Manoeuvrability and ecological segregation in the little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and Yuma (M. yumanensis) bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Aldridge, H. D. J. N.

doi:10.1139/z86-280

Cited by 44 publications

(31 citation statements)

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“…Slight di¡erences in wing morphology can have a major impact on £ight performance and, consequently, in£uence the microhabitat used or the type of prey that can be e¡ectively pursued (e.g. Aldridge 1986;Saunders & Barclay 1992). The 131kHz H. bicolor is characterized by a lower wing loading, lower aspect ratio and a more rounded wingtip, which are all features that enhance manoeuvrability (Norberg & Rayner 1987).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic divergence in two cryptic Hipposideros species: a role for social selection?

Kingston

Lara

Jones

et al. 2001

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

119

113

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We present evidence that a relatively widespread and common bat from South East Asia comprises two morphologically cryptic but acoustically divergent species. A population of the bicoloured leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros bicolor) from Peninsular Malaysia exhibits a bimodal distribution of echolocation call frequencies, with peaks in the frequency of maximum energy at ca. 131 and 142 kHz. The two phonic types are genetically distinct, with a cytochrome b sequence divergence of just under 7%. We consider the mechanisms by which acoustic divergence in these species might arise. Di¡erences in call frequency are not likely to e¡ect resource partitioning by detectable prey size or functional range. However, ecological segregation may be achieved by di¡erences in microhabitat use; the 131kHz H. bicolor is characterized by signi¢cantly longer forearms, lower wing loading, a lower aspect ratio and a more rounded wingtip, features that are associated with greater manoeuvrability in £ight that may enable it to forage in more cluttered environments relative to the 142 kHz phonic type. We suggest that acoustic divergence in these species is a consequence of social selection for a clear communication channel, which is mediated by the close link between the acoustic signal and receptor systems imposed by the highly specialized nature of the hipposiderid and rhinolophid echolocation system.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic divergence in two cryptic Hipposideros species: a role for social selection?

Kingston

Lara

Jones

et al. 2001

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

119

113

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“…We measured the time taken for a bird to negotiate the maze test section and recorded the number of strings collided with en route, which were used as measures of the bird's ability to cope with the crowded maze environment. A faster flight time and/or fewer strings hit indicate greater manoeuvrability (Aldridge 1986;Evans et al 1994;Balmford et al 2000;Rowe et al 2001). Dyads of 'narrow-feather'-'broadfeather' birds were released through the maze immediately after manipulation.…”

Section: (B) Tail Manipulationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A crowded maze environment presents birds with a standardized task that forces them to make increasingly tight turns around obstacles. The performance of individuals in a maze can be used as an assessment of manoeuvrability (Aldridge 1986;Møller 1991;Evans et al 1994;Balmford et al 2000;Rowe et al 2001;Stockwell 2001). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vane emargination of outer tail feathers improves flight manoeuvrability in streamerless hirundines, Hirundinidae

Matyjasiak

Lope

et al. 2004

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

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Recent studies have suggested that the proximal part of the swallow (Hirundo rustica) tail streamer appears to aid turning flight, as expected if streamers evolved initially purely through natural selection for enhanced manoeuvrability. However, the evolution of slender aerodynamically advantageous streamers is also predicted by an alternative hypothesis, which suggests that such a trait could develop primarily to ameliorate the aerodynamic cost of a long size-dimorphic tail. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we have investigated for the effect on manoeuvrability of trimming the tips of the outer tail feathers into short streamers, without lengthening these feathers, in two streamerless hirundine species-the house martin (Delichon urbica) and the sand martin (Riparia riparia). This allowed us to examine the aerodynamic costs and benefits of streamers at an early evolutionary stage that predates elongation of the outermost tail feathers through female choice. We showed that such initial streamers enhance manoeuvrability in streamerless hirundines, confirming the findings of recent studies. However, in contrast to these studies, we showed that improved manoeuvrability resulting from streamers could arise before the outermost tail feathers have become elongated (e.g. owing to female choice). The occurrence of such an aerodynamic advantage depends on the ancestral shape of a forked tail. This provides support for the hypothesis that streamers, like those in the barn swallow, might evolve initially purely through natural selection for enhanced manoeuvrability.

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“…Although the degree to which assuming fixed-wing models introduces error in analysis is unknown, predictions derived from steady-state models have been applied extensively in the bird and bat research communities, particularly when looking for morphological correlates of flight performance and its ecological implications (e.g. Aldridge, 1986a;Norberg and Rayner, 1987;Kalcounis and Brigham, 1995). Recent information on maneuvering flight of birds and insects (Fry et al, 2003;Card and Dickinson, 2008) has expanded the discussion beyond the assumption of fixed wings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinematics of slow turn maneuvering in the fruit batCynopterus brachyotis

Iriarte-Díaz

Swartz

2008

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYManeuvering abilities have long been considered key factors that influence habitat selection and foraging strategies in bats. To date, however, very little experimental work has been carried out to understand the mechanisms that bats use to perform maneuvers. In the present study, we examined the kinematics of slow-speed turning flight in the lesser short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus brachyotis, to understand the basic mechanics employed to perform maneuvers and to compare them with previous findings in bats and other flying organisms. Four individuals were trained to fly in L-shaped flight enclosure that required them to make a 90 deg. turn midway through each flight. Flights were recorded with three low-light, high-speed videocameras, allowing the three-dimensional reconstruction of the body and wing kinematics. For any flying organisms, turning requires changes of the direction of travel and the reorientation of the body around the center of mass to maintain the alignment with the flight direction. In C. brachyotis, changes in body orientation (i.e. heading) took place during upstroke and preceded the changes in flight direction, which were restricted to the downstroke portion of the wingbeat cycle. Mean change in flight direction was significantly correlated to the mean heading angular velocity at the beginning of the downstroke and to the mean bank angle during downstroke, although only heading velocity was significant when both variables were considered. Body reorientation prior to changes in direction might be a mechanism to maintain the head and body aligned with the direction of travel and, thus, maximizing spatial accuracy in three-dimensionally complex environments. Supplementary material available online at

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Manoeuvrability and ecological segregation in the little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and Yuma (M. yumanensis) bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Cited by 44 publications

References 0 publications

Acoustic divergence in two cryptic Hipposideros species: a role for social selection?

Acoustic divergence in two cryptic Hipposideros species: a role for social selection?

Vane emargination of outer tail feathers improves flight manoeuvrability in streamerless hirundines, Hirundinidae

Kinematics of slow turn maneuvering in the fruit batCynopterus brachyotis

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