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evaluating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-mediated sars-cov-2 entry across species.the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-cov-2) pandemic represents a global threat, and the interaction between the virus and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ace2), the primary entry receptor for sars-cov-2, is a key determinant of the range of hosts that can be infected by the virus. however, the mechanisms underpinning ace2-mediated viral entry across species remains unclear. using infection assay, we evaluated sars-cov-2 entry mediated by ace2 of 11 different animal species ...202133610551
immunocytochemical localization of tyrosine hydroxylase in the visual cortex of the microbat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum.in order to enhance our understanding of bat vision, we investigated tyrosine hydroxylase (th)-immunoreactive (ir) fibers in the visual cortex of the microbat.202032490536
population genetic structure and phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) along alborz and zagros mts. in iran.in this paper, we investigate the genetic structure and phylogeography of rhinolophus ferrumequinum, using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1017 bp) in iran and adjacent regions. the total haplotype and nucleotide diversity are 0.63 ± 0.055 and 0.0021 ± 0.00017, respectively which suggest that r. ferrumequinum exhibits low genetic diversity. amova analysis shows that more variation of genetic differentiation is present among populations of phylogenetic groupings than within populations. our ...202032202175
six reference-quality genomes reveal evolution of bat adaptations.bats possess extraordinary adaptations, including flight, echolocation, extreme longevity and unique immunity. high-quality genomes are crucial for understanding the molecular basis and evolution of these traits. here we incorporated long-read sequencing and state-of-the-art scaffolding protocols1 to generate, to our knowledge, the first reference-quality genomes of six bat species (rhinolophus ferrumequinum, rousettus aegyptiacus, phyllostomus discolor, myotis myotis, pipistrellus kuhlii and mo ...202032699395
role of pattern recognition receptors and interferon-beta in protecting bat cell lines from encephalomyocarditis virus and japanese encephalitis virus infection.bats are potential natural hosts of encephalomyocarditis virus (emcv) and japanese encephalitis virus (jev). bats appear to have some unique features in their innate immune system that inhibit viral replication causing limited clinical symptoms, and thus, contributing to the virus spill over to humans. here, kidney epithelial cell lines derived from four bat species (pteropus dasymallus, rousettus leschenaultii, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, and miniopterus fuliginosus) and two non-bat species (hom ...202032446351
viral metagenomic profiling of croatian bat population reveals sample and habitat dependent diversity.to date, the microbiome, as well as the virome of the croatian populations of bats, was unknown. here, we present the results of the first viral metagenomic analysis of guano, feces and saliva (oral swabs) of seven bat species (myotis myotis, miniopterus schreibersii, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, eptesicus serotinus, myotis blythii, myotis nattereri and myotis emarginatus) conducted in mediterranean and continental croatia. viral nucleic acids were extracted from sample pools, and analyzed using i ...202032824037
the epidemiological characteristics of the korean bat paramyxovirus between 2016 and 2019.bats are considered reservoirs of severe emerging human pathogens. notably, bats host major mammalian paramyxoviruses from the family paramyxoviridae, order mononegavirales. in this study, paramyxoviruses were investigated by reverse transcription semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (rt-semi-nested pcr) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr), based on the rt-semi-nested pcr using the consensus paramyxovirus primers targeting the rna dependent-rna-polymerase (rdrp) region. ...202032512880
new putative animal reservoirs of sars-cov-2 in italian fauna: a bioinformatic approach.sars-cov-2 is a virus belonging to the betacoronavirus family, causing fatal respiratory disease in humans, which became pandemic in 2020. italy is one of the most affected countries by covid-19, particularly in the northern regions. several studies consider covid-19 a zoonotic disease and, since italy is the repository of a high biodiversity, sars-cov-2 infection in animals can be considered as a reservoir of the virus or favor the spreading between animals and humans. in this work, we analyzed ...202033173837
habitat associations of bats in an agricultural landscape: linear features versus open habitats.1. bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. however, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. as part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. our results show tha ...202033053844
