Acoustic identification of mormoopid bats: A survey during the evening exodus

Abstract

Echolocation calls emitted by the 4 species of Cuban mormoopid bats were compared to determine vocal signatures that enable identification of each species in the field during their evening exodus. Echolocation calls produced by Mormoops blainvilli are downward frequency-modulated (FM) signals in the range of 68.4-52.5 kHz. Echolocation calls emitted by Pteronotus macleayii and P. quadridens have a similar design consisting of a short constant-frequency (CF) segment followed by a downward FM segment. The CF segment was at 70.0 kHz in calls from P. macleayii, and at 83.3 kHz in calls from P. quadridens. Echolocation calls from P. parnellii consist of a long CF segment, which is preceded by a short initial upward sweep and followed by a downward FM terminal sweep. The CF value of the 2nd harmonic was a good parameter for species identification. The features of the echolocation calls of each of the species were used to identify them during the evening exodus from 2 Cuban caves. © 2006 American Society of Mammalogists.