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Zhang T, Jing H, Wang J, Zhao L, Liu Y, Rossiter SJ, Lu H, Li G. Evolution of olfactory receptor superfamily in bats based on high throughput molecular modelling. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13958. [PMID: 38567648 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The origin of flight and laryngeal echolocation in bats is likely to have been accompanied by evolutionary changes in other aspects of their sensory biology. Of all sensory modalities in bats, olfaction is perhaps the least well understood. Olfactory receptors (ORs) function in recognizing odour molecules, with crucial roles in evaluating food, as well as in processing social information. Here we compare OR repertoire sizes across taxa and apply a new pipeline that integrates comparative genome data with protein structure modelling and then we employ molecular docking techniques with small molecules to analyse OR functionality based on binding energies. Our results suggest a sharp contraction in odorant recognition of the functional OR repertoire during the origin of bats, consistent with a reduced dependence on olfaction. We also compared bat lineages with contrasting different ecological characteristics and found evidence of differences in OR gene expansion and contraction, and in the composition of ORs with different tuning breadths. The strongest binding energies of ORs in non-echolocating fruit-eating bats were seen to correspond to ester odorants, although we did not detect a quantitative advantage of functional OR repertoires in these bats compared with echolocating insectivorous species. Overall, our findings based on molecular modelling and computational docking suggest that bats have undergone olfactory evolution linked to dietary adaptation. Our results from extant and ancestral bats help to lay the groundwork for targeted experimental functional tests in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Haohao Jing
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinhong Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Le Zhao
- School of Biological Science and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary, University of London, London, UK
| | - Huimeng Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Gang Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
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2
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Respicio JMV, Dela Cruz KC, Hughes AC, Tanalgo KC. The behavioural costs of overcrowding for gregarious cave-dwelling bats. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:619-631. [PMID: 38556757 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Bats are known for their gregarious social behaviour, often congregating in caves and underground habitats, where they play a pivotal role in providing various ecosystem services. Studying bat behaviour remains an underexplored aspect of bat ecology and conservation despite its ecological importance. We explored the costs and impacts of overcrowding on bat social behaviour. This study examined variations in bat behavioural patterns between two distinct groups, aggregated and non-aggregated male Rousettus amplexicaudatus, within the Monfort Bat Cave Sanctuary on Mindanao Island, Philippines. We found significant variations in the incident frequencies of various bat behavioural activities, particularly aggression and movement, between these two groups. The increase in aggregation was closely related to negative social behaviour among bats. In contrast, sexual behaviour was significantly related to the positive behaviour of individual bats and was headed in less crowded areas. The disparities in bat behaviour with an apparent decline in bat social behaviour because of overcrowding, with more aggressive behaviours emerging, align with the 'behavioural sink' hypothesis. Our study underscores the importance of considering habitat quality and resource availability in the management and conservation of bat colonies, as these factors can reduce the occurrence of aggressive and negative social behaviours in colonies with high population density by providing alternative habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeaneth Magelen V Respicio
- Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Philippines
| | - Kier C Dela Cruz
- Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Philippines
| | - Alice C Hughes
- School of Life Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Krizler C Tanalgo
- Ecology and Conservation Research Laboratory (Eco/Con Lab), Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, Philippines
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3
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Castro MG, Amado TF, Olalla-Tárraga MÁ. Correlated evolution between body size and echolocation in bats (order Chiroptera). BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:44. [PMID: 38622513 PMCID: PMC11017568 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02231-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Body size and echolocation call frequencies are related in bats. However, it is unclear if this allometry applies to the entire clade. Differences have been suggested between nasal and oral emitting bats, as well as between some taxonomic families. Additionally, the scaling of other echolocation parameters, such as bandwidth and call duration, needs further testing. Moreover, it would be also interesting to test whether changes in body size have been coupled with changes in these echolocation parameters throughout bat evolution. Here, we test the scaling of peak frequency, bandwidth, and call duration with body mass using phylogenetically informed analyses for 314 bat species. We specifically tested whether all these scaling patterns differ between nasal and oral emitting bats. Then, we applied recently developed Bayesian statistical techniques based on large-scale simulations to test for the existence of correlated evolution between body mass and echolocation. RESULTS Our results showed that echolocation peak frequencies, bandwidth, and duration follow significant allometric patterns in both nasal and oral emitting bats. Changes in these traits seem to have been coupled across the laryngeal echolocation bats diversification. Scaling and correlated evolution analyses revealed that body mass is more related to peak frequency and call duration than to bandwidth. We exposed two non-exclusive kinds of mechanisms to explain the link between size and each of the echolocation parameters. CONCLUSIONS The incorporation of Bayesian statistics based on large-scale simulations could be helpful for answering macroevolutionary patterns related to the coevolution of traits in bats and other taxonomic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario G Castro
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Cambio Global, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, 28933, Spain.
| | - Talita Ferreira Amado
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
- German Center for Integrative Bioaffiliationersity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Miguel Á Olalla-Tárraga
- Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipán s/n, Móstoles, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Cambio Global, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, Madrid, 28933, Spain
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Hemnani M, da Silva PG, Thompson G, Poeta P, Rebelo H, Mesquita JR. Presence of Alphacoronavirus in Tree- and Crevice-Dwelling Bats from Portugal. Viruses 2024; 16:434. [PMID: 38543799 PMCID: PMC10976264 DOI: 10.3390/v16030434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are RNA viruses capable of infecting a wide range of hosts, including mammals and birds, and have caused significant epidemics such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Bats, the second most diverse mammalian order, are hosts for various CoVs due to their unique immune responses and ecological traits. This study investigates CoV prevalence in crevice- and tree-dwelling bats in Portugal, a country with limited prior research on bat CoVs. Using nested RT-PCR and sequencing, we screened 87 stool samples from bats, identifying one sample (1.15%) that was positive for Alphacoronavirus, belonging to Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed close genetic relationships with Alphacoronavirus strains from the same bat species in Europe. The low prevalence suggests habitat-specific differences in viral transmission, with cave-dwelling bats exhibiting higher CoV prevalence due to population density and behaviour. These findings underscore the necessity for sustained surveillance efforts aimed at comprehending CoV dynamics within bat populations, especially concerning the risk of spillover events and viral evolution. Vital to this understanding is the monitoring of bat migration patterns, which serves as a crucial tool for elucidating CoV ecology and epidemiology. Such efforts are essential for ongoing research endeavours aimed at mitigating the potential for future zoonotic disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahima Hemnani
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.H.); (P.G.d.S.); (G.T.)
| | - Priscilla Gomes da Silva
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.H.); (P.G.d.S.); (G.T.)
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório Para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- LEPABE—Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE—Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
| | - Gertrude Thompson
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.H.); (P.G.d.S.); (G.T.)
- Biopolis-CIBIO/InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal;
| | - Patrícia Poeta
- Microbiology and Antibiotic Resistance Team (MicroART), Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os Montes e Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal;
- Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry (LAQV), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Technology, University NOVA of Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Veterinary and Animal Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - Hugo Rebelo
- Biopolis-CIBIO/InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal;
- cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João R. Mesquita
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Porto University, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (M.H.); (P.G.d.S.); (G.T.)
- Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIunit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
- Laboratório Para a Investigação Integrativa e Translacional em Saúde Populacional (ITR), 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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Yoshino-Hashizawa K, Nishiuchi Y, Hiragochi M, Kihara M, Kobayasi KI, Hiryu S. The distress context of social calls evokes a fear response in the bat Pipistrellus abramus. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246271. [PMID: 37921105 PMCID: PMC10714146 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Bats primarily use sound information, including echolocation, for social communication. Bats under stressful conditions, for example when confronted by a predator, will emit aggressive social calls. The presentation of aggressive social calls, including distress calls (DCs), is known to increase heart rate (fH), but how this change in fH is related to the bat's sound perception and how this evokes behaviors such as the fear response is unknown. Herein, we show that the perception of a distress context induces freezing behavior as a fear response in bats. We found that bats responded by freezing and displayed increased fH when they were presented with a conspecific donor bat in a distress situation evoked by gentle poking with a cotton swab. In addition, when we presented two types of auditory oddball paradigms with different probabilities of DCs and echolocation calls (ECs), the bats' fH increased when DCs were presented as deviant or control stimuli within standard ECs but did not increase when DCs were presented as standard stimuli. These results suggest that the situational context created by the frequency of sound presentation, rather than simply a single sound feature, induces fH increases and freezing as fear responses in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Yoshino-Hashizawa
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Yuna Nishiuchi
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Midori Hiragochi
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Motoki Kihara
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Kohta I. Kobayasi
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
| | - Shizuko Hiryu
- Graduate School of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University, 1-3 Tatara-Miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0394, Japan
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Bourlat SJ, Koch M, Kirse A, Langen K, Espeland M, Giebner H, Decher J, Ssymank A, Fonseca VG. Metabarcoding dietary analysis in the insectivorous bat Nyctalusleisleri and implications for conservation. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e111146. [PMID: 38312339 PMCID: PMC10838074 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e111146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aim to uncover diet preferences for the insectivorous bat Nyctalusleisleri (Leisler's bat, the lesser noctule) and to provide recommendations for conservation of the species, based on the analysis of prey source habitats. Using a novel guano trap, we sampled bat faeces at selected roosts in a forest in Germany and tested two mitochondrial markers (COI and 16S) and three primer pairs for the metabarcoding of bat faecal pellets. We found a total of 17 arthropod prey orders comprising 358 species in N.leisleri guano. The most diverse orders were Lepidoptera (126 species), Diptera (86 species) and Coleoptera (48 species), followed by Hemiptera (28 species), Trichoptera (16 species), Neuroptera (15 species) and Ephemeroptera (10 species), with Lepidoptera species dominating in spring and Diptera in summer. Based on the ecological requirements of the most abundant arthropod species found in the bat guano, we propose some recommendations for the conservation of N.leisleri that are relevant for other insectivorous bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Bourlat
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Martin Koch
- Department of Biogeography, University of Trier, Germany Department of Biogeography University of Trier Germany
| | - Ameli Kirse
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Kathrin Langen
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Marianne Espeland
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Hendrik Giebner
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Jan Decher
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig, Bonn, Germany Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change - Museum Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Axel Ssymank
- Bundesamt für Naturschutz, Bonn, Germany Bundesamt für Naturschutz Bonn Germany
| | - Vera G Fonseca
- CEFAS, Weymouth, United Kingdom CEFAS Weymouth United Kingdom
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Aung E, Abaid N, Jantzen B. Recovery of dynamical similarity from lossy representations of collective behavior of midge swarms. CHAOS (WOODBURY, N.Y.) 2023; 33:103114. [PMID: 37831793 DOI: 10.1063/5.0146161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding emergent collective phenomena in biological systems is a complex challenge due to the high dimensionality of state variables and the inability to directly probe agent-based interaction rules. Therefore, if one wants to model a system for which the underpinnings of the collective process are unknown, common approaches such as using mathematical models to validate experimental data may be misguided. Even more so, if one lacks the ability to experimentally measure all the salient state variables that drive the collective phenomena, a modeling approach may not correctly capture the behavior. This problem motivates the need for model-free methods to characterize or classify observed behavior to glean biological insights for meaningful models. Furthermore, such methods must be robust to low dimensional or lossy data, which are often the only feasible measurements for large collectives. In this paper, we show that a model-free and unsupervised clustering of high dimensional swarming behavior in midges (Chironomus riparius), based on dynamical similarity, can be performed using only two-dimensional video data where the animals are not individually tracked. Moreover, the results of the classification are physically meaningful. This work demonstrates that low dimensional video data of collective motion experiments can be equivalently characterized, which has the potential for wide applications to data describing animal group motion acquired in both the laboratory and the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eighdi Aung
- Engineering Mechanics Program, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Nicole Abaid
- Department of Mathematics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
| | - Benjamin Jantzen
- Department of Philosophy, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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8
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Fjelldal MA, Muller AS, Ratikainen II, Stawski C, Wright J. The small-bat-in-summer paradigm: Energetics and adaptive behavioural routines of bats investigated through a stochastic dynamic model. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:2078-2093. [PMID: 37661664 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Strong seasonality at high latitudes represents a major challenge for many endotherms as they must balance survival and reproduction in an environment that varies widely in food availability and temperature. To avoid energetic mismatches caused by limited foraging time and stochastic weather conditions, bats employ the energy-saving state of torpor during summer to save accumulated energy reserves. However, at high-latitude small-bats-in-summer face a particular challenge: as nocturnal foragers, they rely on the darkness at night to avoid predators and/or interspecific competition, but live in an environment with short, light summer nights, and even a lack of true night at the northernmost distributions of some bat species. To predict optimal behaviour in relation to latitudinal variation in diurnal cycles, we constructed a stochastic dynamic programming model of bats living at high latitudes. Using a stochastic dynamic programming framework with values that are representative for our study system, we show that individual energetic reserves are a strong driver of daytime use of torpor and night-time foraging behaviour alike, with these linked effects being both temperature- and photoperiod-dependent. We further used the model to predict survival probabilities at five locations across a latitudinal gradient (60.1° N to 70.9° N), finding that combinations of photoperiod and temperature conditions limited population distributions in the model. To verify our model results, we compared predictions for optimal decisions with our own empirical data collected on northern bats (Eptesicus nilssonii) from two latitudes in Norway. The similarities between our predictions and observations provide strong evidence that this model framework incorporates the most important drivers of diurnal decision-making in bat physiology and behaviour. Comparing empirical data and model predictions also revealed that bats facing lighter night conditions further north restrict their mass gain, which strengthens the hypothesis that predation threat is a main driver of bat nocturnality. Our model findings regarding state-dependent decisions in bats should contribute to the understanding of how bats cope with the summer challenges at high latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Aas Fjelldal
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Amandine Sophie Muller
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Irja Ida Ratikainen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Clare Stawski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Maroochydore DC, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jonathan Wright
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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Kelm DH, Langheld M, Nogueras J, Popa-Lisseanu AG, Ibáñez C. Continuous low-intensity predation by owls ( Strix aluco) on bats ( Nyctalus lasiopterus) in Spain and the potential effect on bat colony stability. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230309. [PMID: 37593707 PMCID: PMC10427821 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Owls prey on bats, but information on owl predation is scarce, its impact on bat mortality is unclear, and reports on behavioural responses, including roost-switching and fission-fusion behaviour, are equivocal. To study the link between owl predation and anti-predator behaviour in bats, we evaluated seven months of video recordings at roosts and the behaviour of 51 passive integrated transponder (PIT)-tagged bats and bats without tags in a geographically isolated colony of greater noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus) in Spain. We found the tawny owl Strix aluco to almost continuously hunt N. lasiopterus, from perches and on the wing, well after the bats emerged at dusk and when they returned to their roosts. We recorded 39 unsuccessful and three successful attacks. Nonetheless, we found no evidence that owl predation modifies bat behaviour. While the bats constituted only a very small proportion of the owls' diet, owl predation accounted for an estimated 30-40% of bat mortality, which may have a significant impact on small, local or isolated bat populations, in particular, and thereby shape regional bat distributions. We hypothesize that low roost availability may also affect the bats' potential response to predation, which could lead to natural predation having an excessive impact on bat populations.
