Multimodal cues improve prey localization under complex environmental conditions.

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Ecology
• Sensory Ecology
• Bioacoustics

Background:

• Predators often exploit prey's sexual signals for hunting.
• Environmental conditions influence the effectiveness of multimodal cues for predators.
• Understanding predator-prey interactions is crucial for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if fringe-lipped bats (Trachops cirrhosus) use multimodal cues from túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus) for prey detection.
• To determine how acoustic complexity affects bat hunting strategies and reliance on multimodal cues.
• To explore the evolutionary implications of environmental influences on multimodal sexual displays.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a robotic frog model mimicking túngara frog calls and vocal sac movements.
• Conducted experiments in varying acoustic environments with simulated mixed-species frog choruses.
• Recorded and analyzed bat attack angles and approach behaviors.

Main Results:

• Bats exhibited more precise attack angles when presented with multimodal cues (sound and echolocation) compared to unimodal (sound only).
• Bat approach directionality increased with higher acoustic complexity (more competing frog calls).
• Multimodal cue benefits for bats were amplified in acoustically complex environments.

Conclusions:

• Fringe-lipped bats integrate auditory and echolocation cues for effective frog predation.
• Acoustic complexity drives bats to rely more heavily on multimodal prey signals.
• Environmental factors shape the selective pressures on the evolution of multimodal sexual signals.