Lunar Phobia in the Greater Fishing Bat Noctilio leporinus (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae)
54 Rev. Biol. Trop. 1117 (2006)
Posted: 18 May 2018
Date Written: Aug 9, 2006
Abstract
The nightly activity patterns of Noctilio leporinus, a piscivorous neotropical bat, were documented by visual observation over one lunar cycle at a large dock in Golfito, Costa Rica. The activity patterns were compared to the intensity of the moonlight, and a strong correlation between darkness and activity was observed (n = 776, r2 = 0.96). This correlation has been observed in many species of mammals and may indicate adaptation by potential prey species to avoid predation by visually oriented nighttime predators and/or an adaptation by predators to maximize hunting success.
Keywords: Noctilio, lunar phobia, moon, bat
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