Oldest fossil record of gliding in rodents

Storch, Golo; Engesser, B.; Wuttke, Michael

doi:10.1038/379439a0

Cited by 97 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Gliding has evolved independently among mammals at least nine times: in three families of marsupials (Order Diprotodontia: Families Acrobatidae, Petaurdiae and Pseudocheridae [12]), five times in placental mammals (Order Dermoptera: Family Cynocephalidae; Order Rodentia: Families Sciuridae, Anomaluridae, Eumyidae (fossil only [33]), Gliridae (fossil only [34]) [1,15]), and in another order that is more basal in mammal phylogeny (Order Volaticotheria, Family Volaticotheriidae, fossil only [35]). Although no study has measured the timeresolved glide trajectories for any of these animals, a variety of studies have examined whole-glide performance (GR and AGV) in different mammalian gliders, and those provide a basis for comparison with our results.…”

Section: Comparison Of Flying Squirrels and Other Glidersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glide performance and aerodynamics of non-equilibrium glides in northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Bahlman

Swartz

Riskin

et al. 2013

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Gliding is an efficient form of travel found in every major group of terrestrial vertebrates. Gliding is often modelled in equilibrium, where aerodynamic forces exactly balance body weight resulting in constant velocity. Although the equilibrium model is relevant for long-distance gliding, such as soaring by birds, it may not be realistic for shorter distances between trees. To understand the aerodynamics of inter-tree gliding, we used direct observation and mathematical modelling. We used videography (60 -125 fps) to track and reconstruct the three-dimensional trajectories of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) in nature. From their trajectories, we calculated velocities, aerodynamic forces and force coefficients. We determined that flying squirrels do not glide at equilibrium, and instead demonstrate continuously changing velocities, forces and force coefficients, and generate more lift than needed to balance body weight. We compared observed glide performance with mathematical simulations that use constant force coefficients, a characteristic of equilibrium glides. Simulations with varying force coefficients, such as those of live squirrels, demonstrated better wholeglide performance compared with the theoretical equilibrium state. Using results from both the observed glides and the simulation, we describe the mechanics and execution of inter-tree glides, and then discuss how gliding behaviour may relate to the evolution of flapping flight.

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Section: Comparison Of Flying Squirrels and Other Glidersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glide performance and aerodynamics of non-equilibrium glides in northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Bahlman

Swartz

Riskin

et al. 2013

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…The most abundant fossil vertebrates from the locality are anuran tadpoles Wuttke 2002, 2004), which were found in the thousands (Wuttke and Poschmann 2010), but adult amphibians are rather scarce. The vertebrate fauna of Enspel includes also cyprinid fishes (Böhme 2000), crocodiles (Frey and Monninger 2010), birds (Mayr et al 2006;Mayr 2007), and mammals (Storch et al 1996;Engesser and Storch 1999;Mörs and von Koenigswald 2000;Mörs and Kalthoff 2010). Further information on Enspel locality may be found in Poschmann et al (2010) and Schindler and Wuttke (2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It contains laminated lacustrine deposits (black pelites) with, among others, fossil amphibians. These deposits were classified by Storch et al (1996) into mammal zone MP 28, and Mertz et al (2007) dated their age as 24.79-24.56 Ma. The lake was meromictic and eutrophic, had no outlet, and a mesophytic forest extended up to the lake margins (Wuttke and Poschmann 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amphibia of Enspel (Late Oligocene, Germany)

Roĉek

Wuttke²

2010

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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Amphibia from the Late Oligocene (MP 28) locality Enspel, Germany are represented by two caudates: a hyperossified salamandrid Chelotriton paradoxus and an indeterminate salamandrid different from Chelotriton in proportions of vertebral column. Anurans are represented by two forms of the genus Palaeobatrachus, one of which is nearly as large as P. gigas (now synonymized with P. grandipes). Pelobates cf. decheni, represented in this locality by three nearly complete adult skeletons and a large number of tadpoles, is the earliest record for the genus. Compared with later representatives of the genus, it does not yet possess specializations for burrowing. Ranidae are represented by two rather fragmentary and incomplete skeletons referred to as Rana sp. A comparatively large series of tadpoles was assigned to the Pelobatidae on the basis of tripartite frontoparietal complex. Most of them are premetamorphic larvae, and a few older ones are postmetamorphic, but they do not exceed Gossner stage 42.One specimen is a large premetamorphic tadpole (no rudimentary limbs) with a total body length of 147 mm. Anatomically, it can be equally assigned to Pelobates or to Eopelobates; the second possibility was excluded only on the basis of absence of adult Eopelobates in this locality.

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“…In addition, at least three extinct lineages of mammals (Mein and Romaggi, 1991;Storch et al, 1996;Meng et al, 2006) have evolved gliding flight, with the oldest group dated at 130 million years ago (Meng et al, 2006). Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the selective pressures that resulted in gliding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gliding saves time but not energy in Malayan colugos

Byrnes

Libby

Lim

et al. 2011

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Gliding is thought to be an economical form of locomotion. However, few data on the climbing and gliding of free-ranging gliding mammals are available. This study employed an animal-borne three-dimensional acceleration data-logging system to collect continuous data on the climbing and gliding of free-ranging Malayan colugos, Galeopterus variegatus. We combined these movement data with empirical estimates of the metabolic costs to move horizontally or vertically to test this long-standing hypothesis by determining whether the metabolic cost to climb to sufficient height to glide a given distance was less than the cost to move an equivalent distance horizontally through the canopy. On average, colugos climb a short distance to initiate glides. However, due to the high energetic cost of climbing, gliding is more energetically costly to move a given horizontal distance than would be predicted for an animal travelling the same distance through the canopy. Furthermore, because colugos spend a small fraction of their time engaged in locomotor activity, the high costs have little effect on their overall energy budget. As a result, the energetic economy hypothesis for the origins of gliding is not supported. It is likely that other ecologically relevant factors have played a greater role in the origins of gliding in colugos and other mammals.

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Oldest fossil record of gliding in rodents

Cited by 97 publications

References 7 publications

Glide performance and aerodynamics of non-equilibrium glides in northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Glide performance and aerodynamics of non-equilibrium glides in northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus)

Amphibia of Enspel (Late Oligocene, Germany)

Gliding saves time but not energy in Malayan colugos

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