Diet and nectarivorous foraging behaviour of the short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata)

Arkins, A. M.; Winnington, Andrew; Anderson, Sandra; Clout, Mick N.

doi:10.1017/s095283699900206x

Cited by 20 publications

(54 citation statements)

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“…First, we detected an unexpectedly high proportion of Lepidoptera and Diptera. Traditional morphologically based analyses have suggested these bats eat more Coleoptera (beetles) and terrestrial insects (Arkins et al., 1999). Molecular analyses are more sensitive to small, soft, easily digested material than traditional analyses (Clare et al., 2009) but cannot quantify biomass reliably.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During April–May in Hauturu, Arkins et al. (1999) reported the percentage occurrence (number of samples that contained at least one fragment from an order divided by total number of samples) for Lepidoptera (3%), Coleoptera (46%), Diptera (17%), Orthoptera (66%), and Araneae (31%). When we compare our percentage occurrence (number of samples that contained at least one MOTU from an order divided by total number of samples) for our Hauturu site there is a stark contrast.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, the other main orders also differed; Coleoptera (23%), Diptera (94%), Orthoptera (0%), Araneae (56%). All previous work analyzing M. tuberculata diet used visual inspection and morphological analysis of partially digested prey remains in feces (Arkins et al., 1999; Daniel, 1979). This technique has limitations as more hard‐bodied prey will be recognizable after digestion, leading to an over‐representation of these taxa compared to soft‐bodied prey (Nielsen, Clare, Hayden, Brett, & Kratina, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The species ranges from Omahuta‐Puketi Forest in the North Island (35°13′38.5″S, 173°38′18.31″E) to Whenua Hou/Codfish Island in the South (46°46′23.9″, S167°37′55.7″E) (Carter & Riskin, 2006). Although M. tuberculata is omnivorous, they use a combination of aerial hawking and terrestrial foraging to capture arthropods, which make up the majority of their diet (Arkins, Winnington, Anderson, & Clout, 1999; Jones, Webb, Sedgeley, & O'Donnell, 2003; O'Donnell, Christie, Corben, Sedgeley, & Simpson, 1999; Parsons, 1997; Webb, Sedgeley, & O'Donnell, 1998). Microscopic prey identification indicates that M. tuberculata predominantly feed on five orders of arthropods: Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Blattodea, and Orthoptera (Arkins et al., 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On Little Barrier Island/Hauturu (Hauturu), where the climate is less seasonal, M. tuberculata reportedly has the highest dietary diversity during summer (Arkins et al., 1999). Although seasonal variation in diet is apparent and M. tuberculata is purported to be an opportunistic forager, these conclusions were based on data for one population and using traditional morphological techniques that may have a bias toward the detection of harder‐bodied, larger prey.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatiotemporal and demographic variation in the diet of New Zealand lesser short‐tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata)

Czenze

Tucker

Clare

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Variation in the diet of generalist insectivores can be affected by site‐specific traits including weather, habitat, and season, as well as demographic traits such as reproductive status and age. We used molecular methods to compare diets of three distinct New Zealand populations of lesser short‐tailed bats, Mystacina tuberculata. Summer diets were compared between a southern cold‐temperate (Eglinton) and a northern population (Puroera). Winter diets were compared between Pureora and a subtropical offshore island population (Hauturu). This also permitted seasonal diet comparisons within the Pureora population. Lepidoptera and Diptera accounted for >80% of MOTUs identified from fecal matter at each site/season. The proportion of orders represented within prey and the Simpson diversity index, differed between sites and seasons within the Pureora population. For the Pureora population, the value of the Simpson diversity index was higher in summer than winter and was higher in Pureora compared to Eglinton. Summer Eglinton samples revealed that juvenile diets appeared to be more diverse than other demographic groups. Lactating females had the lowest dietary diversity during summer in Pureora. In Hauturu, we found a significant negative relationship between mean ambient temperature and prey richness. Our data suggest that M. tuberculata incorporate a narrower diversity of terrestrial insects than previously reported. This provides novel insights into foraging behavior and ecological interactions within different habitats. Our study is the first from the Southern Hemisphere to use molecular techniques to examine spatiotemporal variation in the diet of a generalist insectivore that inhabits a contiguous range with several habitat types and climates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatiotemporal and demographic variation in the diet of New Zealand lesser short‐tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata)

