Bats vs Birds

From: Sunstrom, Ben <ssunsbw_at_rgh.sa.gov.au>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 17:12:00 -0700 (PDT)


To further complicate things, here's some more raw data:

The sequence of the evolution of flight (in the RW) is 1) pterosaurs (the flying reptiles that were contempories of the dinosaurs) then 2) birds and lastly 3) bats. Birds evolved at the end of the Cretaceous period (while the pterosaurs were still around) but survived the mass extinction of the dinosaurs into the following ages, when the mammals became abundant and bats appeared.

Glorantha follows the first 2 steps of the RW model: dragons (flying reptiles) possessed flight first as the Cosmic Dragon and his children gave form to Creation and then came birds as creatures of Yelm in the Celestial Court.

Bats (family Chiroptera) are divided into 2 subfamilies: Fruit bats
(Macrochiroptera) and the rest, mostly insect-eating (Microchiroptera).
These 2 groups of bats are very different. Fruit bats are diurnal (though mostly active at dawn and dusk), fructivorous, much larger, do not possess radar, roost in trees and have moderate eye-sight. Insectivorous bats are nocturnal, insectivorous (though some branch out: the blood-suckers of course, and some that eat fish etc), smaller, do possess radar, roost in dark places (caves, tree hollows) and many have poor eyesight.

There is growing evidence (from only recently possible DNA analyses) that the 2 groups of bats evolved separately and that their similar body-shapes are coincidental only. The fruit-bats have more DNA in common with primates
(and maybe evolved from tarsier or lemur like critters) and insectivorous
bats have more DNA in common with insectivores (shrews, hedgehogs etc). That 2 different groups of mammals developed flight separately may seem a bit odd but is not. There are many species now that glide and which may have developed full flight if we hadn't arrived (there are gliding frogs, lizards, fish, possums and squirrels) on the scene.

Even though I have not read as much Gloranthan material as I would like, Yelm seems to be more than just the patron of birds - hippogriffs (before their mutilation and descent to earth as horses) and griffins show him honour (doubtless amongst other winged creatures). Perhaps he is the patron of winged flight in all creatures.

A workable model might be: Yelm either was patron/creator of all flying creatures or blessed those animals that worshipped him with wings. Birds, bats, hippogriffs, griffins etc. There were 2 types of bats in Yelms service, those that ate fruit and must remain closest to Yelm to receive his bounty and those that ate other creatures and protected Yelm's bounty from predation. The insect-eaters would range far and wide over the world and in their pursuit of food must pass into shadow, out of Yelm's sight. Perhaps they encountered insects there and strove to keep them from Yelm's sight by eating them. During the Darkness the fruit-bats suffered the same horrors as most animals and could only wait for Yelm's return as the creatures of darkness poured from the Underworld. The insect-bats, on the other hand, had encountered insects before and turned to them as their only food-source. Gorakki took exception to this and pursued the bats. The bats, having some experience with the darkness gods, turned to Xiola Umbar who, in return for their becoming creature of the dark, gifted them with sonar/darksense.
(After all, many creatures of darkness prey on each other - what was one
more addition to the fray?) After the LBQ and the return of Yelm to the sky he meted out justice on his previous subjects. Those found lacking were cursed, as the Ducks. The insect-eating bats had turned from Yelm (and no longer needed him to survive) and were cursed - Yelm removed their sharpness of sight.

Thus insect-eating bats became creatures of darkness (and lost the light of vision) and fruit-bats, although still faithful subjects of Yelm, suffered a bit of the curse in reduced eye-sight and becoming more active at dawn and dusk.

Cheers,

     Benjamin

PS Waddya reckon?


End of The Glorantha Digest V5 #135


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