False Vampire Bat Megaderma Lyra Research Articles

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Australian ghost bat Macroderma gigas

The Ghost bat Macroderma gigas is a monotypic bat species that is endemic to northern Australia and named on the basis of the large size of its partially conjoined ears. It is the only carnivorous bat found in Australia and its conservation status is currently listed as Vulnerable. Here, we describe the complete mitochondrial genome of M. gigas and compare it to other vertebrates. The M. gigas circularized mitogenome was 16,661 bp and contained 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNAs and a control region (D-loop) of 1228 bp. Phylogenetic analysis of available entire mitogenomes reveals that Macroderma gigas is most closely related to the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra in the family Megadermatidae (false vampire bats).

Influence of Wing Loading on the Selection of Prey Size in the Indian False Vampire Bat Megaderma Lyra

We studied wing loading of adult male (n=6) and female (n=5) of the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra under seminatural conditions in an outdoor enclosure. Before releasing the bats into the enclosure, we measured their body mass, forearm length, wing area and wingspan. They were fed with frogs of four different categories of body lengths such as A = 3.0-3.5, B = 4.0-4.5, C = 5.0-5.5 and D = 6.0-6.5 cm. Bats were able to capture frogs A - C and carry them to roosts, that were at a height of 260 cm from the ground. However, when they captured frogs of the size D, most of the times they dropped the latter either after reaching the roost or even while carrying them. Alternatively, the bats carried the frogs (size D) but landed at a place (n = 30) closer to the ground and began consuming the prey. In general, greater the size of frogs, higher the wing loading of bats.

Ectoparasite Raymondia lobulata Infestation in Relation to the Reproductive Cycle of Its Host—the Greater False Vampire Bat Megaderma lyra

To study variation of infestations by the bat fly Raymondia lobulata (Diptera: Streblidae) on the greater false vampire bat Megaderma lyra (Chiroptera: Megadermatidae), we captured individual bats at their day roost in the south of India and recorded their rate of infestation continuously for a year. All examined bats (n = 72 individuals, 202 captures) were infested with parasites (n = 3,008). However, the recorded intensity of infestation (range 1-33) was gender-related and statistically higher in females than in males (F(1, 200) = 304.45, P < 0.001). Furthermore, pregnant and lactating females had greater parasite loads than non-reproductive females and males (F(1, 63) = 23.34, P < 0.001 and F(1, 37) = 78.07, P < 0.001, respectively). No significant differences were observed between males either during mating and non-mating periods or breeding and non-breeding seasons. Analysis of the relationship between parasite infestation and the reproductive status of bats revealed that pregnant and lactating females with pups were more vulnerable hosts for parasites. Our results also suggest a well-developed coevolutionary strategy for synchronized reproduction within the host-parasite relationship and add to our understanding of how host sex and reproductive status shape the dynamics of parasitism.

Light-induced COP9 signalosome expression in the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra

The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a multi-subunit protein complex conserved in plants and animals. CSN subunits have been identified as light-mediated master regulators of eukaryotic circadian clocks from fungi to animals. The Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra is completely adapted to an anthropic biotope and behavioral studies have reported that M. lyra exhibits light-sampling behavior to assess environmental light. LC-MS-MS results for a 36 kDa protein were analyzed using the Sequest search engine, and COP9 signalosome subunit 5 (CSN5) was pinpointed as having the highest score with 6 matching peptides. To confirm the presence of CSN5, up-regulated cDNA was amplified, sequenced, and identified as CSN5. Furthermore, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that the level of induction of CSN5 was regulated by environmental light. We estimated the level of expression across a light-dark cycle and observed a higher level of expression at the end of the light phase. Similarly, when the animal was shifted from continuous dark to light, CSN5 expression was induced. Correspondingly, we detected the similar pattern of translated protein with JAB1 antibody. Knowledge about the circadian rhythm and its molecular mechanism in Chiroptera is very limited and this study suggests that CSN5 might be involved in the M. lyra light-signaling process.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra

We isolated and characterized eight microsatellite markers for Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra. These loci were tested on 60 individuals representing four populations, and all loci were highly polymorphic. The mean number of observed alleles per locus was 13.1 (range from 5 to 24). Observed heterozygosity values range from 0.876 to 0.982, and expected heterozygosity value were ranged from 0.986 to 1.0. Out of eight loci, only two loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and no pairs of loci were in linkage disequilibrium. These polymorphic markers will be useful to examine population structure, mating and dispersal behaviour, including monitoring the effect of habitat fragmentation and parental analysis.

A preliminary examination of genetic diversity in the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra

Habitat loss and fragmentation have serious consequences for species extinction as well as genetic diversity within a species. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was employed to assess the genetic diversity within and between four natural populations of M. lyra. Our results suggest that the genetic diversity varied from 0.21 to 0.26 with a mean of 0.11 to 0.13 (± SD). The mean Gst value of 0.15 was obtained from all four populations and estimated average Nm (1.41) showing gene flow between the populations. AMOVA analysis showed 88.96% within and 11.04% among the studied populations. Cluster analyses of RAPD phenotypes showed that specimens were not grouped by geographical origin. The genetic diversity found in the M. lyra population may be explained by its breeding behaviors. Though preliminary, the results indicate that all four populations should be considered to maintain the genetic diversity.

Evidence of fish in the diet of Greater False Vampire Bat Megaderma lyra in Sri Lanka

Evidence of fish in the diet of Greater False Vampire Bat Megaderma lyra in Sri Lanka

Population Size and Survival in the Indian False Vampire BatMegaderma lyra

We used the Jolly-Seber method to analyze mark-recapture data and estimate both survival and population size in the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra in Madurai (South India). Population size of bats from 2001 to 2003 varied from 379 to 476, and showed fluctuation in numbers for both sexes. The mean (plusmn;SE) survival rate of females (1.26 ± 0.33) exceeded that of males (1.02 ± 0.16) although the differences were not statistically significant. We observed a gradual decline in reproduction as indicated by the number of pups born in each year. This was consistent with a declining trend in population size from 1995 to 2003. We hypothesize a few reasons for this fall in population size, including habitat destruction and human poaching of bats.

Postnatal growth and age estimation in the Indian false vampire bat (Megaderma lyra)

AbstractThe Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra produces a single young under captive conditions, which is altricial at birth. Empirical growth curves were derived by measuring length of forearm, body mass and length of the total gap of the fourth metacarpal–phalangeal joint. Length of forearm and body mass followed a linear pattern of growth until day 28 and subsequently reached stability. The length of the total gap of the metacarpal–phalangeal joint initially showed a linear increase up to 4 days, followed by a linear decrease until 34 days when it closed. A quantitative method of estimation of age was derived from values of length of forearm and length of the total gap of the fourth metacarpal–phalangeal joint during the preflight (first 28 days) and postflight stages, respectively. Width of the 95% confidence level was ± 1.2 days at a mean length of forearm of 51.6 mm, and ± 0.07 days at a mean length of the total gap of the fourth metacarpal–phalangeal joint of 1.89 mm. Initiation of flight occurred 24 days after birth. At 28 days of age, young were able to forage on their own. There was no significant difference in the growth pattern of young held in captivity compared to that of young grown under natural conditions.

Localization of prey by the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra

Studies on gleaning bats indicate that they do not mainly rely on echolocation to detect and capture prey from surfaces. In the event of not using echolocation, there may be an error in their passive localization of prey compared to the bats which use echolocation. It is to be tested whether the amount of such error is related with the size of the prey in the passive localization employed by gleaning bats. We conducted experiments on the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra in an outdoor enclosure using small, medium and large-sized frogs as prey. M. lyra captured live and freshly killed frogs only when they jumped or when pulled with a long thread on a sandy floor. Bats were more successful in capturing frogs without error (i.e. landing straight on the frog) under the background of fluorescent light than red light. The number of captures of live frogs without error was also significantly higher compared to the captures of freshly killed frogs under both the lights, except with the large-sized frogs. The number of jumps made by the live frogs decreased with their body lengths increased before M. lyra captured them without error. In a few observations, instead of landing straight on the frogs the bats landed on the floor close to the frogs and then captured them in a short jump (i.e. localization made with an error). The distance between the final position of the frogs and the site at which the bats landed on the floor prior to the capture, is considered as the amount of error committed by bats. While the bats localized and captured the frogs with an error, we found a linear decrease of error with an increase in the body length of the frogs. Bats never responded to the movements of tiny live and dead frogs of 0.8-1.3 cm.

