Sanguivory is a dietary habit that involves feeding on blood. While a lot of sanguivorous animals will substitute their diets with food from other sources, some are obligate sanguivores and can survive on a diet of blood only. An example is the vampire bat, and there are three species that are obligate sanguivores: the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), the hairy-legged vampire bat (Diphylla ecaudata), and the white-winged vampire bat (Diaemus youngi). There have been multiple theories about the evolution of vampire bats, including that they may have evolved from frugivorous, carnivorous or nectarivorous ancestors, but recent analysis has suggested that they are descended from insectivores. Blood is a very challenging food source, and so requires specialized adaptations in both anatomy and physiology. Vampire bats have short, cone-shaped muzzles and incisors and canines that are specialized for cutting, and they are very maneuverable on land, and can walk, jump, and run by using their forelimbs. Although the gut microbiome of the common vampire bat is taxonomically more similar to insectivorous and carnivorous bats than to frugivorous (fruit-eating) bats, and although insectivorous, carnivorous, and frugivorous bats all have similarly functioning gut microbiomes, vampire bats have gut microbiomes that are unique. A study on “Hologenomic adaptations underlying the evolution of sanguivory in the common vampire bat” (Mendoza et al. 2018) suggests that the function of the microbiome may be influenced more by phylogeny than taxonomy, and that the vampire bat’s gut microbiome is specialized for its demanding diet.
Comments
suggestion
" Although the gut microbiome of the common vampire bat is taxonomically more similar to insectivorous and carnivorous bats than to frugivorous (fruit-eating) bats, and although insectivorous, carnivorous, and frugivorous bats all have similarly functioning gut microbiomes, vampire bats have gut microbiomes that are unique." is pretty wordy and using although twice, maybe use a different phrase or split the sentences
suggestion
Towards the middle of the pragraph you repeatedly start using the word and throughout the sentence. " Vampire bats have short, cone-shaped muzzles and incisors and canines that are specialized for cutting, and they are very maneuverable on land, and can walk, jump, and run by using their forelimbs." Just cut down the amount of times you use it, it sounds too wordy.
comment
A shift in ideas mid parapgraph. You are explaining the advantageous qualities of a vampire both anatomically and physiologically, then begin talking about the microbiome of a bat which could be complicated. I would talk about the gut and microbiome in a different paragraph to keep ideas organized. Overall well written.