Wing morphology predicts individual niche specialization in Pteronotus mesoamericanus (Mammalia: Chiroptera).

Autor: Magalhães de Oliveira HF; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America.; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom., Camargo NF; Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil., Hemprich-Bennett DR; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom.; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom., Rodríguez-Herrera B; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica., Rossiter SJ; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom., Clare EL; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2020 May 11; Vol. 15 (5), pp. e0232601. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 May 11 (Print Publication: 2020).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232601
Abstrakt: Morphological variation between individuals can increase niche segregation and decrease intraspecific competition when heterogeneous individuals explore their environment in different ways. Among bat species, wing shape correlates with flight maneuverability and habitat use, with species that possess broader wings typically foraging in more cluttered habitats. However, few studies have investigated the role of morphological variation in bats for niche partitioning at the individual level. To determine the relationship between wing shape and diet, we studied a population of the insectivorous bat species Pteronotus mesoamericanus in the dry forest of Costa Rica. Individual diet was resolved using DNA metabarcoding, and bat wing shape was assessed using geometric morphometric analysis. Inter-individual variation in wing shape showed a significant relationship with both dietary dissimilarity based on Bray-Curtis estimates, and nestedness derived from an ecological network. Individual bats with broader and more rounded wings were found to feed on a greater diversity of arthropods (less nested) in comparison to individuals with triangular and pointed wings (more nested). We conclude that individual variation in bat wing morphology can impact foraging efficiency leading to the observed overall patterns of diet specialization and differentiation within the population.
Competing Interests: No competing interests.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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