Have introduced fish initiated piscivory among the long-fingered bat?

Levin, Eran; Barnea, Amir; Yovel, Yossi; Yom‐Tov, Yoram

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2006.01.002

Cited by 27 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Fenton, 1990;Gudger, 1943;Law and Urquhart, 2000;Ma et al, 2003;Whitaker and Findley, 1980). The long-fingered bat [Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte 1837)] is the only European species known to fish, as despite being primarily insectivorous , fishing behaviour has been reported for three isolated colonies in the Mediterranean basin (Aihartza et al, 2003;Biscardi et al, 2007;Levin et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine-tuned echolocation and capture-flight ofMyotis capacciniiwhen facing different sized insects and fish prey

Aizpurua

Aihartza

Alberdi

et al. 2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Formerly thought to be a strictly insectivorous trawling bat, recent studies have shown that Myotis capaccinii also preys on fish. To determine whether differences exist in bat flight behaviour, prey handling and echolocation characteristics when catching fish and insects of different size, we conducted a field experiment focused on the last stage of prey capture. We used synchronized video and ultrasound recordings to measure several flight and dip features as well as echolocation characteristics, focusing on terminal buzz phase I, characterized by a call rate exceeding 100 Hz, and buzz phase II, characterized by a drop in the fundamental well below 20 kHz and a repetition rate exceeding 150 Hz. When capturing insects, bats used both parts of the terminal phase to the same extent, and performed short and superficial drags on the water surface. In contrast, when preying on fish, buzz I was longer and buzz II shorter, and the bats made longer and deeper dips. These variations suggest that lengthening buzz I and shortening buzz II when fishing is beneficial, probably because buzz I gives better discrimination ability and the broader sonar beam provided by buzz II is useless when no evasive flight of the prey is expected. Additionally, bats continued emitting calls beyond the theoretical signal-overlap zone, suggesting that they might obtain information even when they have surpassed that threshold, at least initially. This study shows that M. capaccinii can regulate the temporal components of its feeding buzzes and modify prey capture technique according to the target.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine-tuned echolocation and capture-flight ofMyotis capacciniiwhen facing different sized insects and fish prey

Aizpurua

Aihartza

Alberdi

et al. 2014

Journal of Experimental Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Secondly, sound knowledge about the autoecology of M. capaccinii has been published only recently. The number of studies on diet (Aihartza et al 2003, Levin et al 2006, Biscardi et al 2007, Almenar et al 2008, factors affecting foraging behaviour, and the spatial range of foraging individuals is now remarkable (Almenar et al 2006, Biscardi et al 2007, Né-moz & Brisorgueil 2008, Aihartza et al 2008. Moreover, 2 of these are radiotracking studies with a significant number of individuals surveyed, 21 in Italy (Biscardi et al 2007) and 33 in France (Némoz & Brisorgueil 2008), which improves considerably the quality of available data on the foraging ecology of the species and thus allows a more comprehensive framework for conservation strategies to be proposed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging behaviour of the long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii: implications for conservation and management

Almenar¹,

Aihartza²,

Goiti³

et al. 2009

Endang. Species. Res.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The main factors threatening Myotis capaccinii (Bonaparte, 1837) are considered to be foraging habitat degradation and roost loss. Conservation strategies that focus on the protection of roosts are feasible as long as direct threats by human activities are correctly identified. However, before protection of foraging habitat can be implemented more accurate information is required. We review the available information of relevance to foraging habitat management for the species. Three main topics are considered based on the results of a radiotelemetry study on 45 ind. in 3 seasons: habitat dependence, features of foraging habitat, and spatial range. M. capaccinii foraged almost completely over aquatic habitats as in other telemetry studies. We discuss the importance of terrestrial habitats and the dependence of the species on aquatic habitats. It has been proposed that several factors affect habitat selection in this species. The presence of smooth, clutter-free water surfaces seems to be the most important structural factor, but we found that prey richness also affected habitat selection. Effects of features related to riparian vegetation and water quality are thought to vary according to local conditions. Preference for wide water bodies is probably linked to preference for smooth surfaces, where detection and trawling of prey is favoured. As highlighted by recent telemetry studies, we observed M. capaccinii foraging at long distances from the roost. Therefore, the area of application for conservation measures should be large: we suggest a protection radius of 20 km around roosts.

show abstract

“…All of these adaptations and the fact that fishing has been reported in three distant places in the Mediterranean basin [4], [22], [23], suggest that fishing could have been a widespread behavior in M. capaccinii in other times, maybe when native surface-feeding fish—such as the currently endangered relict cyprinodontiform species within Aphanius and Valencia —and their marsh and littoral lagoon habitats were abundant in the Mediterranean. In fact, those fish might have been the primary resource from which fishing behavior could have evolved in M. capaccinii .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fishing Long-Fingered Bats (Myotis capaccinii) Prey Regularly upon Exotic Fish

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii is a European trawling bat reported to feed on fish in several Mediterranean locations, but the ecological circumstances of this behavior have not yet been studied. To elucidate the importance of fishing in this bat's diet, we evaluated the frequency and seasonal variation of fish remains in 3,000 fecal pellets collected from M. capaccinii at a nursery roost in Dénia (Eastern Iberian Peninsula) in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Fish consumption occurred evenly throughout the year. All otoliths found in feces were identified as belonging to the surface-feeding fish Gambusia holbrooki. Measuring otoliths, we estimated that the mean size of consumed fish was significantly smaller than the mean measured for available fish, suggesting that the long-fingered bat's relatively small body may constrain its handling of larger prey. Of note, one bat had eaten 15 fish, showing that fish may be a locally or seasonally important trophic resource for this species. By capturing 15 bats and radio-tracking the four with the most fish remains in their droppings, we also identified fishing areas, including a single fishing ground comprising several ponds within a golf course. Ponds hold a high density of G. holbrooki, suggesting that the amount of fish at the water surface may be the principal factor triggering fishing. The observed six-fold increase in percentage of consumed fish across the study period may be related to recent pond-building in the area. We discuss whether this quick behavioral response is a novel feature of M. capaccinii or an intrinsic feature that has erupted and faded locally along the species' history.

show abstract

Have introduced fish initiated piscivory among the long-fingered bat?

Cited by 27 publications

References 12 publications

Fine-tuned echolocation and capture-flight ofMyotis capacciniiwhen facing different sized insects and fish prey

Fine-tuned echolocation and capture-flight ofMyotis capacciniiwhen facing different sized insects and fish prey

Foraging behaviour of the long-fingered bat Myotis capaccinii: implications for conservation and management

Fishing Long-Fingered Bats (Myotis capaccinii) Prey Regularly upon Exotic Fish

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About