Czenze

Tucker

Clare

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Cold and alone? Roost choice and season affect torpor patterns in lesser short-tailed bats

et al. 2016

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Seasonal changes in weather and food availability differentially impact energy budgets of small mammals such as bats. While most thermal physiological research has focused on species that experience extreme seasonal temperature variations, knowledge is lacking from less variable temperate to subtropical climates. We quantified ambient temperature (T ) and skin temperature (T) responses by individuals from a population of New Zealand lesser short-tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata) during summer and winter using temperature telemetry. During summer, communal roosts were more thermally stable than T . During winter, solitary roosts were warmer than T indicating significant thermal buffering. Communal roost trees were used on 83 % of observation days during summer, and individuals occupying them rarely entered torpor. Solitary roosts were occupied on 93 % of observation days during winter, and 100 % of individuals occupying them used torpor. During summer and winter, bats employed torpor on 11 and 95 % of observation days, respectively. Maximum torpor bout duration was 120.8 h and winter torpor bout duration correlated negatively with mean T . Torpor bout duration did not differ between sexes, although female minimum T was significantly lower than males. The summer Heterothermy Index varied, and was also significantly affected by T . Mean arousal time was correlated with sunset time and arousals occurred most frequently on significantly warmer evenings, which are likely associated with an increased probability of foraging success. We provide the first evidence that torpor is used flexibly throughout the year by M. tuberculata, demonstrating that roost choice and season impact torpor patterns. Our results add to the growing knowledge that even small changes in seasonal climate can have large effects on the energy balance of small mammals.

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Identification of New Zealand bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus and Mystacina tuberculata) in flight from analysis of echolocation calls by artificial neural networks

Parsons

2001

Journal of Zoology

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Time-expanded and heterodyned echolocation calls of the New Zealand long-tailed Chalinolobus tuberculatus and lesser short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata were recorded and digitally analysed. Temporal and spectral parameters were measured from time-expanded calls and power spectra generated for both timeexpanded and heterodyned calls. Arti®cial neural networks were trained to classify the calls of both species using temporal and spectral parameters and power spectra as input data. Networks were then tested using data not previously seen. Calls could be unambiguously identi®ed using parameters and power spectra from time-expanded calls. A neural network, trained and tested using power spectra of calls from both species recorded using a heterodyne detector set to 40 kHz (the frequency with the most energy of the fundamental of C. tuberculatus call), could identify 99% and 84% of calls of C. tuberculatus and M. tuberculata, respectively. A second network, trained and tested using power spectra of calls from both species recorded using a heterodyne detector set to 27 kHz (the frequency with the most energy of the fundamental of M. tuberculata call), could identify 34% and 100% of calls of C. tuberculatus and M. tuberculata, respectively. This study represents the ®rst use of neural networks for the identi®cation of bats from their echolocation calls. It is also the ®rst study to use power spectra of time-expanded and heterodyned calls for identi®cation of chiropteran species. The ability of neural networks to identify bats from their echolocation calls is discussed, as is the ecology of both species in relation to the design of their echolocation calls.

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Diet and nectarivorous foraging behaviour of the short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata)

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

Spatiotemporal and demographic variation in the diet of New Zealand lesser short‐tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata)

Spatiotemporal and demographic variation in the diet of New Zealand lesser short‐tailed bats (Mystacina tuberculata)

Cold and alone? Roost choice and season affect torpor patterns in lesser short-tailed bats

Identification of New Zealand bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus and Mystacina tuberculata) in flight from analysis of echolocation calls by artificial neural networks

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