Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata)
The complexity of social signals is thought to depend on the complexity of social systems, but evidence from wild animals is scarce. Here, we investigated the chemical information provided by individual male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata), a small, long-lived neotropical bat species...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2016.00083/full |
| _version_ | 1811269701965185024 |
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| author | Karin Schneeberger Christian Voigt Caroline Müller Barbara A Caspers |
| author_facet | Karin Schneeberger Christian Voigt Caroline Müller Barbara A Caspers |
| author_sort | Karin Schneeberger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The complexity of social signals is thought to depend on the complexity of social systems, but evidence from wild animals is scarce. Here, we investigated the chemical information provided by individual male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata), a small, long-lived neotropical bat species with a harem-polygynous mating system. We analysed the chemical fingerprints of wing-sac liquids that are displayed by males in front of females. Specifically, we tested if fingerprints of 45 males included information about age (adult, juvenile), year of sampling, and distance between colonies. We confirmed age-specific differences in male-specific substances, but show furthermore that chemical fingerprints correlate with year of collection and distance between colonies. Thus, the wing-sac chemistry of male S. bilineata conveys a multitude of information, which can potentially be used by conspecifics, especially by females to assess the status of potential mates. Our study provides evidence for a multidimensionality of chemical information in a free-ranging mammal with high social complexity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9b2760ea20047bc862d1d98e120c474 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:47:47Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9b2760ea20047bc862d1d98e120c4742022-12-22T03:15:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2016-07-01410.3389/fevo.2016.00083207847Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata)Karin Schneeberger0Christian Voigt1Caroline Müller2Barbara A Caspers3University of BernInstitute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBielefeld UniversityBielefeld UniversityThe complexity of social signals is thought to depend on the complexity of social systems, but evidence from wild animals is scarce. Here, we investigated the chemical information provided by individual male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata), a small, long-lived neotropical bat species with a harem-polygynous mating system. We analysed the chemical fingerprints of wing-sac liquids that are displayed by males in front of females. Specifically, we tested if fingerprints of 45 males included information about age (adult, juvenile), year of sampling, and distance between colonies. We confirmed age-specific differences in male-specific substances, but show furthermore that chemical fingerprints correlate with year of collection and distance between colonies. Thus, the wing-sac chemistry of male S. bilineata conveys a multitude of information, which can potentially be used by conspecifics, especially by females to assess the status of potential mates. Our study provides evidence for a multidimensionality of chemical information in a free-ranging mammal with high social complexity.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2016.00083/fullSexual selection and mate choiceANOSIMChemical fingerprintsSaccopteryx bilineataGreater sac-winged batmamalian semiochemicals |
| spellingShingle | Karin Schneeberger Christian Voigt Caroline Müller Barbara A Caspers Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Sexual selection and mate choice ANOSIM Chemical fingerprints Saccopteryx bilineata Greater sac-winged bat mamalian semiochemicals |
| title | Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) |
| title_full | Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) |
| title_fullStr | Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) |
| title_short | Multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac-winged bats (Saccopteryx bilineata) |
| title_sort | multidimensionality of chemical information in male greater sac winged bats saccopteryx bilineata |
| topic | Sexual selection and mate choice ANOSIM Chemical fingerprints Saccopteryx bilineata Greater sac-winged bat mamalian semiochemicals |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fevo.2016.00083/full |
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