Talk:Bat/GA1

GA Review
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Reviewer: Cwmhiraeth (talk · contribs) 11:32, 30 October 2017 (UTC)


 * I propose to take on this review. It is a long article and it will take me some time to study it in detail. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 11:32, 30 October 2017 (UTC)

First reading

 * The paragraph starting "The phylogenetic relationships" is partly in the present tense and partly in the past.
 * Tweaked. Part of it is rightly in the present. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:51, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Only an estimated 12% of the bat fossil record is complete at the genus level." - What does that mean?
 * the fossil record's very incomplete  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "The extinct bats ... are the first fossil mammals to have their colouration discovered, both of a reddish-brown." - This sentence is ungrammatical.
 * seems alright to me  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)
 * I've tweaked it very slightly, hope this is ok with everyone. Chiswick Chap (talk) 09:14, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "intermediary fossil bat" - do you mean "intermediate"? And intermediate between what?
 * between non-flying bats and flying-bats, and fixed  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * Why did the discovery of "Onychonycteris finneyi, indicate that flight evolved before echolocative abilities"? The rest of the paragraph does not mention echolocation.
 * which is discussed in the next paragraph  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * There is quite a lot of overlinking.
 * Have removed some; it seems more than reasonable to allow it (as per the MoS) to a modest extent in cladograms and where taxa are first discussed even if briefly mentioned earlier. Chiswick Chap (talk) 09:04, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Bats have a slightly lower breaking stress point than birds" - Is this referring to wings?
 * yes  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "However, this design not permit many other movements, other than hanging or clambering up trees." - This sentence needs attention.
 * I removed the first "other"  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)
 * I'm not sure we speak the same language! Cwmhiraeth (talk) 21:05, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * considering it seems fine to me, it’s probably an American thing  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 13:23, 2 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "This skin membrane consists of connective tissue, elastic filaments, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels." - Do you mean "elastic fibres"?
 * fixed  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "Nectar and pollen eating bats are able to hover, similarly to hummingbirds. They can produce vortex lift with their sharp leading edges and change their wing shapes and curvatures to create stability in the lift." - This needs to be more clearly expressed.
 * Better? LittleJerry (talk) 02:19, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * " bats are not at risk of blood flow rusting to their heads when roosting." - We wouldn't want them rusting up, would we?
 * Fixed. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:51, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "tiger moths produces ultrasonic signals to warn bats that they are chemically protected or aposematic." - This is a curious statement. One can visualise the moth emitting a sound that the bat associates with toxicity or distastefulness, but not one that it associates with aposematic colouration.
 * Fixed. The sound itself is the aposematic signal. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:51, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Microbats have mesopic vision, meaning that they can only detect light in low levels," - I don't think this is correct.
 * the source says "for bats the cones are most useful in mesopic (rod- and cone-stimulating) light conditions"  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)
 * I think what you mean is that bats are unable to process light at high light levels. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 21:05, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Their eyesight, unlike that of its microbat relatives," - Correction to grammar needed.
 * someone else fixed it  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "They prefer to roost near magnetic north, and this may be used in long-distance travel." What does the first half of this sentence mean? The sentence also needs to clarify that it is referring to bats not birds.
 * fixed  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "bats have no means to cool themselves by evaporating, though they may use saliva to cool themselves." - I think you mean "evaporation", and you need to explain how saliva cools them.
 * all the source says about saliva is "their last resort in a thermal emergency is to lick their chests, and use saliva for cooling"  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "During long migrations, heterothermic bats, to conserve energy, may go into a torpid state while roosting in the daytime, and flying at night." - This sentence is somewhat confusing.
 * fixed  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * You have a section "Adaptations" but not one "Anatomy"
 * they're basically the same thing  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 22:25, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * Some book references lack page numbers. I noticed 42, 71, 72, 81, 91, 149
 * 42 (now 41) Pennycuick done Chiswick Chap (talk) 09:21, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * 71 done Chiswick Chap (talk) 19:38, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * 72 done Chiswick Chap (talk) 19:38, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * 81 done Chiswick Chap (talk) 19:42, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * 91 (now 90) replaced. LittleJerry (talk) 13:54, 1 November 2017 (UTC)
 * 149 (148) Google books does not give the page number so just I linked to the page online. LittleJerry (talk) 13:54, 1 November 2017 (UTC)

