Skip to content

Nature

Echolocation: Call your partner or find your dinner

by Paul Robinson 03 Oct 2012
Echolocation: Call your partner or find your dinner

The day roost of a group of the greater sac-winged bat; Credit: © Mirjam KnÅ‘rnschild

The echolocation of both whales and bats is contrived to help them communicate with each other as well as orientation and predation on organisms in air or water. Sociability demands sex, age and size, reproductive status, group affiliation as well as ID in order for animals to communicate effectively. How the receiver responds to the acoustic data, along with other members of the same species, is critical. The information can be separated into "personal" and "social."

The greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata), in a special investigation, allowed its closest social secrets to be observed. From the German University of Ulm, Mirjam Knőrnschild, Kirsten Jung and their colleagues produced a paper today that opens wide the dialogues conducted by bats, and especially their eavesdropping friends!

This neotropical species is highly social, polygynous and great lifelong fidelity to their colonies. They end up with one male in a small roosting area with from 2-8 females and many non-harem (ie. single) males. Strangely, the female mates with a male in December, who may not be her resident harem male. Songs are used by the males to woo the mate, almost like those of birds, along with territorial "aggressive vocalisation", exactly like those of birds.

As the harem males are the first to arrive at the day-roost at dawn, they were compared at the day-roost to see if any individual vocal signatures were used. With this bat a complicated repertoire matches its social structure, so it was hoped to match aggressive vocals to approaching males and more welcoming sounds for the ladies. Costa Rica was the site for the experiment, in three separate locations.

The bats (a final number of perfect recordings from 27 were obtained) were all recorded individually. First established was the similar approach made to the roost by both sexes, and that no scent could have been wafted to the roost area by the flight's wake. A 5 metre distance from the colony was required before a call qualified for the experiments while vocal responses had to be directed at the approaching bat and not others.

All males called to females in the same way, using courtship songs, detecting the gender of the animal from its style of Hyperlink Codeecholocating. To males however the repertoire used consisted of aggressive vocalisation, territorial song and some "barks."

ID and sex were part of the signature calls, but the prime winners in these situations were the non-harem males. Being able to distinguish gender helped them to target females and try and attract them to their location. You can easily work out why the harem males made sure to return first.

The full paper, Bat echolocation calls facilitate social communication, has been published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping