If bats can't see then why do they have eyes?

Answer 1

Quote from the encyclopedia:

"Although the eyes of most microbat species are small and poorly developed, their sense of vision is typically very good, especially at long distances, beyond the range of echolocation. It has even been discovered that some species are able to detect ultraviolet light."

So then the question should be why do some animals have eyes if they cannot see? I believe there are certain spiders such as tarantulas that have something like five or six eyes and they are totally blind. Why? In this case the spider has tiny very sensitive hairs that are ultra sensitive to the slightest vibration. This adaptation eliminates the need for vision and in fact spiders without vision that rely entirely on the vibrations are better adapted to their environment than a spider that has to really choose between two methods for detecting things that are moving in its environment. So spiders born blind then have the edge and soon all of them are like that.

But these animals have not undergone a metamorphosis or mutation that resulted in offspring with no eyes. Similarly humans have fingernails and toenail which may have been claws at one point but have not been entirely eliminated from human anatomy as these changes can be very slow and gradual over several million years in some cases. In other cases dramatic alterations can seem to occur almost seemingly overnight in some species.

Edit: Quote regarding the tarantula:

"The eyes, which, unlike those of insects, are simple lenses, are located above the chelicerae on the forward part of the cephalothorax. They are small and usually set in two rows of four. Most tarantulas are not able to see much more than light, darkness, and motion."

I'm just using the tarantula as an example to illustrate a broader point. You could use some other form of spider that spins a web as your example if you want to. But the point would be the same.

Answer 2

They CAN see and that is why they have eyes. Not sure how the saying "blind as a bat" came about, as it is not true. Most bats have very good vision, but they do rely on echolocation more than vision to find prey.

Answer 3

Bats can see,but they have low vision.

Answer 4

those who said bats can't see, are blind, dumb and stupid!

it is a question like "if we do have common sense, why can't we use it?

man! everyone knows, thats the opinion of experts' you know how experts found that bats can't see? they ask them! they talk to them! thats how they found out that bats can't see!

My ***...

Answer 5

bats can see alittle bit but echolocation helps them big time... they arnt completely blind as far as i know

Answer 6

Klaudia. They CAN see. Their eyesight is poor and adapted to darker environments, like caves, and night time, etc.

Answer 7

If men can't breastfeed, why do they have nipples. If people have ears, why can't they flap them. It is purely adaptation to our environment and nature is the drum major !

Answer 8

Every being has eyes