Sunday, August 31, 2025
Science
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Scienmag
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News Biology

Same species, different sizes: rare evolution in action spotted in island bats

April 22, 2024
in Biology
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0
Comparison of bat body size
66
SHARES
596
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands.

Comparison of bat body size

Credit: Tyrone Lavery

A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands.

Dr Tyrone Lavery reports in a paper published in Evolution that two groups of leaf-nosed bats with vastly different body sizes that were thought to be separate species are an example of a rare type of parallel evolution. Parallel evolution is when different populations living in similar environments evolve similar features independently.

The smaller bat, Hipposideros diadema, is found across its six main islands and many smaller islands. It is also common in South East Asia, Papua New Guinea and parts of northern Australia. The much larger bats were named in 1905 as H. dinops, or Fierce Leaf-Nosed Bat, and are found only in the Solomon Islands. The two sizes live together on most islands, which all have similar forested habitat.

“Although they are very different sizes, the bats’ DNA is very similar. They use very different sonar frequencies, they probably eat different food, and even when they live in the same cave together they don’t interbreed. That is why no one has ever really questioned whether they were different species,” Dr Lavery said.

Dr Lavery said despite their independent origins, each group of larger bats has evolved to look the same, averaging more than double the weight of the small bat. “Our research suggests the rapid and repeated evolution of larger bodied bats from smaller bats, each happening independently on separate islands,” he said.

“When we created family trees using the bats’ DNA, we found that what we thought was just one species of large bat in the Solomon Islands was actually a case where bigger bats had evolved from the smaller species multiple times across different islands,” he said.

This type of parallel evolution arising from separated populations of the same species has only been observed in action a few times before and is believed to be the first time it has been documented in real time in mammals.

Parallel evolution has been found in parts of the world when populations are geographically separated but live in similar environments – such as different islands or lakes. One common type of parallel evolution is convergent evolution. For example thylacines and wolves are two separate species with different origins that evolved separately to look similar. But Dr Lavery said it was rare to see two isolated populations of the same species go through the same evolutionary process.

“Something very strong is pushing or selecting for these big bats, and it is strong enough for it to happen multiple times on different islands. We think these larger bats might be evolving to take advantage of prey that the smaller bats aren’t eating. Although they could probably interbreed, they don’t for some reason,” he said.

Across the islands, the sonar frequencies of larger bats are lower and suited to hunting bigger prey, while the smaller bats use a higher frequency. This probably means the larger bats are eating larger insects, or even frogs, Dr Lavery said.

Measuring 103 bat specimens from the Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, University of Kansas Natural History Museum, and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Hawaii, Dr Lavery also found no overlap in body size between the two groups – the smaller “species” was always easily identified from the larger bats.

“Over time larger body size may have been part of behavioural and physical adaptations needed to hunt larger prey. This might mean the bigger and smaller bats no longer recognise each other as mates, and so they live separate lives.”

Dr Lavery said this parallel evolution pattern in leaf-nosed bats had been observed in Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal and in the Western Province, and more research was needed to see if the same pattern was repeated on other islands.

“We may think of evolution as very slow process, but it can happen rapidly when the conditions are right and two groups are separated and stop interbreeding. They can begin to evolve on different pathways,” he said.

“Islands are famous for helping us to observe and understand the processes for how species evolve in real time. They’re also places that are very vulnerable to the types of disturbance created by humans create. It’s important that we look after these incredible landscapes in Solomon Islands before we lose these stories even before we find them.”

A University of Melbourne researcher has spotted a rare evolutionary phenomenon happening rapidly in real time in bats living in the Solomon Islands.

Dr Tyrone Lavery reports in a paper published in Evolution that two groups of leaf-nosed bats with vastly different body sizes that were thought to be separate species are an example of a rare type of parallel evolution. Parallel evolution is when different populations living in similar environments evolve similar features independently.

The smaller bat, Hipposideros diadema, is found across its six main islands and many smaller islands. It is also common in South East Asia, Papua New Guinea and parts of northern Australia. The much larger bats were named in 1905 as H. dinops, or Fierce Leaf-Nosed Bat, and are found only in the Solomon Islands. The two sizes live together on most islands, which all have similar forested habitat.

“Although they are very different sizes, the bats’ DNA is very similar. They use very different sonar frequencies, they probably eat different food, and even when they live in the same cave together they don’t interbreed. That is why no one has ever really questioned whether they were different species,” Dr Lavery said.

Dr Lavery said despite their independent origins, each group of larger bats has evolved to look the same, averaging more than double the weight of the small bat. “Our research suggests the rapid and repeated evolution of larger bodied bats from smaller bats, each happening independently on separate islands,” he said.

“When we created family trees using the bats’ DNA, we found that what we thought was just one species of large bat in the Solomon Islands was actually a case where bigger bats had evolved from the smaller species multiple times across different islands,” he said.

