Their analyses, published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, revealed remarkable similarities between the ancient bat and the modern one, including the unique angle of the joint and grooves that give muscles leverage for pushing hard off the ground. "For at least 100 years, it has always been assumed that before they got to New Zealand, they didn't have this capacity" to walk, Hand said. "The fossil evidence and morphological evidence suggest that these guys were just as comfortable on the ground as the ones in New Zealand." Riskin is not yet ready to jump to the same conclusions. The shape of a bat's skeleton doesn't necessarily predict if or how the bat will walk, he said. It's possible that the Australian ancestors were only slightly terrestrial, which wouldn't be that unusual given the behavior of bats today. Still, the findings are intriguing enough to warrant further investigation. "It brings up this whole question of who these bats evolved," Riskin said. "We have to reevaluate the assumption that it has to do with New Zealand's habitat." Related Links: Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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