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10
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Zhang C, Lucas JR, Feng J, Jiang T, Sun C. Population-level lateralization of boxing displays enhances fighting success in male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9879. [PMID: 36911307 PMCID: PMC9994608 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral lateralization with left- and right-hand use is common in the Animal Kingdom and can be advantageous for social species. The existence of a preferential use of the hands during agonistic interactions has been described for a number of invertebrate and vertebrate species. Bats compose the second largest order of mammals. They not only use their forelimbs for flight but also agonistic interactions. However, whether bat species show a population-level lateralized aggressive display has largely been unexplored. Here, we examine the lateralization of boxing displays during agonistic interactions in male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats, Hipposideros armiger, from three different populations. We found a population-level lateralization of boxing displays: Males from all three populations show a preferential use of the left forearm to attack opponents. In addition, left-handed boxers have higher fighting success over right-handed boxers. This study expands our knowledge of the handedness of bats and highlights the role of behavioral lateralization in conflict resolution in nocturnal mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences Hebei Normal University Shijiazhuang China
| | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana USA
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China.,College of Life Science Jilin Agricultural University Changchun China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Congnan Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences Hebei Normal University Shijiazhuang China
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11
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Tan X, Lin A, Sun K, Jin L, Feng J. Greater Horseshoe Bats Recognize the Sex and Individual Identity of Conspecifics from Their Echolocation Calls. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12243490. [PMID: 36552410 PMCID: PMC9774574 DOI: 10.3390/ani12243490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The echolocation calls of bats are mainly used for navigation and foraging; however, they may also contain social information about the emitter and facilitate social interactions. In this study, we recorded the echolocation calls of greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and analyzed the acoustic parameter differences between the sexes and among individuals. Then, we performed habituation-discrimination playback experiments to test whether greater horseshoe bats could recognize the sex and individual identity of conspecifics from their echolocation calls. The results showed that there were significant differences in the echolocation call parameters between sexes and among individuals. When we switched playback files from a habituated stimuli to a dishabituated stimuli, the tested bats exhibited obvious behavioral responses, including nodding, ear or body movement, and echolocation emission. The results showed that R. ferrumequinum can recognize the sex and individual identity of conspecifics from their echolocation calls alone, which indicates that the echolocation calls of R. ferrumequinum may have potential communication functions. The results of this study improve our understanding of the communication function of the echolocation calls of bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Tan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (J.F.); Tel./Fax: +86-0431-85098097 (J.F.)
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130000, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130000, China
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (J.F.); Tel./Fax: +86-0431-85098097 (J.F.)
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12
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Fitzpatrick LLJ, Nijman V, Ligabue-Braun R, Nekaris KAI. The Fast and the Furriest: Investigating the Rate of Selection on Mammalian Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120842. [PMID: 36548740 PMCID: PMC9782207 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of venom and the selection pressures that act on toxins have been increasingly researched within toxinology in the last two decades, in part due to the exceptionally high rates of diversifying selection observed in animal toxins. In 2015, Sungar and Moran proposed the 'two-speed' model of toxin evolution linking evolutionary age of a group to the rates of selection acting on toxins but due to a lack of data, mammals were not included as less than 30 species of venomous mammal have been recorded, represented by elusive species which produce small amounts of venom. Due to advances in genomics and transcriptomics, the availability of toxin sequences from venomous mammals has been increasing. Using branch- and site-specific selection models, we present the rates of both episodic and pervasive selection acting upon venomous mammal toxins as a group for the first time. We identified seven toxin groups present within venomous mammals, representing Chiroptera, Eulipotyphla and Monotremata: KLK1, Plasminogen Activator, Desmallipins, PACAP, CRiSP, Kunitz Domain One and Kunitz Domain Two. All but one group (KLK1) was identified by our results to be evolving under both episodic and pervasive diversifying selection with four toxin groups having sites that were implicated in the fitness of the animal by TreeSAAP (Selection on Amino Acid Properties). Our results suggest that venomous mammal ecology, behaviour or genomic evolution are the main drivers of selection, although evolutionary age may still be a factor. Our conclusion from these results indicates that mammalian toxins are following the two-speed model of selection, evolving predominately under diversifying selection, fitting in with other younger venomous taxa like snakes and cone snails-with high amounts of accumulating mutations, leading to more novel adaptions in their toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Lucy Joscelyne Fitzpatrick
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Vincent Nijman
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Department of Pharmacosciences, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre 90050-130, Brazil
| | - K. Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
- Centre for Functional Genomics, Department of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
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13
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Bergmann A, Gloza-Rausch F, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Knörnschild M. Similarities in social calls during autumn swarming may facilitate interspecific communication between Myotis bat species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.950951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats employ a variety of social calls for communication purposes. However, for most species, social calls are far less studied than echolocation calls and their specific function often remains unclear. We investigated the function of in-flight social calls during autumn swarming in front of a large hibernaculum in Northern Germany, whose main inhabitants are two species of Myotis bats, Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri) and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis daubentonii). We recorded social calls in nights of high swarming activity and grouped the calls based on their spectro-temporal structure into ten types and verified our visual classification by a discriminant function analysis. Whenever possible, we subsequently assigned social calls to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri by analyzing the echolocation calls surrounding them. As many bats echolocate at the same time during swarming, we did not analyze single echolocation calls but the “soundscape” surrounding each social call instead, encompassing not only spectral parameters but also the timbre (vocal “color”) of echolocation calls. Both species employ comparatively similar social call types in a swarming context, even though there are subtle differences in call parameters between species. To additionally gain information about the general function of social calls produced in a swarming context, we performed playback experiments with free-flying bats in the vicinity of the roost, using three different call types from both species, respectively. In three out of six treatments, bat activity (approximated as echolocation call rate) increased during and after stimulus presentation, indicating that bats inspected or approached the playback site. Using a camera trap, we were sometimes able to identify the species of approaching bats. Based on the photos taken during playbacks, we assume one call type to support interspecific communication while another call type works for intraspecific group cohesion.
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14
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Tan X, Li Y, Sun K, Jin L, Feng J. Mutual mother‐pup acoustic identification in Asian particolored bats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9554. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Tan
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Yu Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Keping Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
- Jilin Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization Northeast Normal University Changchun China
- College of Life Science Jilin Agricultural University Changchun China
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15
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Sørås R, Fjelldal MA, Bech C, van der Kooij J, Skåra KH, Eldegard K, Stawski C. State dependence of arousal from torpor in brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritus). J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:815-827. [PMID: 35972527 PMCID: PMC9550697 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01451-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
To cope with periods of low food availability and unsuitable environmental conditions (e.g., short photoperiod or challenging weather), many heterothermic mammals can readily go into torpor to save energy. However, torpor also entails several potential costs, and quantitative energetics can, therefore, be influenced by the individual state, such as available energy reserves. We studied the thermal energetics of brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritus) in the northern part of its distributional range, including torpor entry, thermoregulatory ability during torpor and how they responded metabolically to an increasing ambient temperature (Ta) during arousal from torpor. Torpor entry occurred later in bats with higher body mass (Mb). During torpor, only 10 out of 21 bats increased oxygen consumption (V̇O2) to a greater extent above the mean torpor metabolic rates (TMR) when exposed to low Ta. The slope of the torpid thermoregulatory curve was shallower than that of resting metabolic rate (RMR) during normothermic conditions, indicating a higher thermal insulation during torpor. During exposure to an increasing Ta, all bats increased metabolic rate exponentially, but the bats with higher Mb aroused at a lower Ta than those with lower Mb. In bats with low Mb, arousal was postponed to an Ta above the lower critical temperature of the thermoneutral zone. Our results demonstrate that physiological traits, which are often considered fixed, can be more flexible than previously assumed and vary with individual state. Thus, future studies of thermal physiology should to a greater extent take individual state-dependent effects into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Sørås
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, NO, Norway.
| | - Mari Aas Fjelldal
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, NO, Norway
| | - Claus Bech
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, NO, Norway
| | - Jeroen van der Kooij
- Nature Education, Research and Consultancy van der Kooij, Rudsteinveien 67, 1480, Slattum, NO, Norway
| | - Karoline H Skåra
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, NO, Norway
- Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Skøyen, P.O. Box 222, Oslo, 0213, NO, Norway
| | - Katrine Eldegard
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Box 5003, 1433, Ås, NO, Norway
| | - Clare Stawski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491, Trondheim, NO, Norway
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore DC, QLD, 4558, Australia
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16
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Starik N, Göttert T. Bats adjust echolocation and social call design as a response to urban environments. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.939408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral traits play a major role in the successful adaptation of wildlife to urban conditions. We investigated and compared the acoustic behavior of free ranging bats in rural (Havelland, Brandenburg) and urban (Berlin city center) green areas (n = 6 sites) to assess possible effects of urbanization on bat vocalizations using automated real-time recordings from May to October 2020 and 2021. We show that foraging and social call activity of commonly occurring bat species was lower in urban areas compared to rural areas. We present data on rural-urban variation in acoustic parameters of echolocation and Type D social calls (produced during flight) using the example of the common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Calls from urban sites revealed significantly higher end and peak frequencies compared to rural site calls. In addition, urban social calls present a higher degree of complexity as they structurally differed from rural social calls with regard to assemblage and number of call components. Moreover, urban social calls were emitted in a presumably different context than rural calls: antagonistic social calls in urban areas were detected throughout the year and in the acoustic absence of conspecifics and heterospecifics. Our results provide evidence for the ability of P. pipistrellus to modulate temporal and spectral features of echolocation and social calls, as well as patterns of social call production, in order to compensate for constraints imposed by the urban acoustic environment. We suggest that this acoustic behavioral plasticity plays a major role in the degree of adaptation of insectivorous bats to urban habitats.
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17
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Collier K, Parsons S. Syntactic properties of male courtship song in the lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.907791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) have sophisticated acoustic abilities adapted to many uses, including both echolocation and social vocalisations. Social vocalisations are used in a wide variety of contexts and vary greatly in acoustic arrangement and complexity. Among the most intricate are the courtship songs that males of certain species use to attract mates and advertise their qualities. To date, however, few studies have examined the phonological construction of bat songs or made a detailed assessment of the syntax used to combine different song elements. Here, we examine the syntactic construction of courtship songs in the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat, Mystacina tuberculata, a highly vocal, lek-breeding species with exceptionally high song-output rates. We hypothesised that song construction in this species is both hierarchical and non-random, and demonstrates a high degree of individual variation, potentially allowing for individual recognition. We recorded the courtship songs of nine male bats and used manual classification of song components to examine the song structure. Here we examine whether the deployment of different song components is dependent on their position, and also determine the transition probabilities between different components. We find that the frequency of song-element production and the distribution of elements within songs are non-random at both the individual and population level, and that the number of elements used per phrase differs between individuals. Overall, we demonstrate that M. tuberculata songs are hierarchically constructed and employ phonological syntax to build syllables and phrases. We further show that bats employ high structural similarity and conservatism in the construction of syllables, while retaining a capacity for versatility and innovation that allows for considerable individual variation and, likely, individual recognition.
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18
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Fan B, Wang Y, Huang X, Zhang X, Yang J, Jiang T. The Potential to Encode Detailed Information About Parasites in the Acoustic Signals of Chinese Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus sinicus). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.908209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Condition-dependent acoustic signals that potentially reveal information about the signaler’s physical or physiological condition are common and important in the animal kingdom. Given the negative effects of parasites on the health and fitness of their hosts, it is reasonable to expect animal acoustic signals to reflect detailed information concerning parasite infection. However, despite previous studies having verified the potential of sexually selected vocalizations to provide information on parasitism based on the correlations between call acoustic properties and parasitism in some animal taxa, less is known about whether acoustic signals used in a non-sexual context also reflect parasite infection especially for highly vocal bats. We thus investigated the relationships between the acoustic properties of distress calls and echolocation pulses and the infestation intensity of gamasid mites and bat flies in Chinese horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus sinicus) to determine whether acoustic signals potentially contain information about parasite infection. We found that bats infected with more gamasid mites uttered significantly shorter echolocation pulses, suggesting that echolocation pulses may contain information on the intensity of mite infection. Additionally, bats infected with more gamasid mites emitted distress calls with narrower bandwidth, while bats with more bat flies emitted calls with longer pause duration. These results suggest that distress calls may not only reflect a signaler’s parasite infection intensity but also may provide information concerning infection with specific parasites. In short, our findings suggest that acoustic signals of bats potentially reflect detailed information about parasite infection.
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19
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Horta P, Raposeira H, Baños A, Ibáñez C, Razgour O, Rebelo H, Juste J. Counteracting forces of introgressive hybridization and interspecific competition shape the morphological traits of cryptic Iberian Eptesicus bats. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11695. [PMID: 35803997 PMCID: PMC9270368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15412-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptic species that coexist in sympatry are likely to simultaneously experience strong competition and hybridization. The first phenomenon would lead to character displacement, whereas the second can potentially promote morphological similarity through adaptive introgression. The main goal of this work was to investigate the effect of introgressive hybridization on the morphology of cryptic Iberian Eptesicus bats when facing counteracting evolutionary forces from interspecific competition. We found substantial overlap both in dentition and in wing morphology traits, though mainly in individuals in sympatry. The presence of hybrids contributes to a fifth of this overlap, with hybrids showing traits with intermediate morphometry. Thus, introgressive hybridization may contribute to species adaptation to trophic and ecological space responding directly to the macro-habitats characteristics of the sympatric zone and to local prey availability. On the other hand, fur shade tended to be browner and brighter in hybrids than parental species. Colour differences could result from partitioning of resources as an adaptation to environmental factors such as roost and microhabitats. We argue that a balance between adaptive introgression and niche partitioning shapes species interactions with the environment through affecting morphological traits under selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Horta
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal. .,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4099-002, Porto, Portugal. .,OII - Observatório Inovação Investigação, Seia, Portugal. .,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.
| | - Helena Raposeira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, 4099-002, Porto, Portugal.,OII - Observatório Inovação Investigação, Seia, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | - Carlos Ibáñez
- Departmento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.,CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Hugo Rebelo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal.,ESS, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, Setúbal, Portugal, Campus do IPS - Estefanilha, 2910-761 Setúbal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Javier Juste
- Departmento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.,CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Abstract
Bats are social mammals that display a wide array of social communication calls. Among them, it is common for most bats species to emit distress, agonistic, appeasement and infant isolation calls. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) are no different: They are gregarious animals living in colonies that can comprise hundreds of individuals. These bats live in North America and, typically found roosting in man-made structures like barns and attics, are considered common. They are insectivorous laryngeal echolocators, and while their calls and associated brain mechanisms in echolocation are well-documented, much less is known about their neural systems for analyzing social vocalizations. In this work we review what we know about the social lives of big brown bats and propose how to consolidate the nomenclature used to describe their social vocalizations. Furthermore, we discuss the next steps in the characterization of the social structure of this species and how these studies will advance both research in neuroethology and ecology of big brown bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Montoya
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Yelim Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Angeles Salles
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
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21
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Arnold B, De La Cruz Mora JM, Roesch J. Assessing the Structure and Function of Distress Calls in Cuban Fruit-Eating Bats (Brachyphylla nana). Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.907751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Most bat species are highly social and utilize a variety of calls to communicate with each other including distress calls that may warn other bats of potential threats. The function of these calls in different species varies and could include eliciting help or acting as a warning signal to stay away. In this study, Cuban fruit-eating bats, Brachyphylla nana, were captured from La Barca Cave in Guanahacabibes National Park, Cuba and distress calls were recorded to examine call structure and variability among different bats. We used Avisoft SASlab pro to analyze 14 different spectral and temporal characteristics of the calls and utilized factor analysis to reduce the dimensionality in the data set and assess variability in call structure. The recorded calls and a pink noise control were used in a playback experiment inside the cave to analyze how bats respond to distress calls. An infrared video camera and ultrasonic microphone were used during the playback to determine if there were any changes in bat behavior, such as an increase in calls observed, bats flying by the speaker, or bats leaving the area. Our results suggest that call structure is variable with limited evidence that call characteristics are unique to specific individuals. Our playbacks suggest that these calls serve a social function in that the number of bats approaching the speaker increased during distress call playbacks relative to the control. Future work will include building on these results to further explore Brachyphylla nana social behavior including anti-predatory behavior and social communication.
