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Morphological correlates of echolocation frequency in the endemic Cape horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus capensis (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae)

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Abstract

We investigated intraspecific variation in echolocation calls of the Cape horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus capensis, by comparing echolocation and associated morphological parameters among individuals from three populations of this species. The populations were situated in the center and at the western and eastern limits of the distribution of R. capensis. The latter two populations were situated in ecotones between vegetation biomes. Ecotone populations deviated slightly from the allometric relationship between body size and peak frequency for the genus, and there was no relationship between these variables within R. capensis. Nasal chamber length was the best predictor of peak frequency but not correlated with body size. The evolution of echolocation thus appears to have been uncoupled from body size in R. capensis. Furthermore, females used higher frequencies than males, which imply a potential social role for peak frequency. The differences in peak frequency may have originated from random founder effects and then compounded by genetic drift and/or natural selection. The latter may have acted directly on peak frequency altering skull parameters involved in echolocation independently of body size, resulting in the evolution of local acoustic signatures.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to B. D. Kruger, S. Jordaan, A. Thomas, E. Kelly, S. Stoffberg, E. Coeli, C. Hartnick and H. Babiker for assistance in the field. The assistance of Prof. Ric Bernard, Mr. and Mrs. White of Table Farm and Mr. and Mrs. Mostert of Steenkampskraal for access to their respective properties is much appreciated. Thanks also to T. Kearney (Northern Flagship Institute) and D. Hamerton (Iziko Museum) for access to the collections of their respective institutions. Many thanks also to Stephan Steiner and the team of the MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, for their assistance with the skull radiographs. Our capture, handling and voucher collection methods were approved by the Science Faculty Animal Ethics Committee (approval number: 2008/V18/LO) of the University of Cape Town. This research was funded by grants to L. J. Odendaal (Prestigious scholarship from the National Research Foundation) and D. S. Jacobs from the South African Research Chair Initiative (funded by the Department of Science and Technology, administered by the National Research Foundation).

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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

    Lizelle J. Odendaal & David S. Jacobs

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  1. Lizelle J. Odendaal
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  2. David S. Jacobs
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Correspondence to Lizelle J. Odendaal.

Appendix

Appendix

Museum codes for Rhinolophus capensis skulls used in this study:

  • Northern Flagship Institute: TM 27066, TM 29081, TM 29064, TM 29067, TM 29080, TM 29070, TM 29077, TM 29065, TM 29063.

  • Iziko Museum: ZM 14560H, ZM 14559, ZM 14560I, ZM 14561, ZM 35665, ZM 14560E, ZM 14560C, ZM 14560F, ZM 14560B, ZM 14560, ZM 14560G.

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Odendaal, L.J., Jacobs, D.S. Morphological correlates of echolocation frequency in the endemic Cape horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus capensis (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae). J Comp Physiol A 197, 435–446 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-010-0601-x

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