Limitations and gaps in global bat wing morphology trait data

Mammal Review ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Crane ◽  
Inês Silva ◽  
Matthew J. Grainger ◽  
George A. Gale
Keyword(s):  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Bat Wing

Wing morphology of Neotropical bats: a quantitative and qualitative analysis with implications for habitat use

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.M. Marinello ◽  
E. Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Wing Shape ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Wing Load ◽  
Neotropical Bats ◽  
Good Proxy ◽  
Lower Variability ◽  
Food Partitioning ◽  
Molossus Molossus ◽  
Bat Wing

Wing morphology has a direct influence on the flight manoeuvrability, agility, and speed of bats. Studies addressing the relationship between bat wing morphology and ecology are biased towards Old World species and few of them have addressed the ecologically rich Amazonian bat fauna. We quantitatively and qualitatively characterized the wing shape of 51 bat species found in the Brazilian Amazonia by measuring their aspect ratio (AR) and relative wing load (RWL). We found a high variability in wing shape: AR varied from 5.0862 (pygmy round-eared bat, Lophostoma brasiliense (Peters, 1866)) to 8.2774 (brown dog-faced bat, Molossus (Cynomops) paranus (Thomas, 1901)), while RWL varied from 20.0459 (spectral bat, Vampyrum spectrum (L., 1758)) to 55.3931 (Pallas’s mastiff, Molossus molossus (Pallas, 1766)). Insectivores had the largest variability, whereas frugivores and nectarivores had intermediate values with lower variability, indicating a higher flexibility in the use of space and resources. Our predictions on flight patterns are supported by capture and behavioural data from the literature, both of which point to the use of wing shape as a good proxy for habitat use and food partitioning among species. Our data are useful for integrative studies in ecology, physiology, behaviour, and evolution, and can contribute to a better understanding of the ecological interactions of Neotropical bat species.

Exploration of bat wing morphology through a strip method and visualization

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Chen ◽  
Daniel K. Riskin ◽  
Tatjana Y. Hubel ◽  
David Willis ◽  
Arnold Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Strip Method ◽  
Bat Wing

Ecological morphology and flight in bats (Mammalia; Chiroptera): wing adaptations, flight performance, foraging strategy and echolocation

1987 ◽  
Vol 316 (1179) ◽  
pp. 335-427 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Principal Components ◽  
Flight Performance ◽  
Wing Size ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Wing Loading ◽  
Wing Area ◽  
Flight Behaviour ◽  
Cost Of Transport ◽  
Flight Morphology ◽  
Bat Wing

