Dataset Information

Unusual echolocation behaviour of the common sword-nosed bat Lonchorhina aurita: an adaptation to aerial insectivory in a phyllostomid bat?

ABSTRACT: Most insectivorous bat species in the Neotropical family Phyllostomidae glean insects from ground, water or vegetation surfaces. They use similar and stereotypical echolocation calls that are generally very short (less than 1-3 ms), multi-harmonic and frequency-modulated (FM). By contrast, the common sword-nosed bat, Lonchorhina aurita, which has the longest noseleaf in the entire phyllostomid family, produces distinctly different echolocation calls. They are composed of a constant frequency (CF) component with a peak frequency of 45 kHz, followed by a short FM down-sweep at the end. With a mean call duration of 6.6 ms (max. 8.7 ms) when flying in the open they have the longest echolocation calls reported from phyllostomid bats. In cluttered environments, the CF-component is very short. In open habitats, however, L. aurita can emit pure CF-calls without the terminal FM-component. We also recorded in the field a distinct terminal group that closely resembles the feeding buzzes of aerial hawking bat species from other bat families. This is the first time the echolocation call design of L. aurita is presented. In addition, we contrast the echolocation behaviour of individuals flying in open and confined situations. Our results suggest that the unique echolocation system of L. aurita represents an adaptation to aerial hawking, a very unusual hunting mode within the phyllostomid family.

SUBMITTER: Gessinger G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6689612 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Unusual echolocation behaviour of the common sword-nosed bat <i>Lonchorhina aurita</i>: an adaptation to aerial insectivory in a phyllostomid bat?

Gessinger Gloria G Gonzalez-Terrazas Tania P TP Page Rachel A RA Jung Kirsten K Tschapka Marco M

Royal Society open science 20190731 7

Most insectivorous bat species in the Neotropical family Phyllostomidae glean insects from ground, water or vegetation surfaces. They use similar and stereotypical echolocation calls that are generally very short (less than 1-3 ms), multi-harmonic and frequency-modulated (FM). By contrast, the common sword-nosed bat, <i>Lonchorhina aurita</i>, which has the longest noseleaf in the entire phyllostomid family, produces distinctly different echolocation calls. They are composed of a constant freque ...[more]

PMID: 31417705

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Project description:Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration), in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late) in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance) and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition). We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1) the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2) the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3) the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4) the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable tool for not only bat biodiversity conservation but also for the conservation of the key ecological processes they provide.

Dataset Information

Unusual echolocation behaviour of the common sword-nosed bat Lonchorhina aurita: an adaptation to aerial insectivory in a phyllostomid bat?

Publications

Unusual echolocation behaviour of the common sword-nosed bat <i>Lonchorhina aurita</i>: an adaptation to aerial insectivory in a phyllostomid bat?

Similar Datasets

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