traffic noise playback reduces the activity and feeding behaviour of free-living bats.increasing levels of road noise are creating new anthropogenic soundscapes that may affect wildlife globally. bats, which form about a third of all mammal species, are sensitive bioindicators, and may be particularly vulnerable because of their dependency on echolocation. here we present the first controlled field experiment with free-living bats. using a before-after-control-impact phantom road experimental design, we examine the impacts of traffic noise on their activity and feeding behaviour. ...202032320902
in silico analysis of ace2 orthologues to predict animal host range with high susceptibility to sars-cov-2.sars-cov-2, which causes severe pneumonia epidemics, probably originated from chinese horseshoe bats, but the intermediate and host range is still unknown. ace2 is the entry receptor for sars-cov-2. the binding capacity of sars-cov-2 spike protein to ace2 is the critical determinant of viral host range and cross-species infection. here, we used an in silico approach to predict the potential animals range with high susceptibility to sars-cov-2 by modelling and studying the spike-ace2 interaction ...202033101829
in silico and empirical evaluation of twelve metabarcoding primer sets for insectivorous diet analyses.during the most recent decade, environmental dna metabarcoding approaches have been both developed and improved to minimize the biological and technical biases in these protocols. however, challenges remain, notably those relating to primer design. in the current study, we comprehensively assessed the performance of ten coi and two 16s primer pairs for edna metabarcoding, including novel and previously published primers. we used a combined approach of in silico, in vivo-mock community (33 arthro ...202032724515
gut transcriptomic changes during hibernation in the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum).the gut is the major organ for nutrient absorption and immune response in the body of animals. although effects of fasting on the gut functions have been extensively studied in model animals (e.g. mice), little is known about the response of the gut to fasting in a natural condition (e.g. hibernation). during hibernation, animals endure the long term of fasting and hypothermia.202032690984
modulation of acoustic navigation behaviour by spatial learning in the echolocating bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon.using echolocation, bats receive acoustic information on their surroundings, which is assumed to help them sophisticatedly navigate complex environments. in this study, to understand spatial learning and acoustic sensing in bats, we investigated how flight and echolocation control changed in rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon as they learnt about their surroundings in an obstacle course that they flew through repeatedly. in these experiments, two testing environments (acoustically permeable and ac ...202032612132
long-term surveillance of bat coronaviruses in korea: diversity and distribution pattern.bats harbour diverse coronaviruses (covs), some of which are associated with zoonotic infections, as well as inter-species transmission. in this study, a total of 512 bat faecal samples from the bat habitats at different geographical locations in south korea were investigated between 2016 and 2019. seventy-eight samples were positive for coronaviruses (15.2%), comprising 68 alphacoronaviruses (13.3%) and 10 betacoronaviruses (2.0%). the positive rates tended to increase during the awakening (apr ...202032473082
presence of humans and domestic cats affects bat behaviour in an urban nursery of greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum).proximity to humans is a primary stressor for wildlife, especially in urban habitats where frequent disturbance may occur. several bat species often roost in buildings but while the effects of disturbance inside the roost are well documented, little is known about those occurring in the proximity of roosts. we tested the effects of anthropogenic stressors on bats by monitoring reactions to disturbance in a colony of greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum). we assessed disturbance by r ...201930951813
biosonar interpulse intervals and pulse-echo ambiguity in four species of echolocating bats.in complex biosonar scenes, the delay of echoes represents the spatial distribution of objects in depth. to avoid overlap of echo streams from successive broadcasts, individual echolocation sounds should only be emitted after all echoes of previous sounds have returned. however, close proximity of obstacles demands rapid pulse updates for steering to avoid collisions, which often means emitting a new sound before all of the previous echoes have returned. when two echo streams overlap, there is a ...201930877230
