Levin Eran, Yom-Tov Yoram, Barnea Anat
Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Naturwissenschaften. 2009 Apr;96(4):477-83. doi: 10.1007/s00114-008-0496-3. Epub 2008 Dec 16.
In many ant species, nuptial flight tends to be short in time and assumed to be synchronous across a large area. Here, we report that, in the upper Jordan Valley, northern Israel, massive nuptial flights of Carpenter ants (Camponotus sp.) occur frequently throughout the summer, and their alates form up to 90% of the diet of the greater mouse-tailed bat (Rhinopoma microphyllum) during this period. This fat and protein-rich diet enables female bats to lactate during summer, and the large amount of fat that both sexes accumulate may serve as an energy source for their following winter hibernation and posthibernation mating in early spring (March-April). We suggest that the annual movement of these bats to the Mediterranean region of Israel may have evolved in order to enable them to exploit the extremely nutritious forms of ant alates when the bats' energetic demands are highest.
在许多蚁种中，婚飞时间往往较短，且假定在大面积范围内是同步的。在此，我们报告，在以色列北部的上约旦河谷，木工蚁（弓背蚁属）的大规模婚飞在整个夏季频繁发生，在此期间，它们的有翅蚁占大耳鼠尾蝠（小耳大耳蝠）食物的比例高达90%。这种富含脂肪和蛋白质的食物使雌性蝙蝠能够在夏季产奶，两性积累的大量脂肪可能作为它们随后冬季冬眠和早春（3月至4月）冬眠后交配的能量来源。我们认为，这些蝙蝠每年向以色列地中海地区的迁徙可能已经进化，以便在蝙蝠能量需求最高时，使它们能够利用极具营养的有翅蚁。
