Take the 2-minute tour ×  I was reading this paper by Cretekos
et al (2008), in which they state that wing development in the
bat is not complete until after birth - the wing continues to
elongate postnatally. This would suggest that bats are unable to
fly immediately after birth, and a brief web search confirms
this.  However, I would like to know:    1. When is wing growth
(by which I simply mean outward growth or extension) complete?
2. When are bats able to fly? (Are there other developmental
processes that take place after wing extension that delay this
process?)  share|improve this question add comment  1 Answer  up
vote 0 down vote accepted   1. The ability of the forelimbs in
bats (as well as in other tetrapods) to grow depends on the
proliferation activity and ossification of cartilage in growing
zones of the bones. Adult bats do not grow (as is the rule for
mammals) and wing parameters (wing span and area) show growth
curves with more or less pronounced plateau, which
asymptotically leans to "adu