Stereotypy and variability of social calls among clustering female big-footed myotis (Myotis macrodactylus)

Echolocating bats have developed advanced auditory perception systems, predominantly using acoustic signaling to communicate with each other. They can emit a diverse range of social calls in complex behavioral contexts. This study examined the vocal repertoire of five pregnant big-footed myotis bats...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dōngwùxué yánjiū 2018-03, Vol.39 (2), p.114-122
Main Authors: Xiao, Yan-Hong, Wang, Lei, Hoyt, Joseph R, Jiang, Ting-Lei, Lin, Ai-Qing, Feng, Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic emission
Animal behavior
Animal communication
Auditory perception
Bats
Calling behavior
Chiroptera
Clustering
Duration
Echolocation
Females
Myotis macrodactylus
Personal computers
Pipistrellus
Pipistrellus nathusii
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum
Signaling
Stereotyped behavior
Syllables
Variability
Vespertilionidae
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Summary:Echolocating bats have developed advanced auditory perception systems, predominantly using acoustic signaling to communicate with each other. They can emit a diverse range of social calls in complex behavioral contexts. This study examined the vocal repertoire of five pregnant big-footed myotis bats (Myotis macrodactylus). In the process of clustering, the last individual to return to the colony (LI) emitted social calls that correlated with behavior, as recorded on a PC-based digital recorder. These last individuals could emit 10 simple monosyllabic and 27 complex multisyllabic types of calls, constituting four types of syllables. The social calls were composed of highly stereotyped syllables, hierarchically organized by a common set of syllables. However, intra-specific variation was also found in the number of syllables, syllable order and patterns of syllable repetition across call renditions. Data were obtained to characterize the significant individual differences that existed in the maximum frequency and duration of calls. Time taken to return to the roost was negatively associated with the diversity of social calls. Our findings indicate that variability in social calls may be an effective strategy taken by individuals during reintegration into clusters of female M. macrodactylus.
ISSN:0254-5853
DOI:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2018.026