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Fig. 14. Thoopterus nigrescens AMNH 196442 in Element Homology and the Evolution of Dental Formulae in Megachiropteran Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Fig. 14. Thoopterus nigrescens AMNH 196442

Fig. 15. Nyctimene major AMNH 159295 in Element Homology and the Evolution of Dental Formulae in Megachiropteran Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Fig. 15. Nyctimene major AMNH 159295,

Fig. 11. Thoopterus nigrescens AMNH 196442 in Element Homology and the Evolution of Dental Formulae in Megachiropteran Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Fig. 11. Thoopterus nigrescens AMNH 196442

Fig. 10. Cynopterus brachyotis AMNH 222764 in Element Homology and the Evolution of Dental Formulae in Megachiropteran Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae)

Fig. 10. Cynopterus brachyotis AMNH 222764

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2011View details →

Fig. 33 in Systematics Of Funnel-Eared Bats (Chiroptera: Natalidae)

Fig. 33. Holotype of Natalus stramineus (BMNH 70.2324, male, collection locality unknown).

opencc-by-4.0Aug 2021View details →

FIG. 23 in Mammalian Diversity And Matses Ethnomammalogy In Amazonian Peru Part 4: Bats

FIG. 23. Photographs of A, an adult Arti-

opencc-by-4.0Aug 2021View details →

FIG. 21 in Mammalian Diversity And Matses Ethnomammalogy In Amazonian Peru Part 4: Bats

FIG. 21. Trachops cirrhosus flying at Frog Valley. Photograph by Brock Fenton.

opencc-zeroSep 2021View details →

Seasonal variation in age, sex, and reproductive status of Mexican free-tailed bats

In North America, Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana) consume vast numbers of insects contributing to the economic well-being of society. Mexican free-tailed bats have declined due to historic guano mining, roost destruction, and bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides. Long-distance migrations and dense congregations at roosts exacerbate these declines. Wind energy development further threatens bat communities worldwide and presents emerging challenges to bat conservation. Effective mitigation of bat mortality at wind energy facilities requires baseline data on the biology of affected populations. We collected data on age, sex, and reproductive condition of Mexican free-tailed bats at a cave roost in eastern Nevada located six km from a 152-megawatt industrial wind energy facility. Over five years, we captured 46,353 Mexican free-tailed bats. Although just over half of the caught individuals were non-reproductive adult males (53.6%), 826 pregnant, 892 lactating, 10,101 post-lactating, and 4,327 non-reproductive adult females were captured. Juveniles comprised 11.5% of captures. Female reproductive phenology was delayed relative to conspecific roosts at lower latitudes, likely due to cooler temperatures. Roost use by reproductive females and juvenile bats demonstrates this site is a maternity roost, with significant ecological and conservation value. To our knowledge, no other industrial scale wind energy facilities exist in such close proximity to a heavily used bat roost in North America. Given the susceptibility of Mexican free-tailed bats to wind turbine mortality and the proximity of this roost to a wind energy facility, these data provide a foundation from which differential impacts on demographic groups can be assessed.

opencc-zeroOct 2021View details →

Strong population genetic structure and cryptic diversity in the Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus)

Knowledge of genetic structure is essential for the long-term management and conservation of endangered species. We report the results from a genetic examination of the federally endangered Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) sampled from its range in southern Florida, USA. Bonneted bats are primarily found in four regions separated by approximately 100 to 250 kms, including three western natural areas (BW, PC, and CC) and one urban population on the east coast [Miami-Dade County (MD)]. We used 22 microsatellite loci and cytochrome b sequences to assess the extent of connectivity and levels of genetic diversity. Regional populations were highly differentiated (FST = 0.178) and model-based and multivariate analyses showed that MD was the most distinct among pairwise comparisons. Regional populations are small (i.e., Ne < 100) but demographically stable. Estimates of contemporary migration and historic gene flow suggest that regional populations do not frequently exchange migrants, but simulations suggest that the divergence among western regions is likely a result of recent genetic drift rather than long-term isolation. Significantly, mitochondrial DNA revealed that haplotypes from MD were similar or shared with those recognized as Eumops ferox from Cuba and Jamaica, and divergent (1.5%) from the remainder of bonneted bats in Florida. Our data support the management of each of the four populations as distinct population segments, and that BW, PC and CC combined are on an independent evolutionary trajectory from bats in MD. Critically, bonneted bats in Florida appear to harbor cryptic diversity that will require a reassessment of their taxonomy.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

Evolutionary history and precipitation seasonality shape niche overlap in Neotropical bat-plant pollination networks

