Ethanol ingestion affects flight performance and echolocation in Egyptian fruit bats |
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Authors: | Francisco Sá nchez,Mariana Melcó n,Berry Pinshow |
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Affiliation: | a Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84990 Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel b Ramon Science Center, P.O. Box 194, 80600 Mitzpe Ramon, Israel c Lehrstuhl Tierphysiologie, Zoologisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany d Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales, Bogotá, Colombia |
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Abstract: | Ethanol, a potential toxin for vertebrates, is present in all fleshy fruits and its content increases as the fruit ripens. Previously, we found that the marginal value of food for Egyptian fruit bats, Rousettus aegyptiacus, decreases when its ethanol content exceeds 1%. Therefore, we hypothesized that, if ingested, food containing >1% ethanol is toxic to these bats, probably causing inebriation that will affect flight and echolocation skills. We tested this hypothesis by flying Egyptian fruit bats in an indoor corridor and found that after ingesting ethanol-rich food bats flew significantly slower than when fed ethanol-free food. Also, the ingestion of ethanol significantly affected several variables of the bats’ echolocation calls and behavior. We concluded that ethanol can be toxic to fruit bats; not only does it reduce the marginal value of food, but it also has negative physiological effects on their ability to fly competently and on their calling ability. |
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Keywords: | Alcohol Chiroptera Echolocation Pteropodidae Toxins |
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