Scanning Electron Microscopic study of bats hair as an aid of species identification

Cuticular scales patterns of hair shafts have been studied in order to show variations associated with mammalian species bearing hair. Results of microscopical studies of mid-dorsal hair shafts of certain Philippine bats showed that the type of pigmentation and the cuticular scales did not vary within the genera but did within the families. It is clearly demonstrated that the mammals showed variant patterns of cuticle structure of hair shafts by SEM and could be used for identifying different mammals. Mid-dorsal hair shafts of 15 species of Saudi Arabian bats (O.Chiroptera) were ultrasonically cleaned, dehydrated, coated with gold/palladium and photographed by JSM-35. The hair cuticle of 15 species of different genera and families of bats were investigated ( Rhinopoma microphyllum, Rousettus aegyptiacus, Taphozous perforatus, Tagphozous