normal embryonic development of the greater horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum, with special reference to nose leaf formation.the order chiroptera (bats) is the second largest group of mammals, composed of more than 1,300 species. although powered flight and echolocation in bats have attracted many biologists, diversity in bat facial morphology has been almost neglected. some bat species have a "nose leaf," a leaf-like epithelial appendage around their nostrils. the nose leaf appears to have been acquired at least three times independently in bat evolution, and its morphology is highly diverse among bats species. inter ...201931260578
integrating population genetics to define conservation units from the core to the edge of rhinolophus ferrumequinum western range.the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) is among the most widespread bat species in europe but it has experienced severe declines, especially in northern europe. this species is listed near threatened in the european iucn red list of threatened animals, and it is considered to be highly sensitive to human activities and particularly to habitat fragmentation. therefore, understanding the population boundaries and demographic history of populations of this species is of primary impor ...201931832159
comparing context-dependent call sequences employing machine learning methods: an indication of syntactic structure of greater horseshoe bats.for analysis of vocal syntax, accurate classification of call sequence structures in different behavioural contexts is essential. however, an effective, intelligent program for classifying call sequences from numerous recorded sound files is still lacking. here, we employed three machine learning algorithms (logistic regression, support vector machine and decision trees) to classify call sequences of social vocalizations of greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in aggressive and dis ...201931753908
seasonal changes in gut microbiota diversity and composition in the greater horseshoe bat.a large number of microorganisms colonize the intestines of animals. the gut microbiota plays an important role in nutrient metabolism and affects a number of physiological mechanisms in the host. studies have shown that seasonal changes occur in the intestinal microbes of mammals that hibernate seasonally. however, these studies only focused on ground squirrels and bears. it remains unclear how hibernation might affect the intestinal microbes of bats. in this study, we measured microbial divers ...201931632369
gene expression vs. sequence divergence: comparative transcriptome sequencing among natural rhinolophus ferrumequinum populations with different acoustic phenotypes.although the sensory drive hypothesis can explain the geographic variation in echolocation frequencies of some bat species, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still unclear. the three lineages of greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in china (northeast, central-east, and southwest) have significant geographic variation in resting frequencies (rf) of echolocation calls. because their cochleae have an acoustic fovea that is highly sensitive to a narrow range of fr ...201931528181
captivity causes taxonomic and functional convergence of gut microbial communities in bats.diet plays a crucial role in sculpting microbial communities. similar diets appear to drive convergence of gut microbial communities between host species. captivity usually provides an identical diet and environment to different animal species that normally have similar diets. whether different species' microbial gut communities can be homogenized by a uniform diet in captivity remains unclear.201931106061
complete genome analysis of a sars-like bat coronavirus identified in the republic of korea.bats have been widely known as natural reservoir hosts of zoonotic diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) and middle east respiratory syndrome (mers) caused by coronaviruses (covs). in the present study, we investigated the whole genomic sequence of a sars-like bat cov (16bo133) and found it to be 29,075 nt in length with a 40.9% g+c content. phylogenetic analysis using amino acid sequences of the orf 1ab and the spike gene showed that the bat coronavirus strain 16bo133 was g ...201931076983
molecular epidemiology, evolution and phylogeny of sars coronavirus.shortly after its emergence in southern china in 2002/2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (sars-cov) was confirmed to be the cause of sars. subsequently, sars-related covs (sarsr-covs) were found in palm civets from live animal markets in guangdong and in various horseshoe bat species, which were believed to be the ultimate reservoir of sarsr-cov. till november 2018, 339 sarsr-cov genomes have been sequenced, including 274 from human, 18 from civets and 47 from bats [mostly from ...201930844511
moth responses to sympathetic hedgerow management in temperate farmland.hedgerows provide valuable habitats and corridors for many species in farmland, yet a lack of appropriate management may threaten their benefits to biodiversity. although agri-environment scheme (aes) prescriptions on hedgerow management have the potential to reverse the detrimental effect of over-trimming on wildlife, their effectiveness has rarely been addressed. the aims of the study were to (i) assess moth responses to trimming regimes; and (ii) investigate the influence of the surrounding l ...201931007322
