Order Chiroptera is the second most species-rich mammalian group, composed of over 1,000 species and adapted to various types of environments. Their success as a mammalian lineage may be closely linked to their ability of powered flight. Bats have acquired wings via modifications to the forelimb morphology. The bat wing is a complex composed of a variety of tissues including skeletons, muscles, patagia (flight membranes) and is considered to have evolved just once in the common ancestor of the chiropteran lineage. However, the mechanisms generating the wing are poorly understood. Recently, many genes (e.g. Hoxd13, Prx1, Fgf8) that seem to contribute to vertebrate limb morphogenesis were cloned from the short-tailed fruit bat (Carollia perspicillata, family Phyllostomidae) and their expression pattern and functions in Carollia embryogenesis were investigated. These studies implied that the fundamental role of these molecules is in generating bat wings. In this paper, we review recent advances in understanding the developmental mechanisms underlying bat wing evolution. Also, we discuss the potential for conducting developmental biology using chiropteran species living in Japan.

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Habitat selection of the Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) in subalpine forests (elev. 2,100–2,300 m) on Mt. Fuji, central Japan, was investigated by radio tracking of six individuals in three seasons. Among six vegetation types (Tsuga forests, Larix forests, Abies forests, Pinus stands, forest edges, and open areas), the most selected type was the Pinus stand-type in summer and autumn. In spring, Larix forests were selected, probably because their young leaves and under-stories provide a greater diversity of foods. Most individuals avoided Tsuga forest, forest edges, and open areas in any season. Pinus parviflora showed large variation in its cone size within trees. The greater the cone size, the larger the number of seeds per cone. Squirrels selected large cones for feeding.

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Cluster analysis and ordination methods have been used to analyze inter-population relationships based on cranial measurements. Generally speaking, the main purpose of cluster analysis is to draw a dendrogram for the representation of hierarchical clustering. It is difficult to assign any significance level to the clusters, although the validation of the result of cluster analysis is interesting. Principal component analysis and canonical variate analysis are often used as ordination methods. There are distances/similarities of which structures cannot be analyzed by these methods. Cluster analysis and ordination methods are not so useful statistically to estimate the association between two independent distances/similarities, for example morphological similarities and geographical distances. In the present article, we introduce cophenetic correlation coefficients, the bootstrapping method and consensus trees of single and complete link trees for cluster validation, principal coordinate analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis for ordination methods applicable to any distance/similarity, and the Mantel test for test of correlation between independent distances/similarities. Inter-population relationships of Saguinus nigricollis are analyzed as an example to illustrate these methods.

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The lingual papillae and the connective tissue cores (CTCs) of the lesser panda Ailurus fulgens were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Filiform, fungiform and vallate papillae were observed. A filiform papilla on the apical surface of the tongue had several pointed processes. Another filiform papilla contained the connective tissue core consisting of several small processes. A further filiform papilla of the lingual body consisted of a main papilla and one or two secondary papillae. Another filiform papilla contained the connective tissue core consisting of processes of various sizes. The fungiform papillae were round in shape. The connective tissue core of the fungiform papilla had a top with several round depressions. Five pairs of vallate papillae were located on both sides of the posterior end of the lingual body and each papilla was surrounded by a groove. A rough surface structure appeared on the connective tissue core of the vallate papilla. The foliate papillae were not observed.

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Nestlings of the Japanese Mountain Mole, Euroscaptor mizura, were unveiled by excavation on 29 May 2007 to observe the current state of a moles’ nesting long-term at the same place. The nesting place had been located since 1990 in a montane forest of Kyoto, central Japan, indicated by the mushroom Hebeloma radicosum. We counted three young, and they appeared to be about 10 days old. They were only photographed and left in the nest, with the soil replaced. The nest was re-opened on 17 June 2007, where two nestlings remained. They appeared to be near to natal dispersal but never attempted to leave the nest; they did not yet seem to have weaned. One of the two was brought into captivity on the same day. This animal probably did not eat any foods given overnight. The next day it barely ate earthworms and mealworms, and only if they had been cut into pieces. This procedure of cutting foods enabled further rearing in captivity. The one left in the nest was not found there on 26 June 2007. This is the first report of observing E. mizura nestlings and of captively rearing a young talpid that had not yet left its maternal nest.

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The distribution and abundance of the Orii’s flying fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) in Okinawa Islands were examined from August to November of 2005 and from April to May of 2006. Of 25 islands surveyed, the presence of flying foxes was confirmed on 19 islands together with previous records. We also included new records from eight islands [Izena-jima, Yagaji-jima, Oo-jima (Nago city), Sesoko-jima, Yabuchi-jima, Oo-jima (Nanjyo city), Senaga-jima and Aka-jima]. The population size of flying foxes on most islands around Okinawa-jima Island was small, with a few individuals to several dozens of individuals, as compared with the population size on Okinawa-jima Island. The number of flying foxes on each island tended to correlate negatively with distance from Okinawa-jima Island. Moreover, we did not confirm the presence of flying foxes on islands over 50 km away from Okinawa-jima Island. This distribution pattern suggests that the Orii’s flying fox in Okinawa Islands dispersed randomly from Okinawa-jima Island, which was likely to be the original habitat.

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The influence of green pruning on utilization of forest stands by sika deer, Cervus nippon, and the occurrence of deer barking damage to living trees were investigated in a mixed plantation with sugi and hinoki cypress in Mie Prefecture, central Japan. In this field experiment, pruned green branches attracted sika deer, but frequent use of the plantation in winter did not cause debarking damage.

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