Opportunistic use of banana flower bracts by Glossophaga soricina

• Autorzy: Murphy M. , Clare E.L. , Rydell J. , Yovel Y. , Bar-On Y. , Oelbaum P. , Fenton M.B.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The evolution of cue reception and cue production is well documented. The ability of species to use cues they did not evolve with is important in understanding flexibility in behaviour. We observed Neotropical nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaga soricina) feeding at Old World banana flowers (Musa acuminata) in a Belize garden. The flowers produce a rich source of nectar that is exposed as a bract lifts before dusk. We tested the hypothesis that the bracts serve as beacons to foraging bats and discuss this approach and the use of acoustic information by bats feeding at flowers. We ensonified a bract with cues like those of echolocating G. soricina, which revealed the production of strong echoes from the bract. Additionally, the removal of bracts from the flowers influenced the bats' flower-visiting behaviour. We suggest that the bats use the echoes from the bract opportunistically as a cue to find the nectar source. Our findings provide an example of an interaction between a plant and flower visitor not reflecting a shared evolutionary past.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Chiropterologica
• Rocznik: 2016
• Tom: 18
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.209-213,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Murphy M.

• Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London N6A 3K7, Ontario, Canada

autor

Clare E.L.

• School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom

autor

Rydell J.

• Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

autor

Yovel Y.

• Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

autor

Bar-On Y.

• Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel

autor

Oelbaum P.

• Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 6299 South Street, Halifax B3H 4R2, Nova Scotia, Canada

autor

Fenton M.B.

• Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London N6A 3K7, Ontario, Canada

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Identyfikatory

DOI

10.3161/15081109ACC2016.18.1.011