How do the wings of a bat and a bird fundamentally differ structurally, despite both enabling flight?
Answer
A bat wing is a modified forelimb with elongated finger bones and a skin membrane, whereas a bird wing uses fused forearm bones covered by feathers.
The text specifies that the functional similarity of flight is achieved through distinct underlying architectures: bat wings have a bone structure similar to a human hand, while bird wings use fused forearm bones and feathers, and insect wings are an outgrowth of the exoskeleton.
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