Megachiropteran bats profoundly unique from microchiropterans in climbing and walking locomotion: Evolutionary implications.

ABSTRACT: Understandably, most locomotor analyses of bats have focused on flight mechanics and behaviors. However, we investigated nonflight locomotion in an effort to glean deeper insights into the evolutionary history of bats. We used high-speed video (300 Hz) to film and compare walking and climbing mechanics and kinematics between several species of the suborders Megachiroptera (Pteropodidae) versus Microchiroptera (Vespertilionidae and Phyllostomatidae). We found fundamentally distinctive behaviors, functional abilities, and performance outcomes between groups, but nearly homogeneous outcomes within groups. Megachiropterans exhibited climbing techniques and skills not found in microchiropterans and which aligned with other fully arboreal mammals. Megachiropterans climbed readily when placed in

SUBMITTER: Adams RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5619802 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature