of weigh. This had specialized in the digestion of vegetation around and in a few million years became one of the most prosperous herbivores during the first million years of therozoic. It has front feet with a hoof, under which developed pads, with two bare fingers, and 4 fingers with claws on each hind leg. His skull is quite short and rounded, with eyes in the middle and long, rounded ears. The jaw contains about 34 teeth, 4 of these are other specialized incisors and the rest are molars to grind the grass. They are gregarious; they are kept in large groups of up to 20 individuals.

Olitiaustra (Cynotraga vulgaris)
Moving later to the Baikaceous period (215 million years), most primitive Icaroptera predators like the leophoba was extinct, and were subsequently replaced by a new generation of smaller but strong hunters.

The Olitiaustra is an omnivore of about 1 meter tall and weighing 65 kilograms. They are very common in most Antarctic territory, extending forests, coasts, and savannahs the continent. They gather in large groups of up to 15 individuals, covering the territory of several tens of square kilometers. Its jaw has a huge pressure force, capable of breaking bones, and together can attack prey 5 times bigger than them. Their gestation period is about 30 days, with the ability to procreate about 5 pups per litter, and is able to give birth to 5 litters in a year.
Competition with other carnivorous species is rather insignificant, but at times tend to deal with large predators such as Dinoanatos by the preys that Olitiaustra catch or the cached by these birds.

Strutiolamalops
(Ostrich lama face)
One of the other complexes lineages which were derived were the cursorial and graceful herbivores, thanks to its complex digestive systems a very successful group returned with hundreds of species in several of the trophic levels of the food chain in Antarctica.
The Strutiolamalops is one of the most common forms, with a length of 4 meters long and a height of 3 meters is a native of the steppes and savannas of the Antarctic continent. They gather in huge flocks of thousands of individuals who are mobilized constantly feeding on all kinds of plants. They are really fast, can reach speeds of 80-100 km / h, and maintain a speed of 70 km / h for an extended period. They turn out to be the favorite prey of the large carnivorous bird Dinoanatos, a descendant of some omnivorous geese.

Death Goose vs. Llama Bat by JonaGold2000
Small expansion

For a brief period in the late Agerogene (260 million years), short bridges of land between the coasts of South America and which now forms the conglomerate continents Ring of Fire, part of Asia and east were formed Africa, allowing the invaders to colonize one of the other two land masses. Of course I was an exchange between species of both continents, leaving as a result another mixture of wildlife on both sides. Following the line of bats/Icaroptera: some of the medium omnivores size forms, similar to little ungulates had successfully crossed the momentary gap and settled permanently in the new continent.

Initially, these groups remained in the shadow of the natives, however after the catastrophe at the end of Therozoic the circumstances changed, eliminating the most prominent animals and leaving others a free pass to colonize vacant niches.

Of course, an adverse effect of the disaster is that most of the Icaroptera fauna that we had seen also disappeared, replaced by other species. During the first half of Phinizoic only a few Icaroptera managed to take some prominent niches At this point of time, there are still several groups of Icaroptera around, but for now we will focus on two outstanding clades.

Family Brachiominerae, taking the path by leaps and bounds.
(Prominent Arms)
The Brachiominerae are the outstanding megafauna of the continent, where most of its members reach lengths of between 3-20 meters in length, making them one of the largest land mammals that ever lived. As the name implies, they are characterized by the long length of their forelimbs, while the rear are of small size. An unusual feature is that they have been able to develop a few more cervical vertebrae in the neck, giving each species an average 10 to 12 vertebra in total.
Specimens
Hyperiopoda, the great monster of the Metamonus.
After the end of Therozoic and the beginning of the Phinizoic (270 my), several members of the Brachiominerae had become gigantic creatures, to say that would be the largest animals on the planet, even beating several other land mammals that preceded them, and almost defying the big sauropods of the Mesozoic.
Hyperiopoda turns out to be the greatest of all mammals of its time and probably the largest that has ever existed on land, with a length of 18 meters and weighing up to 28 tons. It is a titanic herbivore that inhabits the borders between forests and savannas of Northeast Asia, feeding on the tops of tall trees. They are usually solitary, only females are kept in groups when rising young until they are mature enough to care for themselves; your period lasts about 30 months gestation and can have 2 young caring for about 5 years. They have a huge life expectancy up to 100 years.
Euryceratus
The Euryceratus is a type of Brachiominerids with a height of 4 meters and weigh about 6 tons, extend along the savannahs and forests of the continent, being an herbivore grazers feeding on low vegetation. This has a flat and wide horn around its face, completely made of keratin and lacking bone structure, almost like a more nasal horn and covering half of the muzzle cover. Both males and females possess but the males are more pointed and tall, which serves as a weapon of attack against potential rivals.
They traveling gathered in large herds of several dozen individuals, mostly a mixture of males and females. They have an advanced intelligence, presenting quite complex behaviors as author-recognition, understanding, game and even pain for the loss of their peers.

