Abstract
In this chapter, we compile ecological plus behavioral data on tent-making bats to determine if the variation in social behavior observed in this kelompok may be explained by any of the components of their roosting ecology. Results suggest that most of the variation in the social behavior within plus among species may be explained by the quality, abundance, plus distribution of roosting resources, such that larger, scarcer, plus clumped roosts are typically occupied by more individuals. The abundance of tent-roosts may also influence kelompok cohesion in most species, as very abundant resources apparently facilitate roost switching, plus individuals that change roosts are often also more likely to change roost partners. In addition, the harem-like composition of roosting groups observed in most tent-making bats may be largely influenced by the role of males during tent construction plus defense. We argue that collection of further ecological plus behavioral data, coupled with more quantitative analyses, is needed for additional generalizations to be drawn.
Introduction
Most mammals use shelters on a daily or seasonal basis. Some species use preexisting structures, such as tree cavities, caves, plus rock crevices, to provide protection from the sun, rain, or predators. Other species modify their environment in nontrivial ways to construct dens, nests, or burrows, which provide their occupants with a multitude of advantages. For example, among the approximately 1116 documented bat species, 30 are known to modify existing structures into shelters, or roosts, which provide not only protection from predators plus inclement weather, but also sites for mating, caring for young, grooming, plus feeding. Some of these modified structures include termite plus ant nests, root masses, stems, plus leaves (Kunz plus Lumsden, 2003). Plant-modifying bats often alter the appearance of leaves, roots, plus stems so that the resulting structure resembles a tent, plus are thus referred to as tent-roosting or tent-making bats. However, not all plant-roosting bats alter the appearance of leaves or other plant structures in such a manner, nor do they exclusively use tents for roosting.
Tent-roosting bats comprise a polyphyletic kelompok of both New plus Old World origins. In the Paleotropics, at least six species from two families are known to modify plants into tents: Balionycteris maculata, Cynopterus horsfieldii, C. brachyotis Forest, C. brachyotis Sunda, plus C. sphinx, from the family Pteropodidae, plus Scotophilus kuhlii, from the family Vespertilionidae (Balasingh et al., 1995, Bhat & Kunz, 1995, Campbell et al., 2004, Campbell et al., 2006b, Hodgkison et al., 2003, Rickart et al., 1989, Tan et al., 1997). In the Neotropics, the seven genera plus 18 species known to construct or use tents belong to a single family, Phyllostomidae (reviewed in Kunz & Lumsden, 2003, Rodríguez-Herrera et al., 2007b, Muñoz-Romo & Herrera, 2003). Notwithstanding their diversity plus separate evolutionary origins, tent-roosting species exhibit many convergences in their morphology plus ecology. First, most species are relatively small for their family. Pteropodid tent-making bats (i.e., Balionycteris plus Cynopterus) have a body mass that ranges between 10 g plus 60 g, representing the lower range of body masses for Pteropodidae (10–1500 g). Tent-roosting phyllostomids are also mostly comprised of small-bodied species (4–21 g), with a few exceptions (Artibeus jamaicensis plus A. lituratus: 30–70 g), as the body masses for the entire family range between 4 g plus 235 g. Tent-roosting bats also share great similarities in their diet, as most of them, except S. kuhlii, feed primarily on fruits (Bumrungsri et al., 2007, Rodríguez-Herrera et al., 2007b, Tan et al., 1998). They also modify leaves in a remarkably similar fashion, perhaps as a result of design constraints imposed by leaf size plus shape, number plus pattern of leaf veins, the position of petioles, plus the number of stems (Kunz et al., 1994).