Visual detection threshold in the echolocating Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii)
Clément Céchetto1, Lasse Jakobsen1, Eric J Warrant2
1Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230 Odense M, Denmark.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|January 11, 2023
Summary
Echolocating bats, like Myotis daubentonii, possess good visual sensitivity, enabling them to navigate using dim light vision. Their visual detection threshold allows them to see in low-light conditions, aiding orientation.
Area of Science:
- Animal Behavior
- Sensory Ecology
- Mammalian Vision
Background:
- Bats utilize vision for navigation and, rarely, hunting, with echolocating species having retinas rich in rod photoreceptors for dim light.
- The precise visual detection threshold for insectivorous echolocating bats has not been previously established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the visual luminance detection threshold for the insectivorous echolocating bat, Myotis daubentonii.
- To assess the functional role of vision in the nocturnal behavior of echolocating bats.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological and psychophysical methods were employed to measure the visual luminance threshold.
- A green luminous target was used to assess the detection threshold in Myotis daubentonii.
Main Results:
- Myotis daubentonii exhibits a visual luminance threshold of 3.2(±0.9)×10-4 cd m-2 for a green target.
- This threshold is comparable to the luminance of a terrestrial habitat under a starlit night.
Conclusions:
- Echolocating bats possess significant visual sensitivity, adequate for activity during their nocturnal periods.
- Combined with low visual acuity, this suggests vision primarily aids in orientation rather than prey detection for Myotis daubentonii.
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