Tests of hypotheses for group formation in the subtropical leaf‐dwelling bat, Kerivoula furva

• Published in: Ecology and evolution 2021-06, Vol.11 (11), p.6730-6741
• Main Authors: Hsu, Chia‐Wei, Kao, Mei‐Ting, Chou, Cheng‐Han, Cheng, Hsi‐Chi, Liu, Jian‐Nan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: active aggregation; Air temperature; Animal behavior; association index; Bats; Cameras; Cooperation; dark woolly bat; Demographics; Evolution; Group size; Hypotheses; Kerivoula furva; Leaves; Males; Musa basjoo formosana; Original Research; Physiology; Roosts; Social bonds; social groups; Social organization; vespertilionids
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7524

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. we examined whether ecological constraints, demographic traits, and physiological demands contributed to the group formation in Kerivoula furva, a little known species that use banana furled leaves as day roosts in subtropical regions. We found that K. furva maintained a relatively stable social groups year‐round, despite they switched roosts frequently. Our results that social groups of K. furva were formed by active aggregation of multiple generation members supported the demographic traits hypothesis for group formation in this species.