Biology Report: Evolutionary Processes of Bats on NHK Island

This report provides an overview of the evolutionary processes that have shaped the bat species found on NHK Island. The report details the role of fossils in bat evolution, discussing how the development of flight and echolocation has contributed to the bat's unique characteristics. It further explores t...Read More

Assessment Question
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5
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INTRODUCTION
Describe all possible evolutional processes by which bats in the NHK island have evolved to
become a distinct species
Evolution is change in characteristics of particular species over time period and
generation. Basically, it is a natural process and is based on theory that all species have evolved
through it even human beings as well. Hence, in all forms of evolution natural process occurs.
There is gradual change in species (MacLean, Lytras. and Robertson 2020). Usually, there are 3
types of evolution that is divergent, convergent and parallel. NHK island is place in Japan from
where bat has evolved into distinct species. It is expected that around 52 million years ago bat
was evolved. As there are no specific proof exist but it is assumed that fossil is involved in bat
evolution. Thus, its entire evolution process is mentioned as below :
It has been found by scientists that bat has evolved through fossils. This is because it can
be said that first process was flight and then echolocation was evolved. Moreover it is believed
that microchiroptera evolved from a mammal to put out insectivore. This include small rodent
mammal which feed insect. The bat developed flying ability in echolocation where insect were
also evolved at same time. In echolocation process bats developed genome region that was
similar to dolphins. It is supposed that pre bat was nocturnal and lived in trees. So, this led to
evolving stage of bat. The first bat fossil found was 52 million years old. In that bat was not able
to fly or use echolocation. Mammals developed shirt, flap wings thus, it also gave a same
resemblance to bat. But the wings of bat has evolved with time. It has become highly sensitive
and is joined with membrane. Hence it has given advantage to bat over other flying creatures like
bird, insects, etc.
Hence, first is fossil and then it come onychonycteris finneyi. It showed that have low
aerodynamic efficiency. They were close of gliders. Echolocation was evolution in which bat
developed technique of flying (Moreno-Santillán. and Ortega 2021). It involves reaching out
with the forelimbs from a stationary perch and is likely to have involved a complex sensory
system to calculate and predict prey movements. The flight first hypothesis state that bats
ancestor jumped between trees. It was microchiropterans. Then, came tandem evolution in which
energetic coupling flight and echolocation in dark. The diurnal frugivore predict that bat glide
from one branch with diurnal vision. It enabled in taking of protein. The last is interdigital
webbing in groups were developed on basis of echolocation abilities. This led to evolution of bat
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in NHK island. A full evolutionary pathway from gliding to powered flight in bats begins with
an ancestral gliding stage via a forelimb to hindlimb patagium, which is followed by the
development of flapping.
Hence, bats have become distinct as they are only found on few island. There are various
species whose evolution process is same as bat such as insect, birds, etc.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
MacLean, O.A., Lytras, S. and Robertson, D.L., 2020. Evidence of significant natural selection
in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in bats, not humans. bioRxiv.
Moreno-Santillán, D.D. and Ortega, J., 2021. Molecular Biology in the Evolution of Bats: A
Historical Perspective. In 50 Years of Bat Research (pp. 273-287). Springer, Cham.
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