Family Figocetidae, go to wate
(Figure of whale)
This clade Icaroptera specialized to inhabit the aquatic environment, in the same way as its predecessor’s the cetaceans, changing all their morphology. Descended from semiaquatic clades that inhabit the rivers and lakes of South America, expanded outside the continent and managed to colonize much of the ocean, however, they have failed to compete with several new marine tetrapod descendants of tegus and even other aquatic mammals, so are limited in length and diversity, however, they have been able to find their place in the planet's waters.
Specimens
Massobrachypterus
(Thick and short-finned)
This species of rivers and estuaries measuring about 1.8 meters in length is one of the smallest forms of Figocetids around the world. They are stocky compared to several of its relatives, have a rounded and small head, a neck able to rotate and a fairly long front flippers.
They are mainly carnivorous, feeding on fish, mollusks and even other aquatic tetrapods. Its environment is quite opaque, and prey hide, so that they do not depend on the sense of sight to hunt. Instead, they are able to detect electric fields that produce their prey, through electroreceptors located on the sides of the face near the mouth.
Eosicnidus
(Pink Needle)
An unusual Figocete of approximately 8 meters long is a piscivores that inhabit the coasts and shallow seas, usually move in groups of up to 20 individuals. It has a well-developed binocular vision, with big eyes allow them to perceive much of their surroundings; even they are able to distinguish colors. The highlight of this creature is its color because adults acquire a bright pink hue during their childbearing years, as a sign of health, is the gain during periods of heat. Normally the male remains a clear graying; however, when seeking to impress a female, they accumulate the amount of blood in its skin to acquire its special color.

Different to mammals?

The supercontinent Hysteria (formation 390 my, separation 472-595 my), as Pangea, marked a new starting point in the evolution and diversity of fauna and flora of the planet earth, annihilating many of the organisms that had flourished in recent 400 million years, leaving the fittest to retake the world. At first the shock, it caused a serious ecological change in the territory of origin of these advanced bats, since there were enormous trade in fauna and flora adjusted ecological and trophic conditions, leading to the extinction of some groups; climate change also led to a deterioration of the biosphere, being fatal for the most vulnerable species. Icaropoda barely survive the event

From the mass extinction of the Klastogeian, fauna had been devastated leaving stagnant world with several survivors.

When the earth began to recover, Icaroptera suffered further changes that would lead to further differentiate so far of them, much more than the conventional mammals that mankind ever met.

Many of these new classes form paraphyletic groups of animals that despite being related ancestry, differ significantly by their nature, many of these changes are morphological, physiological, metabolic and even biochemical.

*Class Pilolepida, welcome back to air again.
Also known as “Feathers" had appeared during the early Klastogeian, about 470 million years, becoming other new types of vertebrates capable of flying, and also for having become the third group have developed tegumentadas wings. The difference between them and their ancestors mammals is quite evident, as they have developed feather-like structures; however, the most extravagant of his new integument does not come in its structure, but in its composition. The Feathens have been the first group amniotes synapsids in changing the composition of keratin in its tegument, as their ancestors used α-keratins, but this lineage has been able to change it by β-keratins. The reason for this is still unknown, probably occurred a biochemical or anatomical change that gave rise to this skin abnormality. The result of the change of keratin allowed these synapsids amniotes develop greater and varied tegumentadas structures that are more flexible and lighter.
They are quadrupeds, have long tails and short bodies, with a jaw that several groups lack teeth or even all have been merged. Their wings have only a couple of fingers, one which is fully developed which used to rely; while the second is hidden under the wing.
Another feature is their way of reproduction, which is like that of its placental ancestors, but differences of these, the placenta develops into the fetal body and even at birth keeps feeding the calf until it has been fully developed. This body can be consumed by the body or held as atrophied inside the animal's body. This has also resulted in the total loss of the mammary glands.

-Family Paraciconiidae, tyrants of the sky
The Cicons are a clade of large carnivores Feathens characterized by their strange morphology, have enormous beak, wings and long legs and neck, with a fairly short body. Its beak is serrated on the edges, and only has a pair of incisors in the tip with a small group of molars in the back of the jaw, near the back. Many of them are quadrupeds, however, they walk resting on its knuckles, and for a short time can stay on two legs.
Specimen:
Bennu (Ardeomorphus sp.)
A large flying singular, the Bennu is a predator tall with a wingspan of up to 4 meters and weighing just 12 kg. They are vicious meso-predators, able to hunt animals older than one meter in length; they can hunt both on land and in the air, and even while are flying.

The plumage of this genus is always light blue-gray below and dark above, which allows blending with the environment and thus pass unnoticed. They live mainly in areas of updraft where can gain height and save energy in flight. Most species live in pairs, composed of males and females which remain united in all of its lifetime.

-Family Phoenimorphidae, dazzling colors.
Also known as the phoenix, they are a large group of Feathens which accounts for a lot of forms and niches, with varied diets and characterized by its versatility in adapting his jaw for certain types of food, from the development of specialized dentures, picks, etc. and also have the ability to obtain various color combinations in their plumages. Many of these species are of small length with an average length of 20 to 40 cm long.
Specimen:
Emerald hummingnymph (Smaragdipterix fluxinorhincha)
One of several examples of bizarre and diversity of the phoenix, the hummingnymphs, are a lineage of nectarivore/insectivore which have developed a fleshy proboscis derived from the lips which remain contracted, and extend only when they need to feed. The emerald is a small omnivore about 15 centimeters long, with a wingspan of 25 cm, is distributed by the wooded areas of the continent Ruamoku. The highlight is its color, because it is completely green, which helps to go unseen by any predator.

*Class Chondridigita (finger of cartilage), a new hand.
The Chondridigita appeared as a separate branch of Icaroptera during the Retrogeian period (400 my) from ancestors of tiny length and adapted to climb.
These primitive forms had lost the fingers, leaving only the original thumb, however, had managed to develop fleshy structures which were similar to fingers, which gave them great grip on their environment.
Among its members, there were small and resistant generalists forms, so that in this way the clade survived the mass extinction of the Klastogeian (472 my), and gradually re-diversified, however, began to arise more and evolved into a clade that had developed more complex grasping pads, that in a way develop into a kind of fake fingers made of cartilage and muscle, with little or no internal bone structure. This has not meant that several groups or species could redevelop common bony fingers; however, the fingers of cartilage form have been the most prominent over the millions of years.
Order Pithecambulida, a familiar posture
(Walking like primates)
The pithecambulids are a type of Chondridigita that have adapted to arboreal niches largely adopting a convergent manner very similar to that of the Cenozoic primates, but with slight differences such as hand structure. In most species, hands are configured in a zygodactyl way that allows them to cling to the branches. The main finger, which has bone, is opposed to the two fingers have the phalanges of cartilage thus forming a kind of hand prehensile; while in the hind limbs, the two fingers are on the sides of the foot are opposed to the middle three.
Many of them had just appeared until late Klastogeian, about 580 million years, and throughout the period Bathovician expanded, some of them adopting lifestyles including terrestrial forms.
-Family Simipedidae
The most common pithecambulids and the most derived of this clade have developed a fairly short skull with an almost completely naked face. Many of them have an anthropoid morphology, with long arms and legs, without a tail a short flat face with a binocular view. They are arboreal, spending most of their lives in the treetops, although there are some species that have also become semiaquatic.
Specimen
Prosopplaty cyanicus
(Flat blue face)
The Prosopplaty is a Pithecambulidae from the continent Vashude, with a length of between 50 to 60 cm and a weight of 9 kg. In physical appearance, the highlight of this species is its bluish face that stands on its body yellowing; the color hue may differ depending on gender: females have a gray-blue hue while the male has a deep dark blue. One of its most prominent anatomical features in its complex trachea, possessing special cameras that allow the emission of powerful sounds with a high volume.
They live in groups of several individuals who roam the jungles by the treetops.
-Family Humupedidae
They are a clade of Pithecambulid which have developed bipedalism as their primary means of movement, the foot have lost their prehensile form developing a plantigrade foot; Hands have well developed bony finger with a huge claw that depending on the species has different uses.
This entire lineage had arisen mainly on the continent Ereboreus around late Klastogeian (590 million years) when the continent was positioned at the North Pole and the climate became drier and less arboreal. Most of this clade is primarily herbivorous, with a long jaw specialized in the ingestion of leaves.
Specimen:
Macrocervix aspriventris
(Big Neck of white belly)
The "Macro Cervix" is an herbivore, native of polar forests of a "subcontinent" bordering Ereboreus, with a height of 2.1 meters and a weight of 400 kg. They are really bulky compared to their relatives, with a body shaped bottle, long neck, a stocky body and a long head. Compared to other relatives, they have a huge thick fingers claw and reduced cartilage, which used to break branches and tear the bark of trees for sap. To digest most of cellulose makes symbiosis with a type of bacteria that decomposes this compound, and thereby obtains the nutrients.
Hominischion
(Hip of a hominid)
This type of Humupedid is an inhabitant of dry and arid areas of the Ereboreus continent, with about 1.5 meters tall and weighs 180 kg. It keeps moving in search of places to stay, usually traveling in family groups of several individuals. It is characterized mainly for being the only species of its kind to be cursorial, i.e. is adapted to run; They are capable of reaching speeds up to 45 km/h over short distances, but steady pace only reach 30 km/h.
Many might consider this species as a probable precursor to the development of a future clade of mammal sophonts, however, will not be.
They have evolved just casually this morphology, are not intended to evolve into something more.

Orde Scandentheria, the crawling monsters
(Crawlers Beasts)
One of the largest groups of Chondridactyla, the scandentherids, are crawling beings mainly omnivorous, ranging from a few centimeters to a few meters long, with some rare species that reach enormous sizes. At the beginning of the period Klastogeian represented only a small role in the ecology of their habitats, but upon entering the Bathovician period, went through an explosion of diversity that allowed them to evolve even in megafauna’ size animals. At the beginning of the period Klastogeian they represent only a small role in the ecology in their habitats, but upon entering the Bathovician period, went through an explosion of diversity that allowed them to evolve into different groups. Most of them have short limbs, are quadrupeds with chubby bodies, a long tail with several vertebrae, short necks, and a jaw composed by 6 incisors, 4 canines and several molars that vary in number depending on the species.
Lutricorpus
It is a piscivores scandentherids of 1 meter length and weighing 25 kg, an inhabitant of the coast of Vashude, an area known as "Sea root Forest" which is made up of a kind of plant similar to the extinct mangrove tree, but which they have extensive and deep roots able to extend tens of meters under the sea, forming a forest of roots, which are prolific for diversity. The Lutricorpus is a genus has taken advantage and exploited the full potential of the habitat around.
Its front legs are adapted to swim with huge webbed fingers, but its hind legs are modified to become prehensile feet, which serve to hold the roots. It has a flat blade-shaped tail that allows you with their forelegs move quickly out of the water. We maybe might call it the "The sea Simipeda" because apart of swim around the roots, also clamber around these huge aquatic roots. It feeds on animals that live in the roots, including crustaceans, mollusks and even small vertebrates.
Diploodynodon
The apex predator of the savannas of Ruamoku is a carnivore of around 5 to 7 meters in length. It has an extremely bulky and muscular body which moves thanks to 4 thick legs with which he is able to move up to 40 km / h over short distances, but can maintain a pace of 25 km/h. His huge jaw contains about 20 pairs of teeth of which 2 saber fangs protrude from the top of its mouth.
Musohodus
The musohodus (Mouse way) is part of a fairly diverse lineage of Chondridigita, including small rodents/insectivorous like forms, which make up 2/3 of the diversity of this class. Their morphology is quite simple and general, are quadrupeds, short-legged with a long, stocky body, a medium size tail and a huge head.
The musohodus is a common genus that inhabits Qarrajadi and Ruamoku, is mainly nocturnal and gregarious which meet in huge groups with a fairly established hierarchy: The matriarchal females and older males are kept at the head, while young people are that follow. They are kept in vertical burrows able to hold up to 25 individuals. They have a life expectancy of up to 8 years, being one of the most long-lived species among their peers. When a group member dies, a couple of them take the body of the burrow and take him to an area considered quite safe, so as to avoid this that the decomposing bodies accumulate in their burrows.

They will last?

In the end of the Eon, these creatures with another small remnant of mammals and new variations of them, are kept competing and fighting for survival around the globe.

But the circumstances will soon become adverse, and the world will become more hostile than it has been. Bats have proven to be a strong lineage, even though they were born to fly, and after falling, they again rise.

At the end of the Phanerozoic will be a highlight for the vast history of these synapsids. Either way, nature finds a way ... hopefully as well for them.

Description

They appeared during the initial flowering of Cenozoic, and scored mark as the third kind of vertebrates to evolve flight capacity, and considered as the second most diverse group of mammals, about 20% of all species that have existed for the Holocene, bats have spent 50 million years flying around the warm and cold skies of the earth: facing climate and environmental changes. Most are small just some exceeding one meter in length; however, they do not need to be prominent in length to be noticed in the terrestrial biosphere. Their diets, behavior and morphological features are extravagant and unique to any other mammal. The time when humanity appeared, it was not something that threatened the entire group, and of course, the departure of these hominids did not mean much, just another species.

Now in the ages to come, they will face some of the strange challenges that many of its predecessors never faced, and with the odds, they can overcome and survive, even beyond its current forms. Some of the future species that are presented below, seem familiar to contemporary of mammals, but keep in mind that each of the beings who presented below come from different places and times. You could call it convergence, but there is more than what you see.

Across the Cenozoic
In the next part of the "age of mammals" bats followed in their own niches varying both in distribution and in their lifestyles. In the late Holocene with the new global warming, climatic conditions allowed them to these fly and settle in areas further north as islands like Iceland and even Greenland, much easier than rodents; however, in the south, the situation was still not being favorable for the winged mammals to cross into the Antarctica.

The asteroid hit Russia in the late Quaternary (39 million years ago) caused a huge damage to the terrestrial biodiversity, annihilating many of the specialized lines of bats; the good news is that much of the group survived. The climate into the Exevocene epoch (39-65 my) became more hospitable around Antarctica, giving chance to the bats to colonize the continent devoid of mammals (Well, apart of seals).

South American species had the chance to cross the land of fire, from the slightly larger Drake Sea, and finally reaching the continental shores. Of course, they found a little competition for the birds which had managed to get there first by millions of years ahead, however, they took paths that the birds had not exploited largely, and giving them the opportunity to rule in other ecological level, as insectivorous, fruit eaters, and soon after, as carnivores.

In a matter of time, many of these Antarctic forms soon be established permanently in a way that none of his predecessors has done. With a small competition from birds, they took advantage of many more varied and unique ways, through new clades and lineages.
For more information about the diversity of some small species, look here
Bats part II

Aeolptera atlas, the pinnacle of flying mammals
In Agresti period, a separate group of bats residing in the subcontinent Aaru (East Africa) had the tendency to grow beyond the limits, i.e. some species developed lengths greater even than their extinct cousins, the mega-bats.
At some point, this group went from tiny mammals, to become into the one of the largest flying animals in the world of its time.
The Aeolptera is one of these examples, with a wingspan of 4.5 meters and a weight of 18 kg, are active hunters living near areas of ascending currents that allows it to elevate easily in the air. They feed medium size mammals, reptiles and birds. Most of them are solitary; spend several hours flying over their territory in search of food or place to rest and when they run out, they prefer to stay near loud and clear areas with little vegetation. Sometimes they can gather in huge groups of dozens of individuals, but not interact with each other, only interact with those of the same species when to breed.

Sciurosimulus australis, the sign of the beginning
(Behaving like squirrels)
This kind of arboreal bats inhabit the branches of Antarctic temperate forests trees in the Optimacene (65 my); with a size of about 16 cm in length with a wingspan of 22 cm. They spend most of climbing between the bark of trees and making short flights when is convenient. Their diet is based rather on invertebrates, but is also able to feed on berries and nuts. It is a species belonging to vespertilionids, a family of bats that inhabit the temperate zones of the planet and had a huge range of distribution throughout the age of mammals; after the extinction of the Quaternary, was the only of the families managed to settle in Antarctica during rewarming the continent.

