Excepting Myotis capaccinii, the wings' contribution to take-off performance does not correlate with foraging ecology in six species of insectivorous bat

摘要: Take-off in bats is separated into two distinct phases: an initial jump and a subsequent wing powered acceleration. Here, using footage from high-speed camera, the first comparative study of performance during induced phase take-off six insectivorous bat species described. Despite differences foraging strategy, mass specific power generated by did not differ between species, with exception Myotis capaccinii. This suggests that may only be evident exhibit particularly unusual strategies, such as trawling behaviour M. capaccinii – remaining manifesting subtler aspects flight agility or manoeuvrability. The poorer could related to either reduction wing-stroke amplitude stop wings hitting water’s surface perhaps effect having very large feet. No scaling relationship body mass-specific was found, which supports earlier research on birds insects, suggesting muscle available for broadly similar across range sizes species.