This type of parallel evolution arising from separated populations of the same species has only been observed in action a few times before and is believed to be the first time it has been documented in real time in mammals.

Parallel evolution has been found in parts of the world when populations are geographically separated but live in similar environments – such as different islands or lakes. One common type of parallel evolution is convergent evolution. For example thylacines and wolves are two separate species with different origins that evolved separately to look similar. But Dr Lavery said it was rare to see two isolated populations of the same species go through the same evolutionary process.

“Something very strong is pushing or selecting for these big bats, and it is strong enough for it to happen multiple times on different islands. We think these larger bats might be evolving to take advantage of prey that the smaller bats aren’t eating. Although they could probably interbreed, they don’t for some reason,” he said.

Across the islands, the sonar frequencies of larger bats are lower and suited to hunting bigger prey, while the smaller bats use a higher frequency. This probably means the larger bats are eating larger insects, or even frogs, Dr Lavery said.

Measuring 103 bat specimens from the Australian Museum, Queensland Museum, University of Kansas Natural History Museum, and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Hawaii, Dr Lavery also found no overlap in body size between the two groups – the smaller “species” was always easily identified from the larger bats.

“Over time larger body size may have been part of behavioural and physical adaptations needed to hunt larger prey. This might mean the bigger and smaller bats no longer recognise each other as mates, and so they live separate lives.”

Dr Lavery said this parallel evolution pattern in leaf-nosed bats had been observed in Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal and in the Western Province, and more research was needed to see if the same pattern was repeated on other islands.

“We may think of evolution as very slow process, but it can happen rapidly when the conditions are right and two groups are separated and stop interbreeding. They can begin to evolve on different pathways,” he said.

“Islands are famous for helping us to observe and understand the processes for how species evolve in real time. They’re also places that are very vulnerable to the types of disturbance created by humans create. It’s important that we look after these incredible landscapes in Solomon Islands before we lose these stories even before we find them.”



Journal

Evolution

DOI

10.1093/evolut/qpae039

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Parallel evolution in an island archipelago revealed by genomic sequencing of Hipposideros leaf-nosed bats

Article Publication Date

8-Mar-2024

COI Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Share26Tweet17
Previous Post

U of T researchers map protein network dynamics during cell division

Next Post

Scientists in Missouri, Virginia receive pediatric heart transplantation research grants

Related Posts

blank
Biology

Decoding Stellaria media’s Chloroplast Genome: Insights Revealed

August 31, 2025
blank
Biology

Revolutionary Hybrid Genome Enhances Economic Traits Insights

August 31, 2025
blank
Biology

Age-Dependent Nesting Patterns in White Storks

August 31, 2025
blank
Biology

Internal Fat Biology Changes Identified as a Key Driver of Heart Failure

August 31, 2025
blank
Biology

Gene Rearrangements Reveal Anomura’s Phylogenetic Relationships

August 31, 2025
blank
Biology

Helminthiasis in Equines: Efficacy of Anthelmintics in Oromia

August 31, 2025
Next Post
Scientists in Missouri, Virginia receive pediatric heart transplantation research grants

Scientists in Missouri, Virginia receive pediatric heart transplantation research grants

  • Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    Mothers who receive childcare support from maternal grandparents show more parental warmth, finds NTU Singapore study

    27542 shares
    Share 11014 Tweet 6884
  • University of Seville Breaks 120-Year-Old Mystery, Revises a Key Einstein Concept

    956 shares
    Share 382 Tweet 239
  • Bee body mass, pathogens and local climate influence heat tolerance

    642 shares
    Share 257 Tweet 161
  • Researchers record first-ever images and data of a shark experiencing a boat strike

    509 shares
    Share 204 Tweet 127
  • Warm seawater speeding up melting of ‘Doomsday Glacier,’ scientists warn

    313 shares
    Share 125 Tweet 78
Science

Embark on a thrilling journey of discovery with Scienmag.com—your ultimate source for cutting-edge breakthroughs. Immerse yourself in a world where curiosity knows no limits and tomorrow’s possibilities become today’s reality!

RECENT NEWS

  • Cognitively Guided Instruction Boosts Student Agency Development
  • Fostering Green Innovation Among College Students for Sustainability
  • Confucian vs. Anglo Schools: Insights from PISA 2015
  • Exploring Rural Men’s Views on Family Planning

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Athmospheric
  • Biology
  • Blog
  • Bussines
  • Cancer
  • Chemistry
  • Climate
  • Earth Science
  • Marine
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Pediatry
  • Policy
  • Psychology & Psychiatry
  • Science Education
  • Social Science
  • Space
  • Technology and Engineering

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,182 other subscribers

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SCIENCE NEWS
  • CONTACT US

© 2025 Scienmag - Science Magazine

Discover more from Science

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading