Energetics of whiskered bats in comparison to other bats of the family Vespertilionidae.

ABSTRACT: Bats inhabit a variety of climate types, ranging from tropical to temperate zones, and environmental differences may therefore affect the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of bats from different populations. In the present study, we provide novel data on the energetics of whiskered bats (Myotis mystacinus), which is the smallest species within Chiroptera measured to date. We investigated the thermoregulatory strategies of M. mystacinus close to the northern limits of this species' distribution range and compared these data to other vespertilionid bats living in different climates. As mammals living in colder areas experience elevated thermoregulatory costs, often leading to an increase in BMR, we hypothesised that BMR of this northern population of whiskered bats would be higher than that of bats

SUBMITTER: Skara KH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8353265 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature