Many mammal species living in cold climates tend to have large bodies and short limbs to reduce heat loss – a general pattern known as Bergmann’s rule. However, bats are the exception to the rule, displaying small body sizes in both hot and cold regions. A McGill-led team of researchers is shedding light on this long-standing debate over bats’ body sizes and focus on why bats are seemingly non-conforming to ecogeographical patterns found in other mammals. Their findings offer a new method for investigating complex macroecology across bat species.

Classified as: mcgill research, Department of Biology, bats, Thermoregulation, Sustainability, Juan G Rubalcaba, morphology, evolution, flight cost
Published on: 21 Jul 2022
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