Icaroptera, fallen from the sky
The bats that were established in Antarctica during Agresti (39-107 million years) soon suffered notable changes that eventually led to their offspring to develop a complete loss of flight, becoming terrestrial species. In some cases they were caused by the increase in size and weight, but several of these original forms were extinguished without remedy.

Everything changed in early Crescgeon (110 million years), the environmental changes became deeper, with the movement of the melted continent from south to the tropics, and the slow melting of other land masses in the north, thus changing the climate around the world in profound ways. The climate of Antarctica became completely tempered and quite hostable for animals that have long resided there.
This promoted an increase in the continent's biodiversity, and of course, a new animal radiation, and form that radiation was finally born the group of bats who inherited this continent.

We are talking about the "Thumbats", originally a suborder of bats and after the extinction of the late Cenozoic, a monophyletic descending order of these of these which are characterized by the complete loss of the features of flight and its complete adaptation to terrestrial life.

Family Sceliplicatidae, strange legs
(Folded legs)
The Sleciplicatids are the basal form of the Thumbats who still have a fairly conservative position of their flying ancestors, with their hindlimbs extended on the sides, rather than below of the body. Many of the most primitive species still retained membrane, clinging to some vestigial wing fingers; however, later forms lost that feature.

Specimen:
Ursops gigas
(Bear face)
This is one of the largest mammals that inhabit Antarctica during the Crescgeon (107 million years), with a weight of about 25 kg. They tend to feed the huge birds coexist with them, although they may also prefer medium feed animals. They are kept in pairs or sometimes in groups of four when they have Quiries (baby of terrestrial bats) in growth, mobilizing through forests in large areas in search of prey. Although they do not hibernate during winters, they can remain in a state of lethargy if conditions are not favorable. Still have its vestigial wings with a finger holding the membrane almost atrophied, and with 2 free functional fingers.

Rising

Living on earth is not always pleasant, and to be specific, the world passed again by a mass extinction 145 million years after humans, thus ending the Cenozoic era and beginning the Therozoic era.

After the dust settles, the new world welcomed to the quite strange and different new animal groups which took their places in their habitat.

The bats were not far behind, and with other clades of mammals began the long road to recovery. At this point in the future history, around the world, only a few lines of small real bats had survived and were clinging to a few species, which will likely recover in the long term but will be unable to claim their niches in the far future, however, Icaroptera are an exception.

Them after the devastation soon grew in number and began to diversify.

But there was a peculiar mishap; the closeness of South America to Antarctica had caused the exchange of many species of both sides, resulting in a mix of the single and fairly conservative Antarctic fauna with enormously derived South American fauna.

But, this did not mean resistance to these unique mammals.

Cranifelis leophoba
Family Orthodactyla, the dominant base
(Right finger)
This clade is characterized by having reconfigured its structure, adopting a posture more similar to the terrestrial mammals, with upright limbs under the body rather than stand by the side posture. Many of them include several lineages more suited to generalist diets, as omnivores, and some specialized in herbivores.
Lepucephalus
(Head of rabbit)
This lagomorph–like Orthodactyla is one of the first specialized herbivorous species of orthodactyl, with a length of 80 cm and 30 kg of weigh. This had specialized in the digestion of vegetation around and in a few million years became one of the most prosperous herbivores during the first million years of therozoic. It has front feet with a hoof, under which developed pads, with two bare fingers, and 4 fingers with claws on each hind leg. His skull is quite short and rounded, with eyes in the middle and long, rounded ears. The jaw contains about 34 teeth, 4 of these are other specialized incisors and the rest are molars to grind the grass. They are gregarious; they are kept in large groups of up to 20 individuals.

Olitiaustra (Cynotraga vulgaris)
Moving later to the Baikaceous period (215 million years), most primitive Icaroptera predators like the leophoba was extinct, and were subsequently replaced by a new generation of smaller but strong hunters.

The Olitiaustra is an omnivore of about 1 meter tall and weighing 65 kilograms. They are very common in most Antarctic territory, extending forests, coasts, and savannahs the continent. They gather in large groups of up to 15 individuals, covering the territory of several tens of square kilometers. Its jaw has a huge pressure force, capable of breaking bones, and together can attack prey 5 times bigger than them. Their gestation period is about 30 days, with the ability to procreate about 5 pups per litter, and is able to give birth to 5 litters in a year.
Competition with other carnivorous species is rather insignificant, but at times tend to deal with large predators such as Dinoanatos by the preys that Olitiaustra catch or the cached by these birds.

Strutiolamalops
(Ostrich lama face)
One of the other complexes lineages which were derived were the cursorial and graceful herbivores, thanks to its complex digestive systems a very successful group returned with hundreds of species in several of the trophic levels of the food chain in Antarctica.
The Strutiolamalops is one of the most common forms, with a length of 4 meters long and a height of 3 meters is a native of the steppes and savannas of the Antarctic continent. They gather in huge flocks of thousands of individuals who are mobilized constantly feeding on all kinds of plants. They are really fast, can reach speeds of 80-100 km / h, and maintain a speed of 70 km / h for an extended period. They turn out to be the favorite prey of the large carnivorous bird Dinoanatos, a descendant of some omnivorous geese.

Death Goose vs. Llama Bat by JonaGold2000
Small expansion

For a brief period in the late Agerogene (260 million years), short bridges of land between the coasts of South America and which now forms the conglomerate continents Ring of Fire, part of Asia and east were formed Africa, allowing the invaders to colonize one of the other two land masses. Of course I was an exchange between species of both continents, leaving as a result another mixture of wildlife on both sides. Following the line of bats/Icaroptera: some of the medium omnivores size forms, similar to little ungulates had successfully crossed the momentary gap and settled permanently in the new continent.

Initially, these groups remained in the shadow of the natives, however after the catastrophe at the end of Therozoic the circumstances changed, eliminating the most prominent animals and leaving others a free pass to colonize vacant niches.

Of course, an adverse effect of the disaster is that most of the Icaroptera fauna that we had seen also disappeared, replaced by other species. During the first half of Phinizoic only a few Icaroptera managed to take some prominent niches At this point of time, there are still several groups of Icaroptera around, but for now we will focus on two outstanding clades.

Family Brachiominerae, taking the path by leaps and bounds.
(Prominent Arms)
The Brachiominerae are the outstanding megafauna of the continent, where most of its members reach lengths of between 3-20 meters in length, making them one of the largest land mammals that ever lived. As the name implies, they are characterized by the long length of their forelimbs, while the rear are of small size. An unusual feature is that they have been able to develop a few more cervical vertebrae in the neck, giving each species an average 10 to 12 vertebra in total.
Specimens
Hyperiopoda, the great monster of the Metamonus.
After the end of Therozoic and the beginning of the Phinizoic (270 my), several members of the Brachiominerae had become gigantic creatures, to say that would be the largest animals on the planet, even beating several other land mammals that preceded them, and almost defying the big sauropods of the Mesozoic.
Hyperiopoda turns out to be the greatest of all mammals of its time and probably the largest that has ever existed on land, with a length of 18 meters and weighing up to 28 tons. It is a titanic herbivore that inhabits the borders between forests and savannas of Northeast Asia, feeding on the tops of tall trees. They are usually solitary, only females are kept in groups when rising young until they are mature enough to care for themselves; your period lasts about 30 months gestation and can have 2 young caring for about 5 years. They have a huge life expectancy up to 100 years.
Euryceratus
The Euryceratus is a type of Brachiominerids with a height of 4 meters and weigh about 6 tons, extend along the savannahs and forests of the continent, being an herbivore grazers feeding on low vegetation. This has a flat and wide horn around its face, completely made of keratin and lacking bone structure, almost like a more nasal horn and covering half of the muzzle cover. Both males and females possess but the males are more pointed and tall, which serves as a weapon of attack against potential rivals.
They traveling gathered in large herds of several dozen individuals, mostly a mixture of males and females. They have an advanced intelligence, presenting quite complex behaviors as author-recognition, understanding, game and even pain for the loss of their peers.

Family Figocetidae, go to wate
(Figure of whale)
This clade Icaroptera specialized to inhabit the aquatic environment, in the same way as its predecessor’s the cetaceans, changing all their morphology. Descended from semiaquatic clades that inhabit the rivers and lakes of South America, expanded outside the continent and managed to colonize much of the ocean, however, they have failed to compete with several new marine tetrapod descendants of tegus and even other aquatic mammals, so are limited in length and diversity, however, they have been able to find their place in the planet's waters.
Specimens
Massobrachypterus
(Thick and short-finned)
This species of rivers and estuaries measuring about 1.8 meters in length is one of the smallest forms of Figocetids around the world. They are stocky compared to several of its relatives, have a rounded and small head, a neck able to rotate and a fairly long front flippers.
They are mainly carnivorous, feeding on fish, mollusks and even other aquatic tetrapods. Its environment is quite opaque, and prey hide, so that they do not depend on the sense of sight to hunt. Instead, they are able to detect electric fields that produce their prey, through electroreceptors located on the sides of the face near the mouth.
Eosicnidus
(Pink Needle)
An unusual Figocete of approximately 8 meters long is a piscivores that inhabit the coasts and shallow seas, usually move in groups of up to 20 individuals. It has a well-developed binocular vision, with big eyes allow them to perceive much of their surroundings; even they are able to distinguish colors. The highlight of this creature is its color because adults acquire a bright pink hue during their childbearing years, as a sign of health, is the gain during periods of heat. Normally the male remains a clear graying; however, when seeking to impress a female, they accumulate the amount of blood in its skin to acquire its special color.

Different to mammals?

The supercontinent Hysteria (formation 390 my, separation 472-595 my), as Pangea, marked a new starting point in the evolution and diversity of fauna and flora of the planet earth, annihilating many of the organisms that had flourished in recent 400 million years, leaving the fittest to retake the world. At first the shock, it caused a serious ecological change in the territory of origin of these advanced bats, since there were enormous trade in fauna and flora adjusted ecological and trophic conditions, leading to the extinction of some groups; climate change also led to a deterioration of the biosphere, being fatal for the most vulnerable species. Icaropoda barely survive the event

From the mass extinction of the Klastogeian, fauna had been devastated leaving stagnant world with several survivors.

