Discovery Lecture Series: The Marine Bat of Baja California (Myotis vivesi)
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium・55 minutes read
Dr. Brad Blud's talk on "The Marine Bat of Baja California (Myotis vesi)" highlights the unique adaptations of this bat species, which specializes in fish and shrimp foraging while facing threats from habitat loss and introduced predators. The bat's distinctive feeding behaviors, anatomical features, and ecological importance emphasize the need for further research and conservation efforts.
Insights
- Dr. Brad Blud's research on the Myotis vesi bat reveals its unique adaptations for marine life, including specialized wing structures and feeding techniques that allow it to efficiently catch fish and shrimp, making it the only bat species known to consume these marine organisms.
- The Myotis vesi bat's ecological role is significant, as it shares habitats with seabirds like storm petrels, providing mutual benefits; while the bats roost during the day, they help protect petrel eggs from predators like western whiptails, highlighting the intricate relationships within their ecosystem.
- Conservation efforts are critical for Myotis vesi, as the species was listed as threatened in 2016 due to habitat loss and predation from invasive species, underscoring the importance of protecting their unique coastal environments to ensure their survival.
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Recent questions
What is a mammal?
A mammal is a warm-blooded vertebrate animal characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which produce milk for feeding their young. Mammals are distinguished by their fur or hair, three middle ear bones, and a unique jaw structure. They are found in diverse habitats across the globe, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains. Mammals are divided into various groups, including monotremes (egg-laying mammals), marsupials (pouched mammals), and eutherians (placental mammals). This classification reflects their evolutionary adaptations and reproductive strategies, showcasing the incredible diversity within the mammalian class.
How do bats navigate in the dark?
Bats navigate in the dark primarily through a sophisticated biological process known as echolocation. This involves emitting high-frequency sound waves that bounce off objects in their environment, allowing bats to determine the location, size, and shape of obstacles and prey. As the sound waves return, bats interpret the echoes to create a mental map of their surroundings. This ability is particularly crucial for hunting insects and avoiding obstacles while flying at high speeds in complete darkness. Bats have specialized adaptations in their ears and vocal cords that enhance their echolocation capabilities, making them highly effective nocturnal hunters.
What do bats eat?
Bats have diverse diets that vary significantly among species. Many bats are insectivorous, consuming vast quantities of insects, including moths, beetles, and mosquitoes, which they catch in flight using echolocation. Other species are frugivorous, feeding on fruits and nectar, playing a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal. Some bats, like the common vampire bat, have specialized diets that include blood from other animals. Additionally, certain bats, such as the Myotis vesi, are unique in their ability to catch fish and shrimp, showcasing the adaptability of bats to different ecological niches and food sources.
Why are bats important for the ecosystem?
Bats play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and health. As pollinators, they contribute to the reproduction of many plants, including economically important crops like bananas and agave, which is used to produce tequila. Bats also help control insect populations, consuming vast amounts of pests that can damage crops and spread diseases. Their unique feeding habits, such as those of fish-eating bats, contribute to aquatic ecosystems by regulating fish populations. Furthermore, bats are indicators of environmental health, as their presence and diversity can reflect the state of their habitats, making them essential for biodiversity conservation efforts.
How do bats reproduce?
Bats typically have a gestation period of about 55 days, after which females give birth to a single pup, usually in late spring or early summer. The young bats are born relatively underdeveloped and rely on their mothers for nourishment and protection. After birth, the pups stay with their mothers for about three weeks, during which they are nursed and learn essential survival skills. By around 50 days old, the pups are usually ready to fly independently. Bats often roost in colonies, which can provide safety in numbers for the young and facilitate social interactions that are important for their development and survival.
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Summary
00:00
Exploring the Fascinating World of Bats
- Dr. Brad Blud, a senior biologist at SAS and research associate at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, specializes in mammology and has a PhD from USC.
- His PhD thesis focused on the evolution of fish-catching in bats, and he has published works on various mammals, including a guide to Southern California's terrestrial mammals.
- The talk's title is "The Marine Bat of Baja California (Myotis vesi)," which will cover bat anatomy, ecology, and unique characteristics of this marine bat.
- Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, with over 1,400 species worldwide, except in Arctic regions, and are the only mammals capable of powered flight.
- Two major bat types exist: megabats, like flying foxes, which rely on vision and smell, and microbats, which primarily use echolocation to navigate and hunt.
- Megabats, numbering 196 species, pollinate over 500 tropical plant species, including bananas and figs, and can weigh up to 3.2 pounds with a wingspan of nearly 6 feet.
- Microbats, with over 1,200 species, have diverse diets, including insects, fruit, and blood, and can echolocate, with some species consuming up to 250 tons of insects nightly.