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22
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Linking activity of common pipistrelles, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, in an urbanised area with a nearby mass swarming site. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01222-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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23
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An Updated Review of Hypotheses Regarding Bat Attraction to Wind Turbines. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030343. [PMID: 35158666 PMCID: PMC8833423 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Patterns of bat activity and mortalities at wind energy facilities suggest that bats are attracted to wind turbines based on bat behavioral responses to wind turbines. For example, current monitoring efforts suggest that bat activity increases post-wind turbine construction, with bats making multiple passes near wind turbines. We separated the attraction hypothesis into five previously proposed explanations of bat interactions at or near wind turbines, including attraction based on noise, roost sites, foraging and water, mating behavior, and lights, and one new hypothesis regarding olfaction, and provide a state of the knowledge in 2022. Our review indicates that future research should prioritize attraction based on social behaviors, such as mating and scent-marking, as this aspect of the attraction hypothesis has many postulates and remains the most unclear. Relatively more data regarding attraction to wind turbines based on lighting and noise emission exist, and these data indicate that these are unlikely attractants. Analyzing attraction at the species-level should be prioritized because of differences in foraging, flight, and social behavior among bat species. Lastly, research assessing bat attraction at various scales, such as the turbine or facility scale, is lacking, which could provide important insights for both wind turbine siting decisions and bat mortality minimization strategies. Identifying the causes of bat interactions with wind turbines is critical for developing effective impact minimization strategies.
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24
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Host Manipulation Mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. Acta Biotheor 2021; 70:4. [PMID: 34902063 PMCID: PMC8667538 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-021-09425-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Viruses are the simplest of pathogens, but possess sophisticated molecular mechanisms to manipulate host behavior, frequently utilizing molecular mimicry. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been shown to bind to the host receptor neuropilin-1 in order to gain entry into the cell. To do this, the virus utilizes its spike protein polybasic cleavage site (PCS), which mimics the CendR motif of neuropilin-1's endogenous ligands. In addition to facilitating cell entry, binding to neuropilin-1 has analgesic effects. We discuss the potential impact of neuropilin-1 binding by SARS-CoV-2 in ameliorating sickness behavior of the host, and identify a convergent evolutionary strategy of PCS cleavage and subsequent neuropilin binding in other human viruses. In addition, we discuss the evolutionary leap of the ancestor of SARS-COV-2, which involved acquisition of the PCS thus faciliting binding to the neuropilin-1 receptor. Acquisition of the PCS by the ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 appears to have led to pleiotropic beneficial effects including enhancement of cell entry via binding to ACE2, facilitation of cell entry via binding to neuropilin-1, promotion of analgesia, and potentially the formation of decoy epitopes via enhanced shedding of the S1 subunit. Lastly, other potential neuromanipulation strategies employed by SARS-CoV-2 are discussed, including interferon suppression and the resulting reduction in sickness behavior, enhanced transmission through neurally mediated cough induction, and reduction in sense of smell.
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25
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Roemer C, Julien J, Bas Y. An automatic classifier of bat sonotypes around the world. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Roemer
- Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université) Paris France
- CEFEUniversité de MontpellierCNRSEPHEIRDUniversité Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France
| | - Jean‐François Julien
- Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université) Paris France
| | - Yves Bas
- Centre d’Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université) Paris France
- CEFEUniversité de MontpellierCNRSEPHEIRDUniversité Paul Valéry Montpellier 3 Montpellier France
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26
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Page RA, ter Hofstede HM. Sensory and Cognitive Ecology of Bats. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012921-052635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We see stunning morphological diversity across the animal world. Less conspicuous but equally fascinating are the sensory and cognitive adaptations that determine animals’ interactions with their environments and each other. We discuss the development of the fields of sensory and cognitive ecology and the importance of integrating these fields to understand the evolution of adaptive behaviors. Bats, with their extraordinarily high ecological diversity, are ideal animals for this purpose. An explosion in recent research allows for better understanding of the molecular, genetic, neural, and behavioral bases for sensory ecology and cognition in bats. We give examples of studies that illuminate connections between sensory and cognitive features of information filtering, evolutionary trade-offs in sensory and cognitive processing, and multimodal sensing and integration. By investigating the selective pressures underlying information acquisition, processing, and use in bats, we aim to illuminate patterns and processes driving sensory and cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843–03092, Balboa, Ancón, República de Panamá
| | - Hannah M. ter Hofstede
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843–03092, Balboa, Ancón, República de Panamá
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA
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27
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Liang J, Yang J, Chen Y, Zhang L. The role of olfactory cues in mother-pup, groupmate, and sex recognition of lesser flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris pachypus. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:15792-15799. [PMID: 34824790 PMCID: PMC8601910 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Tylonycteris pachypus is a gregarious bat species with tens of individuals in a colony. The mechanisms by which mother bats recognize their pups and adult bats recognize each other are not clear. We hypothesized that such recognition is achieved by chemical discrimination and performed experiments to test the hypothesis. Results showed that mother bats were much more attracted to the scent from their own pups. For adult bats, females were attracted to the scent from both male and female groupmates but had a higher preference to the scent from female than from male groupmates. Male bats were much more attracted to the scent from male groupmates while showed no preference to the scent from female groupmates. Within a group, both female and male bats had no difference in preference to the scent from the same or opposite sex. These results suggest that mother-pup and groupmate recognition of T. pachypus can be achieved by olfactory cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource UtilisationGuangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and UtilisationInstitute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Jian Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource UtilisationGuangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and UtilisationInstitute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Yi Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource UtilisationGuangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and UtilisationInstitute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
| | - Libiao Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource UtilisationGuangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and UtilisationInstitute of ZoologyGuangdong Academy of SciencesGuangzhouChina
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28
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Furmankiewicz J, Jones G. Bats (Plecotus auritus) use contact calls for communication among roost mates. Mamm Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00190-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCommunication between group members is mediated by a diverse range of signals. Contact calls are produced by many species of birds and mammals to maintain group cohesion and associations among individuals. Contact calls in bats are typically relatively low-frequency social calls, produced only for communication. However, echolocation calls (higher in frequency and used primarily for orientation and prey detection) can also facilitate interaction among individuals and location of conspecifics in the roost. We studied calling behaviour of brown long-eared bats (Plecotus auritus) during return to maternity roosts in response to playbacks of social and echolocation calls. We hypothesised that calling by conspecifics would elicit responses in colony members. Bat responses (inspection flights and social calls production) were significantly highest during social call and echolocation call playbacks than during noise (control) playbacks. We suggest that social calling in maternity roosts of brown long-eared bat evolved to maintain associations among roostmates, rather than to find roosts or roostmates, because this species is strongly faithful to roosts and the social groups and roosts are stable over time and space. Living in a stable social group requires recognition of group members and affiliation of social bonds with group members, features that may be mediated by vocal signals.
