Vleermuizen uit het regenwoud van Kameroen en Gabon - Echolocatiegeluiden en het foerageergedrag van Microchiroptera uit het regenwoud van Kameroen en Gabon

Peereboom, D.

2007

Hogeschool InHolland Delft / Adviesbureau E.C.O. Logisch

€ 39,50

The echolocation calls of some species Microchiropteran bats from the rainforest of Cameroon and Gabon are already described due to research in other countries. A goal of this project is to create a complete list of all known species, their distribution and echolocation calls of Microchiroptera from the rainforest in Cameroon and Gabon. Furthermore, attempts are made to describe the echolocation calls for those species of which this is not yet done. There are relations between morphology, foraging behaviour and echolocation call. In this study these relations are used to estimate the echolocation calls. The next hypotheses are used:
Species within a family or genus produce a similar type of echolocation call. The frequency of a call is negatively correlated with the bodysize of an individual. The echolocation call can be determined by morphology and foraging behaviour because certain combinations are not compatible.
The first two hypotheses are being supported by the results of this study. Information on the echolocation calls of 19 species is found. Overall 70 species are known to occur in the rainforest of Cameroon and Gabon. It was possible to make an estimation of the echolocation call of 17 species. For 23 species only the type of call could be determined. Especially Vespertilionids are poorly described. Whether the estimated echolocation calls are correct, has to be examined with fieldwork in Cameroon and Gabon.