- The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) feeds on livestock, using anticoagulants in its saliva to keep wounds bleeding while it feeds.
- The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) is known for its large colonies and significant insect consumption, while also pollinating sugar cane for rum production.
- Conservation efforts, like those led by Rodrigo Medina, aim to protect bats and their habitats, emphasizing their ecological importance, such as pollinating agave for tequila production.
17:44
Unique Fish-Eating Bat of Baja California
- The Myotis vivesi, or fish-eating bat, is endemic to Baja California, specifically found along the shoreline of Sonora, Mexico, and the Sea of Cortez.
- This bat species has a high aspect ratio wing structure, allowing efficient flight over open water, covering distances of 4-5 miles while foraging.
- Myotis vivesi has elongated feet, averaging 33% of its head and body length, enabling effective prey capture with specialized claws and toes.
- The bat's unique feeding behavior involves flying 10-15 feet above water, zigzagging down to 2-6 inches, and using feet or the europatagium to catch fish.
- They primarily consume lanternfish and opossum shrimp, with over 95% of their diet consisting of these marine organisms, which they locate by detecting surface ripples.
- Myotis vivesi roosts in rocky crevices, caves, or under flat stones near the high tide line, often sharing roosts with seabirds like petrels.
- The species was placed on the IUCN threatened list in 2016 due to habitat loss and predation by introduced species like feral cats and rats.
- Their echolocation is complemented by visual cues, as observed when they followed boats with lights, indicating they can visually target prey.
- The bat's feeding strategy includes eating fish head first to avoid bites, and they have been observed to hover over targets, despite their wing structure.
- Myotis vivesi's unique morphology, including a strong europatagium with stiff hairs, aids in capturing shrimp, making it the only bat species known to eat shrimp.
34:13
Bats and Storm Petrels Unique Coexistence
- The unique association between bats and storm petrels involves cohabitation, where bats roost during the day while petrels feed, and vice versa, minimizing their time together.
- Western whiptails prey on storm petrel eggs, but bats defend the eggs by biting and chasing away the lizards, providing a protective advantage for the petrels.
- The bats inhabit rocky, scrubby islands in Baja California, such as Isla Encantada and Atita, which offer limited roosting options due to their harsh environment.
- Bats possess specialized kidneys that can concentrate salts, allowing them to drink seawater, with chloride levels reaching 615 milliequivalents per liter, compared to human kidneys' 40-220.
- These bats exhibit hemopoietic nodules on their wings, likely due to vitamin C deficiency causing capillary fragility, resulting in blood leakage and nodule formation.
- Bats have a gestation period of 55 days, giving birth in May or June to one pup, which stays with the mother for three weeks before flying independently at 50 days.
- Myotis vesi is the only bat species known to consume marine fish and shrimp, utilizing unique fishing techniques distinct from other fish-eating bats like the bulldog bat.
- The morphology of Myotis vesi and noctilio leporinus shows convergent evolution, with both having large body sizes and elongated hind feet adapted for fishing.
- Myotis vesi drags its feet through water while fishing, contrasting with noctilio, which uses its feet without submerging its membrane, showcasing different fishing strategies.
- The research on Myotis vesi is limited, with little study since a 1968 dissertation, indicating a need for further investigation into this fascinating bat species.
51:33
Bats Vulnerable in Water and Solitary Life
- Bats typically cannot take flight from water, making them vulnerable if caught in it, especially in remote areas.
- Fossil records of bats exist, but specific details were not provided; literature on this topic is available for further exploration.
- Bats are nocturnal hunters, relying on echolocation to navigate and find prey in the dark, which makes capturing their images challenging.
- Glenn Thompson successfully photographed bats by setting up a camera on his boat with lights, capturing rare images of their flight.
- Bats can distinguish between ripples and waves, but rough waters may hinder their hunting ability, as they rely on calm conditions for echolocation.
- Bats are solitary creatures, often roosting alone or with mothers, and do not typically gather in large groups.
- Access to bat specimens for research was obtained from various museums, including the Field Museum and the American Museum of Natural History.
- Bats are cautious of predators like feral cats and rats, which pose significant threats, especially when roosting near high tide lines.
- The lifespan of some bat species can reach up to 40 years, although many bats do not survive long in artificial habitats like bird boxes.
- Male and female bats have distinct roles post-mating, with females caring for the young while males do not participate in nurturing.
01:08:37
Bats Learn to Fly in Seconds
- Young bats have 2-3 seconds to learn to fly upon release, facing challenges due to their inherent instability; freshwater fishing bats include Myotis capaccinii, Myotis dentatus, Myotis daubentonii, Myotis pilosus, and Noctilio albiventris, primarily feeding on aquatic insects.