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29
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Kanwal JK, Coddington E, Frazer R, Limbania D, Turner G, Davila KJ, Givens MA, Williams V, Datta SR, Wasserman S. Internal State: Dynamic, Interconnected Communication Loops Distributed Across Body, Brain, and Time. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:867-886. [PMID: 34115114 PMCID: PMC8623242 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Internal state profoundly alters perception and behavior. For example, a starved fly may approach and consume foods that it would otherwise find undesirable. A socially engaged newt may remain engaged in the presence of a predator, whereas a solitary newt would otherwise attempt to escape. Yet, the definition of internal state is fluid and ill-defined. As an interdisciplinary group of scholars spanning five career stages (from undergraduate to full professor) and six academic institutions, we came together in an attempt to provide an operational definition of internal state that could be useful in understanding the behavior and the function of nervous systems, at timescales relevant to the individual. In this perspective, we propose to define internal state through an integrative framework centered on dynamic and interconnected communication loops within and between the body and the brain. This framework is informed by a synthesis of historical and contemporary paradigms used by neurobiologists, ethologists, physiologists, and endocrinologists. We view internal state as composed of both spatially distributed networks (body-brain communication loops), and temporally distributed mechanisms that weave together neural circuits, physiology, and behavior. Given the wide spatial and temporal scales at which internal state operates-and therefore the broad range of scales at which it could be defined-we choose to anchor our definition in the body. Here we focus on studies that highlight body-to-brain signaling; body represented in endocrine signaling, and brain represented in sensory signaling. This integrative framework of internal state potentially unites the disparate paradigms often used by scientists grappling with body-brain interactions. We invite others to join us as we examine approaches and question assumptions to study the underlying mechanisms and temporal dynamics of internal state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessleen K Kanwal
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Emma Coddington
- Department of Biology, Willamette University, Salem, OR
97301, USA
| | - Rachel Frazer
- Division of Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia Universitye,
New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Daniela Limbania
- Department of Neuroscience, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
02481, USA
| | - Grace Turner
- Department of Neuroscience, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
02481, USA
| | - Karla J Davila
- Department of Biology, Willamette University, Salem, OR
97301, USA
| | - Michael A Givens
- Department of Biology, Willamette University, Salem, OR
97301, USA
| | - Valarie Williams
- Department of Dance, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
43210, USA
| | | | - Sara Wasserman
- Department of Neuroscience, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
02481, USA
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30
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Greville LJ, Tam AG, Faure PA. Evaluating odour and urinary sex preferences in the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Olfactory cues provide detailed information to mammals regarding conspecifics. Bats may identify species, colony membership, and individuals using olfaction. Big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois, 1796)) live in mixed-sex colonies and must differentiate between sexes to locate mates. We hypothesized that odour cues convey information about sex. In experiment 1, adult E. fuscus were recorded exploring a Y-maze that contained general body odours sampled from male or female conspecifics. One group of subjects was habituated to the Y-maze prior to experimental trials, whereas a second group was not. Bat exploration and the proportion of time spent near each scent were used as preference indicators for the body odour of a particular sex. Experiment 2 followed similar procedures except the odour cue tested was urine from either male or female conspecifics and without Y-maze habituation. Results found no evidence that E. fuscus prefer the body odours of a given sex, but females did prefer the odour of male urine. Non-habituated animals in experiment 1 were more likely to explore the Y-maze and approach a stimulus scent compared with habituated bats. These findings have important implications for courtship and mating behaviour in bats, as well for designing future behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J.S. Greville
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Audrey G. Tam
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Paul A. Faure
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada
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31
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Fernandez AA, Schmidt C, Schmidt S, Rodríguez-Herrera B, Knörnschild M. Social behaviour and vocalizations of the tent-roosting Honduran white bat. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248452. [PMID: 34379619 PMCID: PMC8357122 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats are highly gregarious animals, displaying a large spectrum of social systems with different organizational structures. One important factor shaping sociality is group stability. To maintain group cohesion and stability, bats often rely on vocal communication. The Honduran white bat, Ectophylla alba, exhibits an unusual social structure compared to other tent-roosting species. This small white-furred bat lives in perennial stable mixed-sex groups. Tent construction requires several individuals and, as the only tent roosting species so far, involves both sexes. The bats´ social system and ecology render this species an interesting candidate to study social behaviour and vocal communication. In our study, we investigated the social behaviour and vocalizations of E. alba in the tent by observing two stable groups, including pups, in the wild. We documented 16 different behaviours, among others play and fur chewing, a behaviour presumably used for scent-marking. Moreover, we found 10 distinct social call types in addition to echolocation calls, and for seven call types we were able to identify the corresponding broad behavioural context. Most of the social call types were affiliative, including two types of contact calls, maternal directive calls, pup isolation calls and a call type related to the fur-chewing behaviour. In sum, this study entails an ethogram and describes the social vocalizations of a tent-roosting phyllostomid bat, providing the basis for further in-depth studies about the sociality and vocal communication in E. alba.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahana Aurora Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde—Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (AAF); (MK)
| | | | - Stefanie Schmidt
- Institute of Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bernal Rodríguez-Herrera
- Escuela de Biología, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde—Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (AAF); (MK)
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32
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Abstract
In order to understand ecologically meaningful social behaviors and their neural substrates in humans and other animals, researchers have been using a variety of social stimuli in the laboratory with a goal of extracting specific processes in real-life scenarios. However, certain stimuli may not be sufficiently effective at evoking typical social behaviors and neural responses. Here, we review empirical research employing different types of social stimuli by classifying them into five levels of naturalism. We describe the advantages and limitations while providing selected example studies for each level. We emphasize the important trade-off between experimental control and ecological validity across the five levels of naturalism. Taking advantage of newly emerging tools, such as real-time videos, virtual avatars, and wireless neural sampling techniques, researchers are now more than ever able to adopt social stimuli at a higher level of naturalism to better capture the dynamics and contingency of real-life social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Fan
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Olga Dal Monte
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - Steve W.C. Chang
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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33
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Chaverri G, Sandoval-Herrera NI, Iturralde-Pólit P, Romero-Vásquez A, Chaves-Ramírez S, Sagot M. The energetics of social signaling during roost location in Spix's disc-winged bats. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:269327. [PMID: 34226938 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.238279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Long-term social aggregations are maintained by multiple mechanisms, including the use of acoustic signals, which may nonetheless entail significant energetic costs. To date, however, no studies have gauged whether there are significant energetic costs to social call production in bats, which heavily rely on acoustic communication for a diversity of social tasks. We measured energetic expenditure during acoustic signaling in Spix's disc-winged bats (Thyroptera tricolor), a species that commonly uses contact calls to locate the ephemeral furled leaves that they use for roosting. To determine the cost of sound production, we measured oxygen consumption using intermittent-flow respirometry methods, with and without social signaling. Our results show that the emission of contact calls significantly increases oxygen consumption; vocal individuals spent, on average, 12.42 kJ more during social signaling trials than they spent during silent trials. We also found that as resting metabolic rate increased in males, there was a decreasing probability that they would emit response calls. These results provide support to the 'allocation model', which predicts that only individuals with lower self-maintenance costs can afford to spend energy in additional activities. Our results provide a step forward in our understanding of how physiology modulates behavior, specifically how the costs of call production and resting metabolic rate may explain the differences in vocal behavior among individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloriana Chaverri
- Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica, Golfito, Costa Rica.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama, Republic of Panama
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Sagot
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126-3599, USA
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34
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Rathinakumar A, Baheerathan M, Caspers BA, Erinjery JJ, Kaliraj P, Baskaran S, Marimuthu G. Male Chemical Signalling to Recruit Females in the Greater Short-Nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anbalagan Rathinakumar
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Murugavel Baheerathan
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Barbara A. Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Perumalswamy Kaliraj
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Subbian Baskaran
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
| | - Ganapathy Marimuthu
- Department of Animal Behaviour & Physiology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai 625021, India
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35
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Hsu C, Kao M, Chou C, Cheng H, Liu J. Tests of hypotheses for group formation in the subtropical leaf-dwelling bat, Kerivoula furva. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6730-6741. [PMID: 34141253 PMCID: PMC8207392 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Investigating factors that promote group living in animals can help us to understand the evolution of sociality. The dark woolly bat, Kerivoula furva, forms small groups and uses furled leaves of banana (Musa formosana) as day roosts in subtropical Taiwan. In this study, we reported on the roosting ecology and social organization of K. furva. We examined whether ecological constraints, demographic traits, and physiological demands contributed to its sociality. From July 2014 to May 2016, we investigated the daily roost occupation rate, group size, and composition of each roost, and we calculated association indices in pairs. The results showed K. furva lived in groups throughout the year, and the average daily roost occupation rate was approximately 6.7% of all furled leaves that were suitable for roosting. The size of roosting groups of adults in each roost varied between 1 and 13; group size was independent of air temperature during both reproductive and nonreproductive seasons. The vast majority of roosting groups was composed of females and their young, and males frequently roosted solitarily or in a bachelor group. Forty adult bats were captured ≥4 times during the study period. The association indices in pairs of these 40 bats ranged between 0 and 0.83 with an average of 0.05 ± 0.14 (n = 780). The average association index of female-female pairs was significantly higher than that of female-male pairs and male-male pairs. Based on the association indices, the 40 bats were divided into seven social groups with social group sizes that varied between 2 and 10. Despite changing day roosts frequently, the relatively stable social bonds were maintained year-round. Our results that groups of K. furva were formed by active aggregation of multiple generation members supported the demographic traits hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia‐Wei Hsu
- Department of Forestry and Natural ResourcesNational Chiayi UniversityChiayi CityTaiwan
| | - Mei‐Ting Kao
- Department of Forestry and Natural ResourcesNational Chiayi UniversityChiayi CityTaiwan
| | - Cheng‐Han Chou
- Department of Forestry and Natural ResourcesNational Chiayi UniversityChiayi CityTaiwan
| | - Hsi‐Chi Cheng
- Endemic Species Research InstituteCouncil of AgricultureJiji TownshipTaiwan
| | - Jian‐Nan Liu
- Department of Forestry and Natural ResourcesNational Chiayi UniversityChiayi CityTaiwan
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36
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Abstract
Animal vocalizations serve a wide range of functions including territorial defense, courtship, social cohesion, begging, and vocal learning. Whereas many insights have been gained from observational studies and experiments using auditory stimulation, there is currently no technology available for the selective control of vocal communication in small animal groups. We developed a system for real-time control of vocal interactions among separately housed animals. The system is implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and it allows imposing arbitrary communication networks among up to four animals. To minimize undesired transitive sound leakage, we adopted echo attenuation and sound squelching algorithms. In groups of three zebra finches, we restrict vocal communication in circular and in hierarchical networks and thereby mimic complex eavesdropping and middleman situations.
