ABSTRACT
This section introduces the biogeography and morphology of the New Zealand terrestrial mammalstwo genera of bats. As in other groups, structural evolution in mammals can be interpreted in terms of trends or tendencies, although in standard theory, the structure and behavior of mammals are always interpreted in terms of adaptation. For example, a classic text on primates argued that evolution consists of “a molding of… structure… for various biological roles…,” and that “Most evolutionary changes in teeth are the result of selective forces derived from a specific dietary regime” (Szalay and Delson, 1979). Thus the diet causes the structure of teeth, rather than vice versa, as argued here. In the traditional approach, the focus is on understanding the morphology of a particular group in terms of its ecology, rather than interpreting it with respect to broader structural trends outside the group itself.
