Wright Genevieve Spanjer, Wilkinson Gerald S, Moss Cynthia F
Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park.
Anim Behav. 2011 Nov 1;82(5):1075-1083. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.07.044.
Acquiring information via observation of others can be an efficient way to respond to changing situations or learn skills, particularly for inexperienced individuals. Many bat species are gregarious, yet few studies have investigated their capacity for learning from conspecifics. We tested whether big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) can learn a novel foraging task by interacting with knowledgeable conspecifics. In experimental trials 11 naïve bats (7 juveniles, 4 adults) interacted freely with trained bats that were capturing tethered mealworms, while in control trials 11 naïve bats (7 juveniles, 4 adults) flew with untrained bats. Naïve bats were then assessed for their ability to capture tethered mealworms. While no bat in the control group learned the task, a significant number of experimental bats, including juveniles with little or no experience foraging, showed evidence of learning. Eighty-two per cent of experimental bats and 27% of control bats directed feeding buzzes (echolocation calls associated with prey capture) at the mealworm. Furthermore, seven experimental bats (64%) showed evidence of learning by attacking and/or capturing the mealworm, while no bat in the control group attacked or captured the prey. Analyses of high-speed stereo video recordings revealed increased interaction with demonstrators among bats attacking or capturing the mealworm. At the time they displayed evidence of learning, bats flew closer together during feeding buzzes than during other portions of trials. Our results demonstrate that social interaction with experienced bats, and listening to feeding buzzes in particular, may play an integral role in development of foraging skills in bats.
通过观察其他个体来获取信息，可能是应对不断变化的情况或学习技能的一种有效方式，尤其是对于缺乏经验的个体而言。许多蝙蝠种类是群居的，但很少有研究调查它们从同种个体身上学习的能力。我们测试了大棕蝠（棕蝠）是否能通过与有经验的同种个体互动来学习一项新的觅食任务。在实验试验中，11只未接触过该任务的蝙蝠（7只幼年蝙蝠、4只成年蝙蝠）与正在捕捉系留黄粉虫的经过训练的蝙蝠自由互动，而在对照试验中，11只未接触过该任务的蝙蝠（7只幼年蝙蝠、4只成年蝙蝠）与未经过训练的蝙蝠一起飞行。然后评估未接触过该任务的蝙蝠捕捉系留黄粉虫的能力。虽然对照组中没有蝙蝠学会这项任务，但大量参与实验的蝙蝠，包括几乎没有觅食经验的幼年蝙蝠，都表现出了学习的迹象。82%的参与实验的蝙蝠和27%的对照组蝙蝠对着黄粉虫发出捕食嗡嗡声（与捕食猎物相关的回声定位叫声）。此外，7只参与实验的蝙蝠（64%）表现出通过攻击和/或捕捉黄粉虫来学习的迹象，而对照组中没有蝙蝠攻击或捕捉猎物。对高速立体视频记录的分析显示，在攻击或捕捉黄粉虫的蝙蝠中，与示范者的互动增加。在它们表现出学习迹象时，蝙蝠在发出捕食嗡嗡声时比在试验的其他阶段飞得更近。我们的结果表明，与有经验的蝙蝠进行社交互动，尤其是倾听捕食嗡嗡声，可能在蝙蝠觅食技能的发展中起着不可或缺的作用。