Species interactions are one dimension of the niche, and niche overlap arises when two species share an interaction partner. In pollination systems, environmental and biotic factors impact the niche overlap. Here we explored the effects of climate seasonality, plant and bat richness, morphological traits, and phylogenetic distance in shaping the niche overlap of Neotropical bat-plant pollination networks. For that, we used a dataset of 22 bat-plant pollination networks in the Neotropical region. We measured niche overlap in bats and plants with the Morisita-Horn index, ĈH, and then, we used a SAR model to test the relationships between niche overlap and the abiotic and biotic factors. We found a lower niche overlap among bats in communities composed of phylogenetically distant bat species. Moreover, plant and bat overlap were lower in regions with higher precipitation seasonality. Our results indicate that climate seasonality and bat evolutionary history drive niche overlap in Neotropical bat-plant pollination interactions. These findings suggest that a higher precipitation seasonality may promote the emergence of temporal modules reducing niche overlap, probably as a consequence of seasonal species phenologies. Furthermore, the method used to record the interactions impacts the degree of niche overlap. Interactions recorded with pollen samples tend to have higher niche overlap than direct observations. The uncoupled responses of morphological traits and phylogenetic distances in bat niche overlap suggest an effect of historical processes independently of the morphological traits. Our study reinforced the importance of evolutionary history and ecological processes in imprinting patterns of interaction niche overlap.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

The soundscape of swarming: Proof of concept for a non-invasive acoustic species identification of swarming Myotis bats

Bats emit echolocation calls to orientate in their predominantly dark environment. Recording of species-specific calls can facilitate species identification, especially when mist-netting is not feasible. However, some taxa, such as Myotis bats are hard to distinguish acoustically. In crowded situations where calls of many individuals overlap the subtle differences between species are additionally attenuated. Here we sought to non-invasively study the phenology of Myotis bats during autumn swarming at a prominent hibernaculum. To do so we recorded sequences of overlapping echolocation calls (N=564) during nights of high swarming activity and extracted spectral parameters (peak frequency, start frequency, spectral centroid) and Linear Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (LFCCs) which additionally encompass the timbre (vocal 'colour') of calls. We used this parameter combination in a stepwise discriminant function analysis (DFA) to classify the call sequences to species level. A set of previously identified call sequences of single flying Myotis daubentonii and Myotis nattereri, the most common species at our study site, functioned as a training set for the DFA. 90.2% of the call sequences could be assigned to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri, indicating the predominantly swarming species at the time of recording. We verified our results by correctly classifying a second set of previously identified call sequences with an accuracy of 100%. In addition, our acoustic species classification corresponds well to the existing knowledge on swarming phenology at the hibernaculum. Moreover, we successfully classified call sequences from a different hibernaculum to species level and verified our classification results by capturing swarming bats while we recorded them. Our findings provide the basis for a new non-invasive acoustic monitoring technique that analyses "swarming soundscapes" by combining classical acoustic parameters and LFCCs, instead of analysing single calls. Our approach for species identification is especially beneficial in situations with multiple calling individuals, such as autumn swarming.

opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) capture records before and after white-nose syndrome

We collated 30 years of big brown bat capture records collected between 1990 to 2020. We collected data from wildlife agencies and researchers in the eastern US. We kept capture records that fell within the months of March through October, representing spring through fall months when bats are surveyed outside of hibernacula. We then paired this data with spatiotemporal spread of the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans (causal agent of white-nose syndrome that kills North American temperate bats), of which, big brown bats are susceptible to infection. The completed dataset represents 30,497 individual big brown bat captures across 3,797 unique sites.

opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

Phenotypic traits evolution and morphological traits associated with echolocation calls in cryptic horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae)

Bats provide an excellent case study for studying evolution due to their remarkable flight and echolocation capabilities. In this study, we sought to understand the phenotypic evolution of key traits in Rhinolophidae (horseshoe bats) using phylogenetic comparative methods. We aim to test the phylogenetic signals of traits and evaluated the best-fit evolutionary models given the data for each trait considering different traits may evolve under different models (i.e., Brownian Motion (BM), Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) and Early Burst (EB)) and reconstruct ancestral character states. We examined how phenotypic characters are associated with echolocation calls and minimum detectable prey size. We measured 34 traits of 10 Asian rhinolophids species (187 individuals). We found that the majority of traits showed a high phylogenetic signal based on Blomberg's K and Pagel's λ, but each trait may evolve under different evolutionary models. Sella traits were shown to evolve under stabilizing selection based on OU models, indicating sella traits have the tendency to move forward along the branches toward some medial value in equilibrium. Our findings highlight the importance of sella characters in association with echolocation call emissions in Rhinolophidae, as calls are important for spatial cognition and also influence dietary preferences. Minimum detectable prey size in Rhinolophidae was associated with call frequency, bandwidth, call duration, wingspan and wing surface area. Ultimately, understanding trait evolution requires sensitivity due to the differential selective pressures which may apply to different characteristics.

opencc-zeroNov 2022View details →

The risk faced by the early bat: individual plasticity and mortality costs of the timing of spring departure after hibernation

