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Sulphur-containing "perfumes" attract flower-visiting bats
O von Helversen1, L Winkler, H J Bestmann
1Institut für Zoologie II der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. helver@biologie.uni-erlangen.de
Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
|March 9, 2000
Summary
Small flower-visiting bats, Glossophaga, are attracted to specific sulfurous floral scents. This preference for compounds like dimethyl disulfide appears innate, aiding in food source location.
Area of Science:
- Chemical Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Sensory Biology
Background:
- Bat-pollinated flowers rely on specific scent profiles to attract pollinators.
- Understanding pollinator olfaction is crucial for plant-pollinator interaction studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the olfactory preferences of nectarivorous bats (Glossophaga genus) for individual scent compounds from bat-pollinated flowers.
- To determine if specific chemical classes or single compounds are attractive to these bats.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments with Glossophaga soricina bats exposed to various floral scent compounds.
- Field studies in Costa Rica using artificial flowers baited with specific compounds and sugar water, attracting Glossophaga commissarisi.
Main Results:
- Bats spontaneously approached odor sources in the lab without prior experience or reward.
- Dimethyl disulfide, a sulfur-containing compound, was preferred over other floral scents and controls.
- In the field, dimethyl disulfide and 2,4-dithiapentane attracted bats to artificial flowers.
Conclusions:
- The sense of smell is vital for nectarivorous bats in locating food sources.
- Single scent components, particularly sulfurous ones, can be highly attractive to bats.
- The preference for sulfurous odors in Glossophaga bats may be an innate trait.