Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

L Zhang; B Liang; S Parsons; L Wei; S Zhang

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00210.x

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Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

L Zhang, B Liang, S Parsons, L Wei and S Zhang

Journal of Zoology, Vol.271(3), pp.344-351

2007

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00210.x

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Abstract

echolocation calls

flight speed

foraging behaviour

resource partitioning

Tylonycteris pachypus

Tylonycteris robustula

wing morphology

We studied the wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed of Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula in Longzhou County, South China during the summer (June–August) of 2005. The wingspan, wing loading and aspect ratio of the two species were relatively low, and those of T. pachypus were lower compared with T. robustula. The echolocation calls of T. pachypus and T. robustula consist of a broadband frequency modulated (FM) sweep followed by a short narrowband FM sweep. The dominant frequency of calls of T. pachypus was 65.1 kHz, whereas that of T. robustula was 57.7 kHz. The call frequencies (including highest frequency of the call, lowest frequency of the call and frequency of the call that contained most energy) of T. pachypus were higher than those of T. robustula, and the pulse duration of the former was longer than that of the latter. The inter-pulse interval and bandwidth of the calls were not significantly different between the two species. Tylonycteris pachypus foraged in more complex environments than T. robustula, although the two species were both netted in edge habitats (around trees or houses), along pathways and in the tops of trees. Tylonycteris pachypus flew slower (straight level flight speed, 4.3 m s À1) than T. robustula (straight level flight speed, 4.8 m s À1). We discuss the relationship between wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed, and demonstrate resource partitioning between these two species in terms of morphological and behavioural factors.

Details

Title: Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Authors: L Zhang (Author) - Chinese Academy of Sciences
B Liang (Author) - Chinese Academy of Sciences
S Parsons (Author) - University of Auckland
L Wei (Author) - Guangxi Normal University
S Zhang (Author) - Chinese Academy of Sciences
Publication details: Journal of Zoology, Vol.271(3), pp.344-351; 8
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00210.x
ISSN: 1469-7998
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99576107502621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Zoology

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