RE: Marsupial forelimbs... or rather hindlimbs

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Mike Keesey wrote:

> I'm confused though, as to why bats didn't face the same challenge
> when invading the bird niche. (Is it because they're nocturnal?)


Maybe.  Though it is also possible that bats 'took off' (both literally and 
figuratively) at the very beginning of the Cenozoic, at a time when many avian 
groups (especially forest-dwelling taxa) were still recovering from the end-K 
extinction, or had gone extinct altogether (e.g., enantiornitheans, who may 
have been the only specialist perchers during the Cretaceous).  Though I 
wouldn't put too much stock in that idea.  ;-)

Cheers

Tim
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