the complete genomic sequence of rhinolophus gammaherpesvirus 1 isolated from a greater horseshoe bat.in a comprehensive research project on bat viruses, we successfully isolated a novel herpesvirus from the spleen of a greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in japan using a cell line established from the kidney of the same bat. this herpesvirus was a novel gammaherpesvirus (rhinolophus gammaherpesvirus 1; rghv-1), which belonged to the genus percavirus. the whole rghv-1 genome (147,790 bp) showed that 12 of the 84 genes predicted to contain open reading frames did not show any homolo ...201930232614
molecular identification of betacoronavirus in bats from sardinia (italy): first detection and phylogeny.bats may be natural reservoirs for a large variety of emerging viruses, including mammalian coronaviruses (cov). the recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (sars-cov) and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (mers-cov) in humans, with evidence that these viruses may have their ancestry in bats, highlights the importance of virus surveillance in bat populations. here, we report the identification and molecular characterization of a bat β-coronavirus, ...201930426315
genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of newly discovered bat astroviruses in korea.bats have been identified as a natural reservoir for several potentially zoonotic viruses. recently, astroviruses have been reported in bats in many countries, but not korea. we collected 363 bat samples from thirteen species at twenty-nine sites in korea across 2016 and tested them for astrovirus. the detection of the rna-dependent rna polymerase (rdrp) gene in bat astroviruses was confirmed in thirty-four bats across four bat species in korea: twenty-five from miniopterus fuliginosusi, one fro ...201830097745
environmental acoustic cues guide the biosonar attention of a highly specialised echolocator.sensory systems experience a trade-off between maximizing the detail and amount of sampled information. this trade-off is particularly pronounced in sensory systems that are highly specialised for a single task and thus experience limitations in other tasks. we hypothesised that combining sensory input from multiple streams of information may resolve this trade-off and improve detection and sensing reliability. specifically, we predicted that perceptive limitations experienced by animals reliant ...201829540459
sars-cov related betacoronavirus and diverse alphacoronavirus members found in western old-world.the emergence of sars-cov and mers-cov, triggered the discovery of a high diversity of coronaviruses in bats. studies from europe have shown that coronaviruses circulate in bats in france but this reflects only a fraction of the whole diversity. in the current study the diversity of coronaviruses circulating in western europe was extensively explored. ten alphacoronaviruses in eleven bat species belonging to the miniopteridae, vespertilionidae and rhinolophidae families and, a sars-cov-related b ...201829482919
the organization of melanopsin-immunoreactive cells in microbat retina.intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (iprgcs) respond to light and play roles in non-image forming vision, such as circadian rhythms, pupil responses, and sleep regulation, or image forming vision, such as processing visual information and directing eye movements in response to visual clues. the purpose of the present study was to identify the distribution, types, and proportion of melanopsin-immunoreactive (ir) cells in the retina of a nocturnal animal, i.e., the microbat (rhinol ...201829304147
adaptation of the fk506 binding protein 1b to hibernation in bats.hibernation is an adaptive strategy used by some animals to cope with cold and food shortage. the heart rate, overall energy need, body temperature, and many other physiological functions are greatly reduced during torpor but promptly return to normal levels upon arousal. the heartbeat of torpid bats can be hundreds fold lower than that of active bats, indicating that hibernating bats have a remarkable ability to control excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle. fkbp1b (calstabin 2), a ...201830056853
growing old, yet staying young: the role of telomeres in bats' exceptional longevity.understanding aging is a grand challenge in biology. exceptionally long-lived animals have mechanisms that underpin extreme longevity. telomeres are protective nucleotide repeats on chromosome tips that shorten with cell division, potentially limiting life span. bats are the longest-lived mammals for their size, but it is unknown whether their telomeres shorten. using >60 years of cumulative mark-recapture field data, we show that telomeres shorten with age inrhinolophus ferrumequinumandminiopte ...201829441358
