Group vocal composition and decision-making during roost finding in Spix's disk-winged bats

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior
• Acoustic communication
• Ecology

Background:

• Social groups benefit from informed members for resource location.
• Group cohesion can be threatened by a lack of consensus on movement direction.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate how the number of informed individuals affects group cohesion in Spix's disk-winged bats (Thyroptera tricolor).
• Explore the role of signal reliability (signalling rates) in achieving group consensus on roosting locations.

Main Methods:

• Studied Spix's disk-winged bats (Thyroptera tricolor) and their roosting behavior.
• Quantified signalling rates as a measure of signal reliability.
• Observed group cohesion and fragmentation patterns in relation to roost calls.

Main Results:

• Increased number of roosts broadcasting calls correlated with higher group fragmentation.
• Bats preferentially entered roosts with higher calling rates.
• Higher calling rates appear to enhance group consensus on roosting locations.

Conclusions:

• While informed individuals aid resource location, too many can lead to fragmentation.
• Acoustic signaling reliability, indicated by calling rates, is crucial for maintaining group cohesion.
• Findings highlight trade-offs between information production and group coordination in social animals.