Bat wing morphology is considered in relation to flight performance and flight behaviour to clarify the functional basis for eco-morphological correlations in flying animals. Bivariate correlations are presented between wing dimensions and body mass for a range of bat families and feeding classes, and principal-components analysis is used to measure overall size, wing size and wing shape. The principal components representing wing size and wing shape (as opposed to overall size) are interpreted as being equivalent to wing loading and to aspect ratio. Relative length and area of the hand-wing or wingtip are determined independently of wing size, and are used to derive a wingtip shape index, which measures the degree of roundedness or pointedness of the wingtip. The optimal wing form for bats adapted for different modes of flight is predicted by means of mechanical and aerodynamic models. We identify and model aspects of performance likely to influence flight adaptation significantly; these include selective pressures for economic forward flight (low energy per unit time or per unit distance (equal to cost of transport)), for flight at high or low speeds, for hovering, and for turning. "Turning performance is measured by two quantities: manoeuvrability, referring to the minimum space required for a turn at a given speed; and agility, relating to the rate at which a turn can be initiated. High flight speed correlates with high wing loading, good manoeuvrability is favoured by low wing loading, and turning agility should be associated with fast flight and with high wing loading. Other factors influencing wing adaptations, such as migration, flying with a foetus or young or carrying loads in flight (all of which favour large wing area), flight in cluttered environments (short wings) and modes of landing, are identified. The mechanical predictions are cast into a size-independent principal-components form, and are related to the morphology and the observed flight behaviour of different species and families of bats. In this way we provide a broadly based functional interpretation of the selective forces that influence wing morphology in bats. Measured flight speeds in bats permit testing of these predictions. Comparison of open-field free-flight speeds with morphology confirms that speed correlates with mass, wing loading and wingtip proportions as expected; there is no direct relation between speed and aspect ratio. Some adaptive trends in bat wing morphology are clear from this analysis. Insectivores hunt in a range of different ways, which are reflected in their morphology. Bats hawking high-flying insects have small, pointed wings which give good agility, high flight speeds and low cost of transport. Bats hunting for insects among vegetation, and perhaps gleaning, have very short and rounded wingtips, and often relatively short, broad wings, giving good manoeuvrability at low flight speeds. Many insectivorous species forage by ‘ flycatching ’ (perching while seeking prey) and have somewhat similar morphology to gleaners. Insectivorous species foraging in more open habitats usually have slightly longer wings, and hence lower cost of transport. Piscivores forage over open stretches of water, and have very long wings giving low flight power and cost of transport, and unusually long, rounded tips for control and stability in flight. Carnivores must carry heavy loads, and thus have relatively large wing areas; their foraging strategies consist of perching, hunting and gleaning, and wing structure is similar to that of insectivorous species with similar behaviour. Perching and hovering nectarivores both have a relatively small wing area: this surprising result may result from environmental pressure for a short wingspan or from the advantage of high speed during commuting flights; the large wingtips of these bats are valuable for lift generation in slow flight. The relation between flight morphology (as an indicator of flight behaviour) and echolocation is considered. It is demonstrated that adaptive trends in wing adaptations are predictably and closely paralleled by echolocation call structure, owing to the joint constraints of flying and locating food in different ways. Pressures on flight morphology depend also on size, with most aspects of performance favouring smaller animals. Power rises rapidly as mass increases; in smaller bats the available energy margin is greater than in larger species, and they may have a more generalized repertoire of flight behaviour. Trophic pressures related to feeding strategy and behaviour are also important, and may restrict the size ranges of different feeding classes: insectivores and primary nectarivores must be relatively small, carnivores and frugivores somewhat larger. The relation of these results to bat community ecology is considered, as our predictions may be tested through comparisons between comparable, sympatric species. Our mechanical predictions apply to all bats and to all kinds of bat communities, but other factors (for example echolocation) may also contribute to specialization in feeding or behaviour, and species separation may not be determined solely by wing morphology or flight behaviour. None the less, we believe that our approach, of identifying functional correlates of bat flight behaviour and identifying these with morphological adaptations, clarifies the eco-morphological relationships of bats.

scholarly journals Sexual dimorphism in bat wing morphology – variation among foraging styles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique G. Maucieri ◽  
Austin James Ashbaugh ◽  
Jessica M. Theodor
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Wing Shape ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Wing Loading ◽  
Female Adult ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Foraging Niche ◽  
Foraging Guilds ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
Bat Wing

Sexual dimorphism can lead to differences in foraging style among conspecifics due to morphological differences. Within bats, maneuverability and speed of flight are influenced by wing shape and size, which may differ between sexes. Female bats gain about 30% of their body mass during pregnancy, affecting their agility and flight efficiency. To fill the same foraging niche as males, pregnant female bats would require wing size and/or shape modifications to maintain maneuverability. We investigated sexual dimorphism in bat wing morphology and how it varies among foraging guilds. Wing photos of male and female adult bats (19 species) in Canada, Belize, and Dominica were analyzed using 2D geometric morphometrics, wing loading, and aspect ratios. Nonpregnant female bats had higher wing loading than males, suggesting they are less maneuverable than males. Additionally, mass increases during pregnancy may not permit female bats to forage as male conspecifics do. Wing shape differed minimally among foraging guilds with only frugivores differing significantly, from all other guilds. Further studies should investigate how female bats forage during their reproductive cycle and determine how frugivore wings differ and whether there are individual differences in wing shape that are not consistent among bat species.

scholarly journals On a wing and a prayer: limitations and gaps in global bat wing morphology trait data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt Crane ◽  
Inês Silva ◽  
Matthew J. Grainger ◽  
George A. Gale
Keyword(s):  
Life History Traits ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Semantic Ambiguity ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Data Reporting ◽  
Data Compilation ◽  
Species Trait ◽  
Field Methodology ◽  
Bat Wing ◽  
Total Species

