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12 February 2024 Social Calls of the Ussurian Tube-Nosed Bat (Murina ussuriensis) in the Mating Season
Kimitake Funakoshi, Hiroto Tanaka, Yuki Ichikihara, Ayami Nakamura, Saki Yamashita
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Almost nothing is known about the communication calls of the Ussurian tube-nosed bat Murina ussuriensis. To determine social call types, we recorded various calls of M. ussuriensis under experimental conditions and then classified the social calls into different types: simple call, aggressive loud call, aggressive regular call (repeated), squawk call, and courtship call (repeated and complex). Simple calls in both sexes were FM sweep types, and they were used to respond to one another. Aggressive loud calls and aggressive regular calls were emitted by males. Bouts of two to five aggressive calls lasted 1–3 s. The number of aggressive regular calls per night increased when the distance between males was reduced. When dominance was established between males, aggressive loud calls or aggressive regular calls ceased. Squawk calls were emitted by the subordinate male when the dominant male approached. Courtship calls were emitted by both sexes. Courtship calls (repeated and complex) were emitted only by males, and bouts of two to nine courtship calls were 1–3 s long. Each of the calls contained two or three steep frequency-modulated syllables in quick succession, with a variety of calls emitted by each male. The number of courtship calls per bout increased when females were approached. The bats tended to use lower frequency signals for social calls with peak frequencies of approximately 21–34 kHz. This study provides the first report of the social calls of M. ussuriensis and demonstrates that this species uses a complex acoustic communication system.

Kimitake Funakoshi, Hiroto Tanaka, Yuki Ichikihara, Ayami Nakamura, and Saki Yamashita "Social Calls of the Ussurian Tube-Nosed Bat (Murina ussuriensis) in the Mating Season," Acta Chiropterologica 25(2), 265-278, (12 February 2024). https://doi.org/10.3161/15081109ACC2023.25.2.007
Received: 9 March 2023; Accepted: 29 September 2023; Published: 12 February 2024
KEYWORDS
acoustic communication
Aggressive call
courtship call
simple call
squawk call
Vespertilionidae
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