Interpretation and application of bat diversity and phylogeny

Abstract

Brock Fenton has devoted his career to the study of the ecological adaptations of bats and their diversity. In this paper, we describe his interest and research on the subject of bat evolution and how he has used phylogenetic hypotheses to revise our understanding of divergences and convergences of specific traits within this mammalian order. While he has always been fascinated by the evolution of echolocation, he has also written about the evolution of reproductive, morphological, and behavioural traits and his recent methods of documenting diversity incorporates his lifelong love of photography. We describe these and taxonomic attempts to honour his contributions to the study of bat species diversity. Brock has supported hundreds of students and colleagues with his endless enthusiasm and generosity and inspired them with his ongoing research on bats.