Bat Biology and Ecology Studies

PhylloTraits 1.0: Unveiling the diversity of functional traits

PhylloTraits 1.0 compiles functional trait data for 230 Phyllostomidae bat species to enhance understanding of their ecology, evolution, and conservation.

Urban bats change the menu: dietary plasticity across human-modified landscapes of a tropical island

This study examines dietary changes in urban insectivorous bats on a tropical island, finding shifts in prey preferences linked to land use and reproductive strategies.

Occurrence of Gray, 1838, (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Quaternary deposits of Lagoa Santa, Brazil

This study reports the first record of Anoura geoffroyi in Quaternary deposits from Lagoa Santa, Brazil, based on a skull found in Cuvieri Cave.

Bat power-metabolic profiling of the Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus reveals distinctive cardiac adaptations

This study identifies unique cardiac metabolic adaptations in Egyptian fruit bats using metabolomics and computational modeling, revealing reliance on lipid oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation.

Spatially clustered neurons encode vocalization categories in the bat midbrain

The paper uses two-photon calcium imaging in bats to show that neurons in the Inferior Colliculus form spatial clusters encoding vocalization categories, independent of tonotopy.

Back to basics: Immunoglobulin germline reference sequences enable investigations and reveal insights into bat-specific immunity

The paper generates a bat genome and germline immunoglobulin loci to study B cell receptors, finding unique features and differences compared to humans.

Habitat use and diel activity of insectivorous bats across land-use types on an Afrotropical oceanic island

The paper examines habitat use and diel activity of insectivorous bats across different land-use types on Principe Island, finding that species activity varies with habitat type and land-use alteration.

Foraging niche partitioning of three Myotis bat species and marine fish consumption by Myotis pilosus in a subtropical East Asian region

This study examines the dietary niches and fish consumption of three Myotis bat species in a subtropical East Asian region, revealing that M. pilosus consumes marine fish and that M. horsfieldii may also be piscivorous.

Revealing year-round activity of cave-dwelling insectivorous bats with a sonotype classifier in data-deficient areas.

This paper uses a sonotype classifier to study year-round bat activity in data-deficient regions, finding that activity peaks in evening/morning and increases during rainy seasons linked to reproduction.

Environmental and geographic drivers of global bat phylogenetic diversity

This study identifies environmental and geographic factors influencing global bat phylogenetic diversity using genetic and spatial data.

Assessment of sexual dimorphism in Desmodus rotundus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), a rabies reservoir in Latin America

This study assesses sexual dimorphism in the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, finding females are generally larger than males in body and wing measurements.

Spatial and single-cell transcriptomics illuminate bat immunity and barrier tissue evolution

This study uses spatial and single-cell transcriptomics to compare bat, mouse, and human tissues, revealing immune pathway divergence and unique gene expression patterns in bat gut and lung.

Vocalisations indicate behavioural type in Glossophagine bats

This study shows that vocalizations in Glossophaga soricina bats reflect individual behavioral types, suggesting vocalizations may convey personality traits to conspecifics.

How bats exit a crowded colony when relying on echolocation only - a modeling approach

This paper develops a sensorimotor model to show how bats use echolocation to navigate crowded roosts by integrating echoic information through frequent calls and simple movement strategies.

Thermoregulation and Diurnal Roost Selection of Boreal Bats During Pre-Hibernation Period

This study investigates how two bat species select roosts and use torpor during autumn, finding that the date in autumn is a stronger driver of torpor use than temperature, with specific strategies for fat accumulation.

Consistent long-distance foraging flights across years and seasons at colony level in a Neotropical bat

The paper tracks foraging behavior in bats across seasons and finds consistent long-distance foraging to shared, colony-specific sites, suggesting culturally transmitted preferences.

Self-organized acoustic behavior in bats arises from simple rules

The paper studies self-organized vocal behavior in bats, finding that simple rules govern frequency adjustments in response to jamming stimuli, reducing echolocation conflicts in groups.

Resistance to age-related hearing loss in the echolocating big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

This study shows that big brown bats do not experience age-related hearing loss, as evidenced by comparable hearing thresholds and cochlear structure across age groups.

Hearing thresholds in the bat Carollia perspicillata vary by sex but not age

This study measures auditory thresholds in Carollia perspicillata bats and finds no age-related hearing loss but sex differences and a potential role of pigmentation.

Why do bats fly into cave doors? Inattentional blindness in echolocating animals

This study shows that Egyptian fruit bats exhibit inattentional blindness, failing to navigate changes in their environment when relying on echolocation or vision.

Extensive longevity and DNA virus-driven adaptation in nearctic Myotis bats

This study identifies genetic adaptations in Myotis bats linked to longevity and viral tolerance through genome analysis and functional experiments.

Individual variation in breeding phenology and postnatal development in northern bats (Eptesicus nilssonii)

This study examines individual variation in breeding phenology and postnatal development in northern bats, finding that arrival timing and parturition are influenced by temperature and weather, with delayed parturition leading to smaller but faster-growing pups.

Supersize me: torpor assists pre-hibernation fattening in a boreal bat

This study investigates how torpor use in boreal bats relates to pre-hibernation fattening, finding that torpor may conserve rather than facilitate mass gain.

White adipose tissue remodeling in Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) with white-nose syndrome

This study compares white adipose tissue lipid composition between WNS-susceptible and resistant bat species, finding differential lipid profiles and WAT remodeling in infected susceptible bats.

Listening to the bats of Carajás: Applied bioacoustics for species inventory and environment use in a mosaic of forests, savannas, and industrial mining in the Brazilian Amazonia

The paper uses bioacoustics to inventory bats in Carajás, Brazil, identifying new species and showing how mining areas can support bat diversity.

Endocrinology reveals seasonal reproductive dynamics in three Malagasy fruit bats

This study uses hormone assays to reveal seasonal reproductive patterns in three Malagasy fruit bat species, showing clear seasonality in some species and less in others.

Rapid gastrointestinal tract transit time in volant vertebrates, with implications for gut microbiome convergence: Results from a meta-analysis

This study quantifies GIT passage times in volant vertebrates, finding faster transit times in bats and birds compared to non-volant species, with implications for gut microbiome convergence.

Genetically and Functionally Distinct Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Locus Duplication in Bats

The paper identifies two distinct and functional immunoglobulin heavy chain loci in big brown bats, revealing a novel mechanism for humoral immunity potentially linked to viral resistance.

Discrimination of Jamaican fruit bat lymphocytes by flow cytometry

The paper identifies cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies for profiling Jamaican fruit bat lymphocytes and generates specific antibodies for CD3γ, CD4, and CD8 to enable flow cytometry analysis of T cells.

Echo-locate: Cerebellar activity predicts vocalization in fruit bats

This study shows that the cerebellum of fruit bats responds to sounds and predicts vocalizations with high accuracy.