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New Research Sheds Light on Bat Flight Evolution
Recent findings from a collaborative study involving the University of Washington, University of Texas at Austin, and Oregon Institute of Technology have made significant strides in understanding how bats transitioned from gliding to powered flight. The research, led by undergraduate Abby Burtner, has been published in the journal PeerJ.
Titled “Gliding toward an Understanding of the Origin of Flight in Bats,” the study employs phylogenetic comparative methods to investigate the evolutionary changes that facilitated this important adaptation in bats, which are the only mammals capable of sustained powered flight.
Bats possess specialized limb structures that enable their unique form of locomotion. However, discerning the evolutionary journey that resulted in these adaptations has proven difficult, largely due to gaps in the fossil record. The current research offers fresh insights by testing the theory that bats originated from gliding ancestors.
The research team created an extensive dataset comprising limb bone measurements from 231 modern mammals exhibiting various locomotor abilities, alongside samples from four extinct bat species. Notable findings suggest that gliding mammals feature elongated forelimb and narrower hindlimb bones, characteristics that fall between those found in bats and non-gliding tree-dwelling mammals. The evolutionary modeling conducted as part of this study indicates that there may have been strong selective pressures on certain forelimb traits, facilitating movement from a gliding lifestyle toward becoming proficient flyers.
“We propose an adaptive landscape of limb bone traits across different locomotor modes based on the results from our modeling analyses,” stated Dr. Santana, one of the study’s co-authors. “Our results, in conjunction with prior research on bat wing development and aerodynamics, bolster a proposed evolutionary trajectory in which a glider-like forelimb structure emerged before the evolution of the specialized wings seen in bats today.”
This new study provides credible support for the gliding-to-flying hypothesis, while also contesting previously held assumptions regarding the evolutionary paths of bat and glider limb development. The authors underscore the necessity for further research to explore the biomechanical consequences of the identified bone structures and to consider the intricate genetic and ecological variables that shaped the evolution of bat flight.
“Our research enhances the understanding that bats likely evolved from gliding forebears and lays a morphological groundwork for further insights into bat flight,” added Dr. Law, another research team member. “Nonetheless, we underline the importance of uncovering additional fossils to thoroughly elucidate the complexities surrounding this extraordinary evolutionary transition.”
More information: Gliding toward an understanding of the origin of flight in bats, PeerJ (2024). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17824
Citation: Bat evolution study supports gliding-to-flying hypothesis (2024, July 25) retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2024-07-evolution-gliding-flying-hypothesis.html
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phys.org