a design for a dynamic biomimetic sonarhead inspired by horseshoe bats.the noseleaf and pinnae of horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) have both been shown to actively deform during biosonar operation. since these baffle structures directly affect the properties of the animals biosonar system, this work mimics horseshoe bat sonar system with the goal of developing a platform to study the dynamic sensing principles horseshoe bats employ. consequently, two robotic devices were developed to mimic the dynamic emission and reception characteristics of horseshoe ba ...201829794330
identification of protein kinase c α- and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cells in the microbat retina.a growing number of studies have revealed the functional neuroarchitecture of the microbat retina and suggested that microbats can see using their eyes. to better understand the organization of the microbat retina, quantitative analysis of protein kinase c alpha (pkcα)- and tyrosine hydroxylase (th)-immunoreactive (ir) cells was conducted on the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) retina. as a result, pkcα immunoreactivity was observed in rod bipolar cells, consistent with previous ...201829741202
localization of choline acetyltransferase and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivities in the superior colliculus of the microbat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum.the purpose of this study was to determine whether the superior colliculus (sc) of the microbat has the same neurochemical makeup as that of other mammals. we examined the organization of choline acetyltransferase (chat)- and tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (th-ir) fibers/cells using standard immunohistochemistry with antibodies against chat and th. chat-ir fibers observed in the superficial layers were denser than those in the deeper layers, and these fibers were classified into two types: ...201727681043
size and quality information in acoustic signals of rhinolophus ferrumequinum in distress situations.many animals produce alarm or distress calls when they encounter predators. previous studies have shown that the distress calls of some birds can also signal the quality of the bird as prey to predators. in this case, both predator and prey may benefit from sharing information about prey's ability to escape. however, little is known about whether echolocation pulses and distress calls in bats convey size and quality information in distress situations. this study investigates the relationship bet ...201728238774
complete mitochondrial genomes of two subspecies (rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon and rhinolophus ferrumequinum tragatus) of the greater horseshoe bat (chiroptera: rhinolophidae).rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon and rhinolophus ferrumequinum tragatus are two subspecies of rhinolophus ferrumequinum currently recognized in china. in this study, their mitochondrial genomes were completely sequenced and annotated. phylogenetic analyses indicated that r. f. nippon has a close relationship with two subspecies of r. ferrumequinum from korea with 0.1% divergence, which indicated they are synonyms.201726678669
taxonomic evaluation of the greater horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum (chiroptera: rhinolophidae) in iran inferred from the mitochondrial d-loop gene.to examine the level of genetic differentiation in the sequences of the mitochondrial d-loop gene of rhinolophus ferrumequinum, and to evaluate the current taxonomic status of this species, 50 tissue samples of greater horseshoe bats were collected in 2011-2015 from 21 different localities in northwest, northeast, west, central, and south regions of iran. twenty-two published d-loop sequences from europe (switzerland, united kingdom, bulgaria, and tunisia), and anatolia (south, west, and east tu ...201728770672
immunocytochemical localization of cholinergic amacrine cells in the bat retina.the purpose of this study was to localize the cholinergic amacrine cells, one of the key elements of a functional retina, in the retina of a microbat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum. the presence and localization of choline acetyltransferase-immunoreactive (chat-ir) cells in the microbat retina were investigated using immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy, and quantitative analysis. these chat-ir cells were present in the ganglion cell layer (gcl) and inner part of the inner nuclear layer (inl), a ...201728483062
horseshoe bats and old world leaf-nosed bats have two discrete types of pinna motions.horseshoe bats (rhinolophidae) and the related old world leaf-nosed bats (hipposideridae) both show conspicuous pinna motions as part of their biosonar behaviors. in the current work, the kinematics of these motions in one species from each family (rhinolophus ferrumequinum and hipposideros armiger) has been analyzed quantitatively using three-dimensional tracking of landmarks placed on the pinna. the pinna motions that were observed in both species fell into two categories: in "rigid rotations" ...201728599557
