Prediction of foraging strategy of insectivorous bats through their wing morphology

Abstract

Bats exploit a wider range of food types such as insects, amphibians, fish, fruits, nectars and pollen than any other mammalian order.  This wide range of dietary niches is reflected in their wing morphological diversity. Limited knowledge of dietary analysis for a bat species can have a large impact on relating ecology to structure. In the absence of dietary evidence, food selection can be suggested based on the morphology of the wing. Inthe present study wing morphology of 20microchiropteran bat species under 5 families were studied to predict their foraging strategy. The resulting valuesof wing morphological parameters were correlated with the isometric scaling model of Norberg and Rayner to predict the flight performance and the foraging behaviour. Rhinopomatidae bats hunt their prey above the vegetation. Emballonuridae, Molossidae and Vespertilionidae bats catch their prey in the open air. Rhinolophidae bats fly among foliage canopy catching insects among branches, while Megadermatidae bats search for large size insects and small vertebrates on the ground. Hipposideridae bats are sustained by flight in and around clutter.Therefore, in bats the wing morphology has evolved to do flight performance to match their foraging behavior.The present study is an attempt to focus the wing morphology of twenty bat species available in plains and hills areas of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and co-related with their foraging strategy.