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37
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Sun C, Zhang C, Lucas JR, Gu H, Feng J, Jiang T. Vocal performance reflects individual quality in male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros armiger). Integr Zool 2021; 17:731-740. [PMID: 33876861 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Signals containing parameter trade-offs are likely to be honest indicators of signaler quality because they are difficult to produce. Signals with a trill-rate/bandwidth trade-off have been described for many songbird species, one mouse, and one non-human primate species. However, there were no reports about whether there is a vocal performance trade-off in social calls of bats. This study investigated (1) a possible vocal performance trade-off in territorial calls of male Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bats, Hipposideros armiger, recorded from 9 locations in south China, and (2) the relationships between vocal performance (vocal deviation and consistency) and caller's quality (body mass) to determine whether vocal performance honestly indicates a caller's quality. Vocal deviation measures the deviation of a call relative to an extreme call and vocal consistency measures the spectral consistency across a string of syllables. Our results showed a significant negative correlation between syllable repetition rate and frequency bandwidth, suggesting a vocal performance trade-off similar to the one in songbirds. Further, there was a significant negative relationship between body mass and vocal deviation, but no significant correlation between body mass and vocal consistency. This study provides the first empirical evidence for a vocal performance trade-off of social calls in bats, and the potential for the level of performance to indicate caller quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congnan Sun
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Chunmian Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Hao Gu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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38
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de Guinea M, Estrada A, Janmaat KR, Nekaris KAI, Van Belle S. Disentangling the importance of social and ecological information in goal-directed movements in a wild primate. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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39
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Lattenkamp EZ, Nagy M, Drexl M, Vernes SC, Wiegrebe L, Knörnschild M. Hearing sensitivity and amplitude coding in bats are differentially shaped by echolocation calls and social calls. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202600. [PMID: 33402076 PMCID: PMC7892409 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in auditory perception between species are influenced by phylogenetic origin and the perceptual challenges imposed by the natural environment, such as detecting prey- or predator-generated sounds and communication signals. Bats are well suited for comparative studies on auditory perception since they predominantly rely on echolocation to perceive the world, while their social calls and most environmental sounds have low frequencies. We tested if hearing sensitivity and stimulus level coding in bats differ between high and low-frequency ranges by measuring auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) of 86 bats belonging to 11 species. In most species, auditory sensitivity was equally good at both high- and low-frequency ranges, while amplitude was more finely coded for higher frequency ranges. Additionally, we conducted a phylogenetic comparative analysis by combining our ABR data with published data on 27 species. Species-specific peaks in hearing sensitivity correlated with peak frequencies of echolocation calls and pup isolation calls, suggesting that changes in hearing sensitivity evolved in response to frequency changes of echolocation and social calls. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive comparative assessment of bat hearing capacities to date and highlights the evolutionary pressures acting on their sensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Z Lattenkamp
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany.,Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Drexl
- German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (IFB), Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
| | - Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Lutz Wiegrebe
- Department Biology II, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
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40
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Knörnschild M, Fernandez AA. Do Bats Have the Necessary Prerequisites for Symbolic Communication? Front Psychol 2020; 11:571678. [PMID: 33262725 PMCID: PMC7688458 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.571678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Training animals such as apes, gray parrots, or dolphins that communicate via arbitrary symbols with humans has revealed astonishing mental capacities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Albeit bats have not yet been trained to communicate via symbols with humans, we are convinced that some species, especially captive Pteropodid bats ("flying foxes"), show the potential to master this cognitive task. Here, we briefly review what is known about bats' cognitive skills that constitute relevant prerequisites for symbolic communication with humans. We focus on social learning in general, trainability by humans, associative learning from humans, imitation, vocal production learning and usage learning, and social knowledge. Moreover, we highlight potential training paradigms that could be used to elicit simple "symbolic" bat-human communication, i.e., training bats to select arbitrary symbols on a touchscreen to elicit a desired behavior of the human caregiver. Touchscreen-proficient bats could participate in cognition research, e.g., to study their numerical competence or categorical perception, to further elucidate how nonhuman animals learn and perceive the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Panama
| | - Ahana A. Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
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41
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Rodríguez-Herrera B, Sánchez-Calderón R, Madrigal-Elizondo V, Rodríguez P, Villalobos J, Hernández E, Zamora-Mejías D, Gessinger G, Tschapka M. The masked seducers: Lek courtship behavior in the wrinkle-faced bat Centurio senex (Phyllostomidae). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0241063. [PMID: 33175837 PMCID: PMC7657542 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Centurio senex is an iconic bat characterized by a facial morphology deviating far from all other New World Leaf Nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae). The species has a bizarrely wrinkled face and lacks the characteristic nose leaf. Throughout its distribution from Mexico to Northern South America the species is most of the time rarely captured and only scarce information on its behavior and natural history is available. Centurio senex is frugivorous and one of the few bats documented to consume also hard seeds. Interestingly, the species shows a distinct sexual dimorphism: Adult males have more pronounced facial wrinkles than females and a fold of skin under the chin that can be raised in style of a face mask. We report the first observations on echolocation and mating behavior of Centurio senex, including synchronized audio and video recordings from an aggregation of males in Costa Rica. Over a period of 6 weeks we located a total of 53 perches, where during the first half of the night males were hanging with raised facial masks at a mean height of 2.35 m. Most of the time, the males moved just their wing tips, and spontaneously vocalized in the ultrasound range. Approaches of other individuals resulted in the perching male beating its wings and emitting a very loud, low frequency whistling call. Following such an encounter we recorded a copulation event. The observed aggregation of adult C. senex males is consistent with lek courtship, a behavior described from only few other bat species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jairo Villalobos
- Estación de Investigación Miguel Alfaro, Hotel Villablanca, San Ramón, Costa Rica
| | - Esteban Hernández
- Estación de Investigación Miguel Alfaro, Hotel Villablanca, San Ramón, Costa Rica
| | - Daniel Zamora-Mejías
- Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico DF, Mexico
| | - Gloria Gessinger
- University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama
| | - Marco Tschapka
- University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Panama
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Brown BKG, Leffer L, Valverde Y, Toshkova N, Nystrom J, Page RA, Carter GG. Do bats use guano and urine stains to find new roosts? Tests with three group-living bats. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:201055. [PMID: 33047058 PMCID: PMC7540741 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many animals use social cues to find refuges. Bats can find roosts using the echolocation and social calls of conspecifics, but they might also use scent cues, a possibility which is less studied. The entrances of bat roosts are often marked by guano and urine, providing possible scent cues. We conducted eight experiments to test whether bats use the scent of guano and urine to find potential roosts. In field experiments, we tested if Molossus molossus (velvety free-tailed bats) in Panama and Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bats) in Ohio would investigate artificial roost boxes that were scented with guano and urine more often than a paired unscented control. We did not detect any difference in flights near the scented versus unscented roosts, and we detected only one entrance into any artificial roost (scented). In six captive experiments, we tested for the attraction of Desmodus rotundus (common vampire bats) and Molossus molossus to areas scented with guano and urine, under several conditions. Results were mixed, but overall suggested that the scent of guano and urine does not act as a strong lure for the tested bat species. We suggest that further tests of olfaction-based roost choice in bats should manipulate existing scent cues on familiar roosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget K. G. Brown
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lauren Leffer
- University of Maryland, 4094 Campus Drive, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Yesenia Valverde
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | - Nia Toshkova
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
- National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Jessica Nystrom
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rachel A. Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
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Araya-Salas M, Hernández-Pinsón HA, Rojas N, Chaverri G. Ontogeny of an interactive call-and-response system in Spix's disc-winged bats. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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44
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Tracing the geographic origin of common pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) swarming at a mass hibernaculum. Mamm Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-020-00057-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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45
