It is difficult to determine whether given adaptations are truly the result of coevolution, where a prey adaptation gives rise to a predator adaptation that is countered by further adaptation in the prey. An alternative explanation is escalation, where predators are adapting to competitors, their own predators or dangerous prey. Apparent adaptations to predation may also have arisen for other reasons and then been co-opted for attack or defence. In some of the insects preyed on by bats, hearing evolved before bats appeared and was used to hear signals used for territorial defence and mating. Their hearing evolved in response to bat predation, but the only clear example of reciprocal adaptation in bats is stealth echolocation.
It is difficult to determine whether given adaptations are truly the result of coevolution where a prey adaptation gives rise to a predator adaptation that is countered by further adaptation in the prey An alternative explanation is escalation where predators are adapting to competitors their own predators or dangerous prey Apparent adaptations to predation may also have arisen for other reasons and then been co-opted for attack or defence In some of the insects preyed on by bats hearing evolved before bats appeared and was used to hear signals used for territorial defence and mating Their hearing evolved in response to bat predation but the only clear example of reciprocal adaptation in bats is stealth echolocation