Evidently,
(Fig. 1) interest in the origin and evolution of bats blog post (September 21, 2011) far exceeds that of any other subject here at PterosaurHeresies.Wordpress.com. Every day of every week this single page has several to ten times the views of any other page. Curious about the numbers, I finally looked up the viewing history of this blogpost:
Figure 1. WordPress stats for the evolution and origin of bats page here at PterosaurHeresies. 2018 could exceed 2017 at this rate.
Bats origins are fascinating
and in need of more precise data and hypotheses. I hope the present data spurs further discovery in this small corner of the reptile family tree. Parts 2 and 3 of this subject were posted here and here.
Figure 2. Hypothetical bat ancestors arising from a sister to Chriacus, which may be a large late survivor of a smaller common ancestor.
Phylogenetic (trait-based) analysis
is a powerful tool that can answer our most baffling traditional enigmas. In many cases this tool is only a blunt instrument, but as more pertinent taxa are added, it becomes a finer and sharper needle and scalpel.
Figure 3. Ptilocercus, Icaronycteris and a hypothetical transitional taxon based on the ontogenetically immature wing of the embryo Myotis. If you’re going to evolve wings it looks like you have to stop using them as hands early on. Note in the bat embryo there is little indication of the fleshy inter-metacarpal muscles. That area looks identical to the web, even in the Myotis embryo.
No matter what you like to read about here at PH
thank you for your continued interest.
The Pterosaur Heresies 