When the earth began to recover, Icaroptera suffered further changes that would lead to further differentiate so far of them, much more than the conventional mammals that mankind ever met.

Many of these new classes form paraphyletic groups of animals that despite being related ancestry, differ significantly by their nature, many of these changes are morphological, physiological, metabolic and even biochemical.

*Class Pilolepida, welcome back to air again.
Also known as “Feathers" had appeared during the early Klastogeian, about 470 million years, becoming other new types of vertebrates capable of flying, and also for having become the third group have developed tegumentadas wings. The difference between them and their ancestors mammals is quite evident, as they have developed feather-like structures; however, the most extravagant of his new integument does not come in its structure, but in its composition. The Feathens have been the first group amniotes synapsids in changing the composition of keratin in its tegument, as their ancestors used α-keratins, but this lineage has been able to change it by β-keratins. The reason for this is still unknown, probably occurred a biochemical or anatomical change that gave rise to this skin abnormality. The result of the change of keratin allowed these synapsids amniotes develop greater and varied tegumentadas structures that are more flexible and lighter.
They are quadrupeds, have long tails and short bodies, with a jaw that several groups lack teeth or even all have been merged. Their wings have only a couple of fingers, one which is fully developed which used to rely; while the second is hidden under the wing.
Another feature is their way of reproduction, which is like that of its placental ancestors, but differences of these, the placenta develops into the fetal body and even at birth keeps feeding the calf until it has been fully developed. This body can be consumed by the body or held as atrophied inside the animal's body. This has also resulted in the total loss of the mammary glands.

-Family Paraciconiidae, tyrants of the sky
The Cicons are a clade of large carnivores Feathens characterized by their strange morphology, have enormous beak, wings and long legs and neck, with a fairly short body. Its beak is serrated on the edges, and only has a pair of incisors in the tip with a small group of molars in the back of the jaw, near the back. Many of them are quadrupeds, however, they walk resting on its knuckles, and for a short time can stay on two legs.
Specimen:
Bennu (Ardeomorphus sp.)
A large flying singular, the Bennu is a predator tall with a wingspan of up to 4 meters and weighing just 12 kg. They are vicious meso-predators, able to hunt animals older than one meter in length; they can hunt both on land and in the air, and even while are flying.

The plumage of this genus is always light blue-gray below and dark above, which allows blending with the environment and thus pass unnoticed. They live mainly in areas of updraft where can gain height and save energy in flight. Most species live in pairs, composed of males and females which remain united in all of its lifetime.

-Family Phoenimorphidae, dazzling colors.
Also known as the phoenix, they are a large group of Feathens which accounts for a lot of forms and niches, with varied diets and characterized by its versatility in adapting his jaw for certain types of food, from the development of specialized dentures, picks, etc. and also have the ability to obtain various color combinations in their plumages. Many of these species are of small length with an average length of 20 to 40 cm long.
Specimen:
Emerald hummingnymph (Smaragdipterix fluxinorhincha)
One of several examples of bizarre and diversity of the phoenix, the hummingnymphs, are a lineage of nectarivore/insectivore which have developed a fleshy proboscis derived from the lips which remain contracted, and extend only when they need to feed. The emerald is a small omnivore about 15 centimeters long, with a wingspan of 25 cm, is distributed by the wooded areas of the continent Ruamoku. The highlight is its color, because it is completely green, which helps to go unseen by any predator.

