Origin and Evolution of Gliding in Early Cenozoic Dermoptera (Mammalia, Primatomorpha)

摘要: Aside from the acquisition of powered flight in bats and aquatic habits whales, few mammalian life-styles have led to more drastic alterations postcranial skeleton than evolution gliding living Dermoptera (commonly known as colugos, flying lemurs, or taguans). For obvious reasons, fundamental macroevolutionary innovations such those made by early bats, colugos are subject keen interest debate among paleontologists systematists (e.g., Jepsen, 1970; Gingerich et al., 1983, 1990; Novacek, 1985; Beard, 1990a). whales these were probably causal prerequisites for adaptive radiations taxa. In contrast, it is much less that dermopterans an radiation at all, given low diversity characteristic order today. Regardless differences extant diversity, distinctive components Earth’s biota primarily because suites diagnostic attributes they possess a result key occurred earlier their respective histories.