It's not black or white—on the range of vision and echolocation in echolocating bats

摘要: Around 1000 species of bats in the world use echolocation to navigate, orient and detect insect prey. Many these emerge from their roost at dusk start foraging when there is still light available. It however unclear what way which extent navigation, or even prey detection aided by vision. Here we compare visual ranges two such rely on different strategies (Rhinopoma microphyllum Pipistrellus kuhlii). We find that better than vision for detecting small insects intermediate levels (1-10lux), while advantageous monitoring far-away landscape elements both species. thus hypothesize that, constantly integrate information acquired sensory modalities. suggest during evolution, was refined increasingly targets conjunction with using To do so, ability hear ultrasonic sound a prerequisite readily available mammals, but absent many other animal groups. The exploit ultrasound very targets, as insects, has opened up large nocturnal niche may have spurred diversification tactics.