Hibernation is a widespread adaptation in animals to seasonally changing environmental conditions. In the face of global anthropogenic change, information about plastic adjustments to environmental conditions and associated mortality costs are urgently needed to assess population persistence of hibernating species. Here, we used a five-year data set of 1,047 RFID-tagged individuals from two bat species, Myotis nattereri and Myotis daubentonii that were automatically recorded each time they entered or left a hibernaculum. Because the two species differ in foraging strategy and activity pattern during winter, we expected species–specific responses in the timing of hibernation relative to environmental conditions, as well as different mortality costs of early departure from the hibernaculum in spring. Applying mixed-effects modelling, we were able to disentangle population-level and individual-level plasticity in the timing of departure. To estimate mortality costs of early departure, we used both a capture mark recapture analysis and a novel approach that takes into account individual exposure times to mortality outside the hibernaculum. We found that the timing of departure varied between species as well as among and within individuals, and was plastically adjusted to large-scale weather conditions as measured by the NAO (North Atlantic Oscillation) index. Individuals of M. nattereri, which can exploit milder temperatures for foraging during winter, tuned departure more closely to the NAO index than individuals of M. daubentoniid which do not hunt during winter. Both analytical approaches used to estimate mortality costs showed that early departing individuals were less likely to survive until the subsequent hibernation period than individuals that departed later. Overall, our study demonstrates that individuals of long-lived hibernating bat species have the potential to plastically adjust to changing climatic conditions, although the potential for adjustment differs between species.

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Airborne eDNA documents a diverse and ecologically complex tropical bat and other mammal community

Environmental (e)DNA has rapidly become a powerful biomonitoring tool, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. This approach has not been as widely adopted in terrestrial communities where the methods of vertebrate eDNA collection have varied from the use of secondary collectors such as blood-feeding parasites and spider webs to washing surfaces of leaves and soil sampling. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of direct collection of eDNA from air sampling, but none have tested how effective airborne eDNA sampling might be in a biodiverse environment. We used three prototype samplers to actively sample a mixed neotropical bat community in a partially controlled environment. We assess whether airborne eDNA can accurately characterize a high-diversity community with skewed abundances and to determine if filter design impacts DNA collection and taxonomic recovery. Our study provides evidence for the accuracy of airborne eDNA as a detection tool and highlights its potential for monitoring high-density, diverse assemblages such as bat roosts. Analysis of air samples recovered >91% of the species present and some limited relationship between species abundance and read count. Our data suggest this method can accurately depict a diverse mixed mammal community, particularly when the location is contained (e.g., a roost, den or burrow) but also highlights the potential for secondary transfer of eDNA material on clothing and equipment. Our results also demonstrate that simple, inexpensive, battery-operated homemade air samplers can collect an abundance of eDNA from the air, opening the opportunity for sampling in remote environments.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2022View details →

Estimated densities of activity from: Characterising diel activity patterns to design conservation measures: Case study of European bat species

Estimated densities of activity calculated in "Characterising diel activity patterns to design conservation measures: case study of European bat species" (see Materials and Methods for more information on these calculations). The files named "densitiyAllYear" correspond to the estimated densities based on our entire dataset. The files named "densitiySpring" correspond to the estimated densities based on a subset of our dataset comprising only monitoring carried out between 1 March and 21 June. The files named "densitiySummer" correspond to the estimated densities based on a subset of our dataset comprising only monitoring carried out between 22 June and 21 August. The files named "densitiyAutumn" correspond to the estimated densities based on a subset of our dataset comprising only monitoring carried out between 22 August and 31 October. The first column of each file ("PercentageNight") corresponds to the percentage of the night elapsed (0 % = sunset time, 100 % =  sunrise time), the second to the estimated activity density ("Density").

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Spatial learning overshadows learning odors and sounds in both predatory and frugivorous bats

To forage efficiently, animals should selectively attend to and remember the cues of food that best predict future meals. One hypothesis is that animals with different foraging strategies should vary in their reliance on spatial versus feature cues. Specifically, animals that store food in dispersed caches or that feed on spatially stable food, like fruit or flowers, should be relatively biased to learning a meal's location, whereas predators that hunt mobile prey should instead be relatively biased towards learning feature cues such as odor or sound. Several authors have predicted that nectar-feeding and fruit-feeding bats would rely relatively more on spatial cues, whereas closely related predatory bats would rely more on feature cues, yet no experiment has compared these two foraging strategies under the same conditions. To test this hypothesis, we compared learning in the frugivorous bat, Artibeus jamaicensis, and the predatory bat, Lophostoma silvicolum, which hunts katydids using acoustic cues. We trained bats to find food paired with a unique and novel odor, sound, and location. To assess which cues each bat had learned, we then dissociated these cues to create conflicting information. Rather than finding that the frugivore and predator clearly differ in their relative reliance on spatial versus feature cues, we found that both species used spatial cues over sounds or odors in subsequent foraging decisions. We interpret these results alongside past findings on how foraging animals use spatial cues versus feature cues and explore why spatial cues may be fundamentally more rich, salient, or memorable.

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

NEANIAS UW-BAT Demo Data Shipwreck Image

Digital terrain model (DTM) of shipwreck recorded with Teledyne T50-R echosounder. Format: JPG

opencc-zeroJan 2023View details →

NEANIAS UW-BAT Demo Data Shipwreck DTM

Digital terrain model (DTM) of shipwreck recorded with Teledyne T50-R echosounder. Format: GMT NetCDF