Wings as Airfoils in Bats

Bat wings are heavily cambered (curved) plates. Camber is supplied by leading edge flaps, created by the propatagium (between the upper & lower arms) and the dactylopatagia (between the digits). The greater camber in Eptesicus creates greater lift at low speed, as compared with Tadarida, a fast flier. Note as well the relatively greater streamlining in this species, created by hair tufts that maintain laminar flow over the top of the wing.