W. Meyer et al., REMARKS ON SPECIFIC ADAPTIVE SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE HAIR CUTICLE IN SOME EUROPEAN BATS, European journal of morphology, 33(5), 1995, pp. 509-513
Specific regional variation of scale structure of the hair cuticle was
demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy in five vespertilionid b
at species. Only the tip region of hairs here showed unequal hastate c
oronal scales with long free parts (blades), and free edges that were
distinctly dentate or narrow lobate. This regional peculiarity of the
hairs could be explained as an adaptive help to maintain a turbulent b
oundary layer of air around the body to aid hovering or gliding flight
.