AbstractSpecies’ life history traits have a wide variety of applications in ecological and conservation research, particularly when assessing threats. The development and growth of global species trait databases are critical for improving trait-based analyses; however, it is vital to understand the gaps and biases of available data. Bats are an extremely diverse and widely distributed mammalian order, with many species facing local declines and extinction. We conducted a literature review for bat wing morphology, specifically wing loading and aspect ratio, to identify issues with data reporting and ambiguity. We collected data on field methodology, trait terminology, and data reporting and quality. We found several issues regarding semantic ambiguity in trait definitions and data reporting. Globally we found that bat wing morphology trait coverage was low. Only six bat families had over 40% trait coverage, and of those none consisted of more than 11 total species. We found similar biases in trait coverage across IUCN Redlist categories with threatened species having lower coverage. Geographically, North America, Europe, and the Indomalayan regions showed higher overall trait coverage, while both the Afrotropical and Neotropical ecoregions showed poor trait coverage. The underlying biases and gaps with bat wing morphology data have implications for researchers conducting global trait-based assessments. Implementing imputation techniques may address missing data, but only for smaller regional subsets with substantial trait coverage. However, due to the low overall trait coverage, increasing species representation in the database should be prioritized. We suggest adopting an Ecological Trait Standard vocabulary to reduce semantic ambiguity in bat wing morphology traits to improve data compilation and clarity. Additionally, we advocate that researchers adopt an Open Science approach to facilitate the growth of a bat wing morphology trait database.

scholarly journals Hox dosage contributes to flight appendage morphology in Drosophila

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Paul ◽  
Guillaume Giraud ◽  
Katrin Domsch ◽  
Marilyne Duffraisse ◽  
Frédéric Marmigère ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Differential Expression ◽  
Hox Genes ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Hox Proteins ◽  
Spatial Expression ◽  
Flying Insects

AbstractFlying insects have invaded all the aerial space on Earth and this astonishing radiation could not have been possible without a remarkable morphological diversification of their flight appendages. Here, we show that characteristic spatial expression profiles and levels of the Hox genes Antennapedia (Antp) and Ultrabithorax (Ubx) underlie the formation of two different flight organs in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We further demonstrate that flight appendage morphology is dependent on specific Hox doses. Interestingly, we find that wing morphology from evolutionary distant four-winged insect species is also associated with a differential expression of Antp and Ubx. We propose that variation in the spatial expression profile and dosage of Hox proteins is a major determinant of flight appendage diversification in Drosophila and possibly in other insect species during evolution.

Mechano-chemical regulation of bat wing bones for flight

2021 ◽  
pp. 104809
Author(s):  
Timothy P. Cleland ◽  
Zehai Wang ◽  
Bowen Wang ◽  
Catalin R. Picu ◽  
Deepak Vashishth
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Regulation ◽  
Bat Wing

The influence of wing morphology and echolocation on the gleaning ability of the insectivorous bat Myotis tricolor

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 1854-1863 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha Stoffberg ◽  
David S Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Myotis Lucifugus ◽  
The Other ◽  
Wing Morphology ◽  
Echolocation Calls ◽  
Narrow Bandwidth ◽  
Mole Crickets ◽  
Wing Tips ◽  
Wing Tip

On the basis of its external morphology, Myotis tricolor (Temminck, 1832) should be able to both aerial-feed and glean. Furthermore, this bat is known to use broadband calls of short duration, reinforcing the prediction that it gleans. However, results from this study indicate that M. tricolor does not commonly glean. This conclusion was reached after studying the foraging behaviour of M. tricolor in a flight room. We presented M. tricolor with mealworms, moths, mole crickets, beetles, and cicadas in a variety of ways that required either gleaning and (or) aerial feeding. Although M. tricolor readily took tethered prey, it did not take any of the variety of insects presented to it in a manner that required gleaning. We therefore compared its wing morphology and echolocation calls with those of several known gleaners, Nycteris thebaica E. Geoffroy, 1818, Myotis lucifugus (Le Conte, 1831), and Myotis septentrionalis (Trouessart, 1897), and an aerial forager, Neoromicia capensis (A. Smith, 1829). In a discriminant analysis wing-tip shape was the only variable to provide some degree of discrimination between species, with M. tricolor having more pointed wing tips than the known gleaners. Discriminant analysis of echolocation-call parameters grouped M. tricolor with the other Myotis species and separated it from N. capensis and N. thebaica. However, M. tricolor did not use harmonics as did the other Myotis species. The apparent failure of M. tricolor to glean might therefore be due to its relatively pointed wings and narrow-bandwidth echolocation calls, owing to the absence of harmonics in its calls.

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