Parturition and mother–infant relations in the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra

The onset and duration of parturition were studied in Megaderma lyra for two successive periods during the years 1989 and 1990. The period of parturition fell between January and May in 1989, and between March and May in 1990. This change in the length of parturition period was not due to variations in the pattern of rainfall when prey items are abundant. The young M. lyra clung continuously for 5–7 days from birth to their mothers whose foraging modality seemed unaffected. Grown-up infants were left at a temple roost while the mother bats foraged. On a few occasions, mothers and infants were also seen at different `night roosts' found close to the temple roost. In all stages of nursing, the lactating mothers had two distinct bouts of foraging, one immediately following emergence (at dusk) and the other during their return (at predawn hours) to their main roost. The mean lactation period in M. lyra was approximately 70 days.

Microsatellite Libraries Enriched for Several Microsatellite Sequences in Plants

Microsatellite Libraries Enriched for Several Microsatellite Sequences in Plants

Active Acoustic Gleaning from the Water Surface by the Indian False Vampire Bat, Megaderma lyra

Abstract1 The method employed by the Indian false vampire bat Megaderma lyra (body mass about 40 g) to detect and capture prey from the surface of an artificial pond in an outdoor enclosure was studied. Frogs (Rana tigerina) (body mass about 10 g) were used as prey. The bats exhibited searching flights at the surface of the water for a few minutes in darkness, detected a stationary frog with its head jutting out of the water, and with a dart captured the frog in the mouth after hovering over it for about 2 s. The detected frogs did not show any movement when the bats hovered over them.2 When a freshly killed frog alone was available and pinned with its head protruding out of the surface of the water, the bats captured it after making fewer numbers of attempts in a shorter period of time compared with the capture of live frogs. The number of attempts and time taken to capture a frog increased when the frog's eyeballs alone were exposed above the water surface, and the bats failed to detect frogs when their entire head was submerged just below the water.3 Sound and video recordings showed that M. lyra continuously emitted faint ultrasounds while making searching flights at the pond. Apparently the bats made ‘early’ and ‘late’ detections, with higher repetition rates of sound emission in the case of the latter. A final buzz before capturing prey was not recorded and the change in the duration of emitted sounds during approach and after capturing the frog was marginal. The second harmonic at 43.6 kHz (SD 3.5 kHz) was more dominant and the duration was 1.0 ms (SD 0.2 ms).4 It is clear that M. lyra uses echolocation to detect and capture prey from the water surface. A comparison is made with an earlier report on M. lyra catching prey from the ground by a passive acoustic location.

Karyotypic architecture of the false vampire bat Megaderma lyra.

Chromosomal architecture of Megaderma lyra, a microchiropteran bat collected from South India, was analysed for the first time using G- and C-banding techniques. The diploid number, FN value and categorisation of autosomes were in confirmity with the previous report which utilised a North Indian population for analysis. However, variations with regard to the nature of the X and Y chromosomes were encountered in these two populations. The important feature noticed in the G-banded karyptype is the G-positive nature of thesatellite of the 8th pair of hetero-morphic autosomes and centromeric region of 5th, 6th, 7th and 18th autosomal pairs. The C-banded chromosomes revealed extensive occurrence of C-positive blocks of heterochromatin. The amount of heterochromatin (44.76%) measured for M. lyra is the highest for any bat studied till today. Present observations implicate pericentric inversion and addition or deletion of heterochromatin as causative agents for inter-population sex chromosome variations. It is also proposed that the high amount of consitiutive heterochromatin possibly had a role in the phylogenetic differentiation of this species.