How bats evolved from gliding to acing powered flight Credit: Getty

New study in PeerJ Life & Environment led by undergraduate Abby Burtner, with researchers from multiple universities, explores the evolutionary origins of bat flight.

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The research investigates the transition from gliding to powered flight in bats, the only mammals capable of powered flight, through phylogenetic comparative methods

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Researchers analyzed limb bone measurements from extinct bats and 231 living mammals, finding that gliders' limb traits are intermediate between bats and non-gliding arboreal mammals.

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Findings support the hypothesis that bats evolved from gliding ancestors, suggesting strong selection on forelimb traits towards flight adaptation.

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Results indicate an adaptive landscape of limb traits across locomotor modes, aligning with previous research on bat wing development and aerodynamics.

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Study emphasizes the need for more fossils and further biomechanical, genetic, and ecological studies to fully understand the evolution of bat powered flight.

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