Patagium
A membrane of skin or other tissue stretched between body parts. In many animals, it supports gliding or powered flight.
Wing: An appendage that generates aerodynamic force for flight or gliding. A patagium forms the supporting surface of many wings, including those of bats.
Bat: A mammal of the order Chiroptera, with forelimbs adapted into wings. Bats use an extensive patagium between elongated fingers, body, and hind limbs for powered flight.
Wing loading: The ratio of an animal’s weight to its wing area. Patagium area affects the wing loading that shapes glide speed and maneuverability.
Feather: A keratin structure growing from a bird’s skin, used for insulation, display, and flight. Bird wings use feathers for their lifting surface rather than a continuous skin membrane.
Skin: The body’s outer tissue, which protects organisms and can contain specialized structures. A patagium is often a specialized extension of skin.
Flying squirrel: A tree-dwelling rodent that glides using a membrane between its limbs. Its patagium extends between the forelimbs and hind limbs for controlled gliding.
Gliding flight: A form of aerial locomotion in which an animal descends while moving forward without powered thrust. Many patagia generate aerodynamic support during unpowered glides.
Insect wing: A thin, usually chitin-supported outgrowth of an insect’s exoskeleton used for flight. Insect wings are exoskeletal structures, unlike patagia formed from body tissue.
Aerodynamics: The study of air in motion and the forces it exerts on bodies. Airflow over a patagium produces lift and drag.
Colugo: An arboreal mammal of Southeast Asia with a broad gliding membrane. Its patagium spans from the neck to the fingers, toes, and tail.