Tents and Harems: Alteration of Leaves by Foliage-Roosting Bats

Authors

  • Thomas H. Kunz Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
  • Gary F. McCracken Department of Zoology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37849, USA

Keywords:

Chiropterology, Foliage-Roosting Bats

Abstract

This article is about bats, those which live beneath leaves that they modify and use as shelters. In Trinidad, and elsewhere throughout the New World tropics, several species of fruit-eating bats modify leaves of vines, epiphytes, and palms for their use as so-called "tents". The group composition of bats that occupy these tents strongly suggests a harem type of social organization.

As in all disciplines of science, however, repeated observation of the same or similar events does provide important supporting evidence on which to formulate hypotheses and predictions, and to draw reasonable inferences.

Downloads

Published

1993-11-30

Issue

Section

Articles