一个5000万年前的,三维保存的蝙蝠头骨支持现代回声定位的早期起源
Suzanne J Hand1, Jacob Maugoust2, Robin M D Beck3
1ESSRC, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
Current biology : CB
|October 20, 2023
概括
一个新的化石蝙蝠,Vielasia sigei,从早期的欧纪提供了关于蝙蝠进化的见解. 这一发现弥合了古代和现代蝙蝠之间的差距,揭示了早期的回声定位和洞穴居住行为.
科学领域:
- 古生物学的古生物学
- 进化生物学 进化生物学
- 哺乳动物学 哺乳动物学
背景情况:
- 由于化石记录不完整,蝙蝠的起源和进化关系的了解很少.
- 现代蝙蝠 (超过1460个物种) 代表了一种超多样化的辐射,但它们的祖先形式仍然难以捉摸.
研究的目的:
- 描述一个新的早期欧风蝙蝠化石,Vielasia sigei,阐明从古老蝙蝠到现代蝙蝠的进化过渡.
- 调查早期蝙蝠的遗传位置和关键适应性.
主要方法:
- 使用大型牙特征矩阵 (2665个字符) 和DNA序列数据 (36.8kb) 的遗传学分析.
- 总证据尖端日期,以确定遗传学定位和分歧时间.
- 化石头骨的详细形态检查,特别是内耳结构.
主要成果:
- 约有5000万年前的Vielasia sigei是发现的最古老的未被粉碎的蝙蝠头骨.
- 遗传学分析将Vielasia定位为现代蝙蝠王冠类的姐妹,在现存蝙蝠群体之外.
- 维拉西亚表现出古老的牙和骨特征,以及特殊的内耳结构,表明喉回声定位,这表明这种能力早于现代蝙蝠辐射.
- 化石证据表明,蝙蝠的共同洞穴息行为,早在伊欧纪晚期.
结论:
- Vielasia sigei代表了一个关键的过渡化石,将早期蝙蝠血统与现代蝙蝠的多样化联系起来.
- 喉回声定位可能是在现代蝙蝠辐射之前演变的.
- 蝙蝠的洞穴息行为可能起源于对环境压力的反应,例如在伊纪早期的气候降温.
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