Introduction to Ancient Bats
Two 52 million year old bat skeletons, discovered in an old seabed in Wyoming, are the oldest fossils that have ever been found, and they reveal a new species. These fossils provide significant insights into the evolution and diversity of bats in the early days.
Discovery of the New Species
Tim Rietbergen, an evolutionary biologist, identified the previously unknown bat species when he began to collect measurements and other data from museum samples. According to Rietbergen, "This new research is a step forward to understand what happened in relation to evolution and diversity in the early days of the bat."
Understanding Bat Evolution
Today, there are more than 1,400 living bat types worldwide, with the exception of the polar regions. However, how these creatures developed into the only mammal that is able to fly is not well understood. The bat fossil record is limited, making it difficult for scientists to study their evolution.
Characteristics of the New Species
The newly discovered extinct bat species, Icaronycteris gunnelli, differs little from bats that fly around today. The teeth of the fossilized bats show that they lived on a diet of insects. They were tiny, weighing only 25 grams (0.88 ounces), and had relatively short and wide wings, reflecting a fluttering flight style.
Fossilization Process
Bat skeletons are small, light, and fragile, which makes them unfavorable for the fossilization process. The two fossilized bats examined by Rietbergen probably survived the eons because they fell into a lake, avoiding predators and ending up in an environment that is more beneficial for fossilization.
Origin of the Fossils
The old seabed where the fossils were found is part of the Green River formation of Wyoming, which has provided a number of significant fossils. One of the two fossils was collected by a private collector in 2017 and bought by the American Museum of Natural History, while the other belonged to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and was found in 1994.
Publication of Research
The research on the new bat species was published in the Scientific Journal Plos One, providing further insights into the evolution and diversity of bats. The discovery of these ancient fossils sheds new light on the history of these fascinating creatures and their ability to fly.