More

 * "Around 500 species of flowering plant rely on bat pollination and thus tend to hope their flowers at night." - I should hope so.
 * Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 02:22, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * That's all for now. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 19:59, 31 October 2017 (UTC)


 * "Bats rarely fly in rain, as the rain interferes with their echolocation" - What about megabats that don't use echolocation?
 * Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 19:25, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Temperate bat species may swarm at hibernation sites in August and September." What about bats in the southern hemisphere?
 * Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 19:25, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Predatory bats typically hunt at night, reducing competition with birds, minimizing contact with certain predators, and travel large distances, up to 800 kilometres (500 mi), in search of food." - This sentence structure is too complex.
 * Split. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:23, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "The bite force of small bats is generated through mechanical advantage, in that it is side-independent, through the hardened armor of insects or the skin of fruit." - I don't understand this sentence.
 * Fixed. LittleJerry (talk) 19:28, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Most bats, especially in temperate areas, prey on insects." - Does that include megabats?
 * No. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:25, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Fruit eating, or frugivory, is found in both major suborders." - So some microbats eat fruit do they?
 * Yes. LittleJerry (talk) 19:25, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "They prefer to eat fruit when they ripen." How about "The bats prefer to eat fruit when it is ripe."
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:26, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Vampire bats target sleeping prey and can detect deep breathing" - The rest of the paragraph here is in the singular whereas this sentence is in the plural.
 * Fixed. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:28, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "For temperate living bats" - I suggest you read the paragraph that starts like this carefully and correct a number of small errors.
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:33, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "Bats also communicate" - ditto.
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 17:34, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * Will continue later. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 14:17, 1 November 2017 (UTC)


 * "In certain countries, such as the United Kingdom ..." - This sentence could do with a reference.
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:51, 3 November 2017 (UTC)


 * With regard to the section on Rabies, it is very US-centric.
 * Copy-edited. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:57, 3 November 2017 (UTC)


 * Looking back now at the lead, I see the statement "Bats are less efficient at flying than birds, but are more manoeuvrable," which does not seem to be mentioned in the main body of text.
 * it says it, just not in those words and not in one sentence  User:Dunkleosteus77 &#124;push to talk 13:29, 2 November 2017 (UTC)


 * Wikilink "Pacific Rim", or preferably use a more specific term.
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 13:25, 2 November 2017 (UTC)


 * I have reached the end of the article and assessed whether the lead is a good summary of its contents. The later parts of the article were better written than the first half, which could have done with a more careful scrutiny before submitting to GAN. I will check the images and referencing before passing this. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 11:12, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

Misc comments

 * In the Life expectancy section "Roosting species may have a longer lifespan than non-roosting species because of the decreased predation in caves". I understood a roost to be any place a bat uses for shelter during the day. I think technically all bats roost. Could this be revised for clarity regarding colonially-roosting or cave-roosting species? Enwebb (talk) 03:14, 3 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Done. Chiswick Chap (talk) 08:48, 3 November 2017 (UTC)

GA criteria

 * The article is well written and complies with MOS guidelines on prose and grammar, structure and layout.
 * The article uses many reliable third-party sources, and makes frequent citations to them. I do not believe it contains original research.
 * The article covers the main aspects of the subject and remains focussed.
 * The article is neutral.
 * The article is stable.
 * The images are relevant and have suitable captions, and are either in the public domain or are properly licensed.


 * Final assessment - I am happy with the improvements made to the article and believe it reaches the GA criteria. Cwmhiraeth (talk) 10:07, 4 November 2017 (UTC)
 * Many thanks for the review. BTW this is a Million Award article, well done everyone. Chiswick Chap (talk) 10:32, 4 November 2017 (UTC)