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Volume 20, Number 5—May 2014
Perspective

Bat Flight and Zoonotic Viruses

Thomas J. O’SheaComments to Author , Paul M. Cryan, Andrew A. Cunningham, Anthony R. Fooks, David T.S. Hayman, Angela D. Luis, Alison J. Peel, Raina K. Plowright, and James L.N. Wood
Author affiliations: US Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (T.J. O’Shea, P.M. Cryan); Zoological Society of London, London, UK (A.A. Cunningham); Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency—Weybridge, Weybridge, UK (A.R. Fooks); National Consortium for Zoonosis Research, South Wirral, UK (A.R. Fooks); Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (D.T.S. Hayman, A.D. Luis); University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA (D.T.S. Hayman); Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA (A.D. Luis); University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK (A.J. Peel, J.L.N. Wood); Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (A.J. Peel); Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA (R.K. Plowright)

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Table 1

Examples of elevated core body temperature in flying bats*

Bat species (family) Core temperature during flight, °C Source
Eidolon helvum (Pteropidae) 36.9–40.8 (23)
Hypsignathus monstrosus (Pteropidae) 37.2–40.0 (23)
Rousettus aegyptiacus (Pteropidae) 38.2–41.2 (23)
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Rhinolophidae) 41† (24)
Miniopterus sp. (Miniopteridae) 41.1 ± 0.45 (25)
Phyllostomus hastatus (Phyllostomidae) 41.2–42.1 (17)
Carollia perspicillata (Phyllostomidae) 40.2 ± 0.8 (26)
Artibeus lituratus (Phyllostomidae) c. 41.2 ± 1 (27)
Sturnira lilium (Phyllostomidae) c. 40.5 ± 0.3 (27)
Noctilio albiventris (Noctilionidae) 35.5–40.6 (28)
Myotis yumanensis (Vespertilionidae) 40.0–40.8 (29)
Eptesicus fuscus (Vespertilionidae) 41.3 ± 2.1†, 37–39.5‡ (30)
Mops condylurus (Molossidae) 40.5 ± 1.1 (31)
Tadarida brasiliensis (Molossidae) 35–42 (32)
Eumops perotis (Molossidae) 37.8–39.3 (33)
Myotis volans (Vespertilionidae) 37.4 (34)
Myotis evotis (Vespertilionidae) 38.3 (34)
Myotis californicus (Vespertilionidae) 38.4 (34)
Parastrellus Hesperus (Vespertilionidae) 38.8 (34)
Eptesicus fuscus (Vespertilionidae) 41.0 (34)
Lasiurus cinereus (Vespertilionidae) 40.2 (34)
Antrozous pallidus (Vespertilionidae) 40.6 (34)
Tadarida brasiliensis (Molossidae) 38.0 (34)

*Data available from original sources are given as ranges or means ±1 SD.
†Skin temperature.
‡Body temperature.

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Page updated: April 16, 2014
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