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Flores V, Carter GG, Halczok TK, Kerth G, Page RA. Social structure and relatedness in the fringe-lipped bat ( Trachops cirrhosus). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:192256. [PMID: 32431896 PMCID: PMC7211832 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
General insights into the causes and effects of social structure can be gained from comparative analyses across socially and ecologically diverse taxa, such as bats, but long-term data are lacking for most species. In the neotropical fringe-lipped bat, Trachops cirrhosus, social transmission of foraging behaviour is clearly demonstrated in captivity, yet its social structure in the wild remains unclear. Here, we used microsatellite-based estimates of relatedness and records of 157 individually marked adults from 106 roost captures over 6 years, to infer whether male and female T. cirrhosus have preferred co-roosting associations and whether such associations were influenced by relatedness. Using a null model that controlled for year and roosting location, we found that both male and female T. cirrhosus have preferred roosting partners, but that only females demonstrate kin-biased association. Most roosting groups (67%) contained multiple females with one or two reproductive males. Relatedness patterns and recapture records corroborate genetic evidence for female philopatry and male dispersal. Our study adds to growing evidence that many bats demonstrate preferred roosting associations, which has the potential to influence social information transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Flores
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, 318 W. 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Tanja K. Halczok
- Greifswald University, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Greifswald University, Zoological Institute and Museum, Soldmannstr. 14, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rachel A. Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
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46
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Götze S, Denzinger A, Schnitzler HU. High frequency social calls indicate food source defense in foraging Common pipistrelle bats. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5764. [PMID: 32238828 PMCID: PMC7113247 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62743-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Social calls have the function to coordinate the behavior of animals. In the presence of conspecifics foraging Common pipistrelle bats (P. pipistrellus) emitted, in addition to typical echolocation signals, two types of social calls: complex social calls and an as-of-yet undescribed, short, frequency-modulated call type with high terminal frequency, which we term “high frequency social call”. By recording the flight and acoustic behavior of free flying pairs of foraging P. pipistrellus with an array of four microphones we were able to determine their three-dimensional flight paths and attribute emitted calls to particular behavioral situations. Complex social calls were emitted at further inter-individual distances and at large bearing angles to conspecifics, whereas high frequency social calls were produced at significantly shorter distances and at smaller bearing angles. These calls were associated with chasings and the eviction of the intruder. We assume that the emission of both types of social calls by foraging bats reflects a two-stage-process of the occupation and defense of a food patch. Common pipistrelle bats use complex social calls to claim a food patch and switch to agonistic behaviors, including chasings and high frequency social call emissions, when they defend their foraging territory against an intruder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Götze
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Annette Denzinger
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans-Ulrich Schnitzler
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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47
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Neural oscillations in the fronto-striatal network predict vocal output in bats. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000658. [PMID: 32191695 PMCID: PMC7081985 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to vocalize is ubiquitous in vertebrates, but neural networks underlying vocal control remain poorly understood. Here, we performed simultaneous neuronal recordings in the frontal cortex and dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus, CN) during the production of echolocation pulses and communication calls in bats. This approach allowed us to assess the general aspects underlying vocal production in mammals and the unique evolutionary adaptations of bat echolocation. Our data indicate that before vocalization, a distinctive change in high-gamma and beta oscillations (50–80 Hz and 12–30 Hz, respectively) takes place in the bat frontal cortex and dorsal striatum. Such precise fine-tuning of neural oscillations could allow animals to selectively activate motor programs required for the production of either echolocation or communication vocalizations. Moreover, the functional coupling between frontal and striatal areas, occurring in the theta oscillatory band (4–8 Hz), differs markedly at the millisecond level, depending on whether the animals are in a navigational mode (that is, emitting echolocation pulses) or in a social communication mode (emitting communication calls). Overall, this study indicates that fronto-striatal oscillations could provide a neural correlate for vocal control in bats. In bats, rhythmic activity in frontal and striatal areas of the brain provide a neural correlate for vocal control, which can be used to predict whether the ensuing vocalizations are for echolocation or social communication.
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48
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Rydell J, Fenton M, Seamark E, Webala P, Michaelsen T. White and clear wings in bats (Chiroptera). CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
White or clear (“whitish”) wings are a distinct feature in about 30 species of tropical insectivorous bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) belonging to three families (Emballonuridae, Molossidae, and Vespertilionidae). Such wings may provide camouflage against the sky at dusk and dawn, when bats commute to and from the roost and are vulnerable to aerial predation from birds. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the contrast of black, white, and transparent plastic models against the evening sky. Compared with normally dark wings, white and particularly transparent wings indeed reduce the contrast against the sky and may also prevent overheating in bats flying in daylight. Whitish wings could facilitate earlier evening emergence and later morning return, increasing access to crepuscular or diurnal insects as food. But whitish wings become maladaptive near artificial lights, where they are highly visible when illuminated against the dark sky. Pale but colored (not whitish) wings and reticulated patterns on translucent wings in some African and south Asian bats may be variations on the same theme, functional as camouflage against a lit background of vegetation and shades.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Rydell
- Biology Department, Lund University, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - M.B. Fenton
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - E. Seamark
- AfricanBats NPC, 357 Botha Avenue, Kloofsig, 0157, South Africa
| | - P.W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Maasai Mara University, P.O. Box 861-20500, Narok, Kenya
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Salles A, Park S, Sundar H, Macías S, Elhilali M, Moss CF. Neural Response Selectivity to Natural Sounds in the Bat Midbrain. Neuroscience 2020; 434:200-211. [PMID: 31918008 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the neural mechanisms that mediate differential action-selection responses to communication and echolocation calls in bats. For example, in the big brown bat, frequency modulated (FM) food-claiming communication calls closely resemble FM echolocation calls, which guide social and orienting behaviors, respectively. Using advanced signal processing methods, we identified fine differences in temporal structure of these natural sounds that appear key to auditory discrimination and behavioral decisions. We recorded extracellular potentials from single neurons in the midbrain inferior colliculus (IC) of passively listening animals, and compared responses to playbacks of acoustic signals used by bats for social communication and echolocation. We combined information obtained from spike number and spike triggered averages (STA) to reveal a robust classification of neuron selectivity for communication or echolocation calls. These data highlight the importance of temporal acoustic structure for differentiating echolocation and food-claiming social calls and point to general mechanisms of natural sound processing across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeles Salles
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, United States.
| | - Sangwook Park
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Harshavardhan Sundar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Silvio Macías
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Mounya Elhilali
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, United States
| | - Cynthia F Moss
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, United States
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50
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Vernes SC, Wilkinson GS. Behaviour, biology and evolution of vocal learning in bats. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 375:20190061. [PMID: 31735153 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The comparative approach can provide insight into the evolution of human speech, language and social communication by studying relevant traits in animal systems. Bats are emerging as a model system with great potential to shed light on these processes given their learned vocalizations, close social interactions, and mammalian brains and physiology. A recent framework outlined the multiple levels of investigation needed to understand vocal learning across a broad range of non-human species, including cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants, birds and bats. Here, we apply this framework to the current state-of-the-art in bat research. This encompasses our understanding of the abilities bats have displayed for vocal learning, what is known about the timing and social structure needed for such learning, and current knowledge about the prevalence of the trait across the order. It also addresses the biology (vocal tract morphology, neurobiology and genetics) and evolution of this trait. We conclude by highlighting some key questions that should be answered to advance our understanding of the biological encoding and evolution of speech and spoken communication. This article is part of the theme issue 'What can animal communication teach us about human language?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Vernes
- Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, PO Box 310, Nijmegen 6500 AH, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald S Wilkinson
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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