*Class Chondridigita (finger of cartilage), a new hand.
The Chondridigita appeared as a separate branch of Icaroptera during the Retrogeian period (400 my) from ancestors of tiny length and adapted to climb.
These primitive forms had lost the fingers, leaving only the original thumb, however, had managed to develop fleshy structures which were similar to fingers, which gave them great grip on their environment.
Among its members, there were small and resistant generalists forms, so that in this way the clade survived the mass extinction of the Klastogeian (472 my), and gradually re-diversified, however, began to arise more and evolved into a clade that had developed more complex grasping pads, that in a way develop into a kind of fake fingers made of cartilage and muscle, with little or no internal bone structure. This has not meant that several groups or species could redevelop common bony fingers; however, the fingers of cartilage form have been the most prominent over the millions of years.
Order Pithecambulida, a familiar posture
(Walking like primates)
The pithecambulids are a type of Chondridigita that have adapted to arboreal niches largely adopting a convergent manner very similar to that of the Cenozoic primates, but with slight differences such as hand structure. In most species, hands are configured in a zygodactyl way that allows them to cling to the branches. The main finger, which has bone, is opposed to the two fingers have the phalanges of cartilage thus forming a kind of hand prehensile; while in the hind limbs, the two fingers are on the sides of the foot are opposed to the middle three.
Many of them had just appeared until late Klastogeian, about 580 million years, and throughout the period Bathovician expanded, some of them adopting lifestyles including terrestrial forms.
-Family Simipedidae
The most common pithecambulids and the most derived of this clade have developed a fairly short skull with an almost completely naked face. Many of them have an anthropoid morphology, with long arms and legs, without a tail a short flat face with a binocular view. They are arboreal, spending most of their lives in the treetops, although there are some species that have also become semiaquatic.
Specimen
Prosopplaty cyanicus
(Flat blue face)
The Prosopplaty is a Pithecambulidae from the continent Vashude, with a length of between 50 to 60 cm and a weight of 9 kg. In physical appearance, the highlight of this species is its bluish face that stands on its body yellowing; the color hue may differ depending on gender: females have a gray-blue hue while the male has a deep dark blue. One of its most prominent anatomical features in its complex trachea, possessing special cameras that allow the emission of powerful sounds with a high volume.
They live in groups of several individuals who roam the jungles by the treetops.
-Family Humupedidae
They are a clade of Pithecambulid which have developed bipedalism as their primary means of movement, the foot have lost their prehensile form developing a plantigrade foot; Hands have well developed bony finger with a huge claw that depending on the species has different uses.
This entire lineage had arisen mainly on the continent Ereboreus around late Klastogeian (590 million years) when the continent was positioned at the North Pole and the climate became drier and less arboreal. Most of this clade is primarily herbivorous, with a long jaw specialized in the ingestion of leaves.
Specimen:
Macrocervix aspriventris
(Big Neck of white belly)
The "Macro Cervix" is an herbivore, native of polar forests of a "subcontinent" bordering Ereboreus, with a height of 2.1 meters and a weight of 400 kg. They are really bulky compared to their relatives, with a body shaped bottle, long neck, a stocky body and a long head. Compared to other relatives, they have a huge thick fingers claw and reduced cartilage, which used to break branches and tear the bark of trees for sap. To digest most of cellulose makes symbiosis with a type of bacteria that decomposes this compound, and thereby obtains the nutrients.
Hominischion
(Hip of a hominid)
This type of Humupedid is an inhabitant of dry and arid areas of the Ereboreus continent, with about 1.5 meters tall and weighs 180 kg. It keeps moving in search of places to stay, usually traveling in family groups of several individuals. It is characterized mainly for being the only species of its kind to be cursorial, i.e. is adapted to run; They are capable of reaching speeds up to 45 km/h over short distances, but steady pace only reach 30 km/h.
Many might consider this species as a probable precursor to the development of a future clade of mammal sophonts, however, will not be.
They have evolved just casually this morphology, are not intended to evolve into something more.

Orde Scandentheria, the crawling monsters
(Crawlers Beasts)
One of the largest groups of Chondridactyla, the scandentherids, are crawling beings mainly omnivorous, ranging from a few centimeters to a few meters long, with some rare species that reach enormous sizes. At the beginning of the period Klastogeian represented only a small role in the ecology of their habitats, but upon entering the Bathovician period, went through an explosion of diversity that allowed them to evolve even in megafauna’ size animals. At the beginning of the period Klastogeian they represent only a small role in the ecology in their habitats, but upon entering the Bathovician period, went through an explosion of diversity that allowed them to evolve into different groups. Most of them have short limbs, are quadrupeds with chubby bodies, a long tail with several vertebrae, short necks, and a jaw composed by 6 incisors, 4 canines and several molars that vary in number depending on the species.
Lutricorpus
It is a piscivores scandentherids of 1 meter length and weighing 25 kg, an inhabitant of the coast of Vashude, an area known as "Sea root Forest" which is made up of a kind of plant similar to the extinct mangrove tree, but which they have extensive and deep roots able to extend tens of meters under the sea, forming a forest of roots, which are prolific for diversity. The Lutricorpus is a genus has taken advantage and exploited the full potential of the habitat around.
Its front legs are adapted to swim with huge webbed fingers, but its hind legs are modified to become prehensile feet, which serve to hold the roots. It has a flat blade-shaped tail that allows you with their forelegs move quickly out of the water. We maybe might call it the "The sea Simipeda" because apart of swim around the roots, also clamber around these huge aquatic roots. It feeds on animals that live in the roots, including crustaceans, mollusks and even small vertebrates.
Diploodynodon
The apex predator of the savannas of Ruamoku is a carnivore of around 5 to 7 meters in length. It has an extremely bulky and muscular body which moves thanks to 4 thick legs with which he is able to move up to 40 km / h over short distances, but can maintain a pace of 25 km/h. His huge jaw contains about 20 pairs of teeth of which 2 saber fangs protrude from the top of its mouth.
Musohodus
The musohodus (Mouse way) is part of a fairly diverse lineage of Chondridigita, including small rodents/insectivorous like forms, which make up 2/3 of the diversity of this class. Their morphology is quite simple and general, are quadrupeds, short-legged with a long, stocky body, a medium size tail and a huge head.
The musohodus is a common genus that inhabits Qarrajadi and Ruamoku, is mainly nocturnal and gregarious which meet in huge groups with a fairly established hierarchy: The matriarchal females and older males are kept at the head, while young people are that follow. They are kept in vertical burrows able to hold up to 25 individuals. They have a life expectancy of up to 8 years, being one of the most long-lived species among their peers. When a group member dies, a couple of them take the body of the burrow and take him to an area considered quite safe, so as to avoid this that the decomposing bodies accumulate in their burrows.

They will last?

In the end of the Eon, these creatures with another small remnant of mammals and new variations of them, are kept competing and fighting for survival around the globe.

But the circumstances will soon become adverse, and the world will become more hostile than it has been. Bats have proven to be a strong lineage, even though they were born to fly, and after falling, they again rise.

At the end of the Phanerozoic will be a highlight for the vast history of these synapsids. Either way, nature finds a way ... hopefully as well for them.