Re: Paedomorphosis ( Re: BARYONYX' CLAWS )

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@inforamp.net>]

>Is it possible for flight to evolve without a gliding phase? Maybe. But 
>where would the transition from non-flapper to flapper come in? 
>
>MattTroutman

I have suggested in detail in earlier posts here that flapping could have
evolved as a mechanism for marginally increasing the range and control of
jumps
within trees, an improvement that could have increased access to prey just out
of reach of a non-flapping jumper.  Even a centimetre or so of added range
could have increased prey capture rates and access (eg to insects sitting on
the ends of long, thin branches).  "Hawking", as this sort of hunting is
called, is common in living birds.  On the other hand, given that some living
gliders such as the giant Asian flying squirrels can reach 100m on a single
glide, I see little reason for such animals to switch over to flapping
(thouhg,
as others have noted, this may be what happened during the evolution of bats.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
1825 Shady Creek Court                 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2          mailto:ornstn@inforamp.net