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Intensity control during target approach in echolocating bats; stereotypical sensori-motor behaviour in Daubenton's bats, Myotis daubentonii
School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, BS8 1UG Bristol, UK
* Author for correspondence at present address: Department of Animal Physiology, Zoological Institute, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany (e-mail): arjan.boonman{at}uni-tuebingen.de)
Accepted 11 June 2002
When approaching a prey target, bats have been found to decrease the intensity of their emitted echolocation pulses, called intensity compensation. In this paper we examine whether intensity compensation in the echolocation of bats is flexible or stereotyped. We recorded the echolocation calls of Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) while the animals attacked targets of different dimensions. Myotis daubentonii reduced the peak sound pressure level emitted by about 4dB for each halving of distance, irrespective of the target presented (mealworms and two different sizes of spheres). The absolute sound pressure level emitted by the bat is not or only a little affected by target strength. Furthermore, the decrease in emitted intensity over distance shows less scatter than the same intensity over time for the last 20 cm of target approach. The bats matched the emitted intensity to target distance equally well for the spheres (aspect-invariant target strength) as for the mealworms (aspect-dependent echo strength). We therefore conclude that intensity compensation does not rely on feedback information from received intensity, but instead follows a stereotyped pattern.
Key words: echolocation, sonar, compensation, feedback, target strength, Daubenton's bat, Myotis daubentonii
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