maintenance of neural activities in torpid rhinolophus ferrumequinum bats revealed by 2d gel-based proteome analysis.bats are the only mammals capable of self-powered flying. many bat species hibernate in winter. a reversible control of cerebral activities is critical for bats to accommodate a repeated torpor-arousal cycle during hibernation. little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate neuronal activities in torpid bats. in this study, rhinolophus ferrumequinum bat brain proteins were fractionated, and their abundance in active and torpid states was compared. results of 2d gel-based proteomics ...201728473298
novel bartonella species in insectivorous bats, northern china.bartonella species are emerging human pathogens. bats are known to carry diverse bartonella species, some of which are capable of infecting humans. however, as the second largest mammalian group by a number of species, the role of bats as the reservoirs of bartonella species is not fully explored, in term of their species diversity and worldwide distribution. china, especially northern china, harbors a number of endemic insectivorous bat species; however, to our knowledge, there are not yet stud ...201728081122
parasites of parasites of bats: laboulbeniales (fungi: ascomycota) on bat flies (diptera: nycteribiidae) in central europe.bat flies (streblidae and nycteribiidae) are among the most specialized families of the order diptera. members of these two related families have an obligate ectoparasitic lifestyle on bats, and they are known disease vectors for their hosts. however, bat flies have their own ectoparasites: fungi of the order laboulbeniales. in europe, members of the nycteribiidae are parasitized by four species belonging to the genus arthrorhynchus. we carried out a systematic survey of the distribution and fun ...201728222795
novel alphacoronaviruses and paramyxoviruses cocirculate with type 1 and severe acute respiratory system (sars)-related betacoronaviruses in synanthropic bats of luxembourg.several infectious disease outbreaks with high mortality in humans have been attributed to viruses that are thought to have evolved from bat viruses. in this study from luxembourg, the genetic diversity and epidemiology of paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses shed by the bat species rhinolophus ferrumequinum and myotis emarginatus were evaluated. feces collection (n = 624) was performed longitudinally in a mixed-species colony in 2015 and 2016. in addition, feces (n = 254) were collected cross-sect ...201728710271
phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, in northeast asia.the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, is an important model organism for studies on chiropteran phylogeographic patterns. previous studies revealed the population history of r. ferrumequinum from europe and most asian regions, yet there continue to be arguments about their evolutionary process in northeast asia. in this study, we obtained mitochondrial dna cyt b and d-loop data of r. ferrumequinum from northeast china, south korea and japan to clarify their phylogenetic relations ...201627761309
species-specific control of acoustic gaze by echolocating bats, rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon and pipistrellus abramus, during flight.based on the characteristics of the ultrasounds they produce, echolocating bats can be categorized into two main types: broadband fm (frequency modulated) and narrowband cf (constant frequency) echolocators. in this study, we recorded the echolocation behavior of a broadband fm (pipistrellus abramus) and a narrowband cf echolocator species (rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon) while they explored an unfamiliar space in a laboratory chamber. during flight, p. abramus smoothly shifted its acoustic ga ...201627566319
gene expression and adaptive evolution of zbed1 in the hibernating greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum).mammalian hibernators experience physiological extremes, e.g. ischemia, muscle disuse and hypothermia, which are lethal to non-hibernators, implying the existence of underlying mechanisms that allow hibernators to withstand these physiological extremes. increased cell proliferation is suggested to be such a strategy, but its molecular basis remains unknown. in this study, we characterized the expression pattern of zbed1 (zinc finger, bed-type containing 1), a transcription factor that plays a cr ...201626787476
differential expression of hepatic genes of the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) between the summer active and winter torpid states.hibernation is one type of torpor, a hypometabolic state in heterothermic mammals, which can be used as an energy-conservation strategy in response to harsh environments, e.g. limited food resource. the liver, in particular, plays a crucial role in adaptive metabolic adjustment during hibernation. studies on ground squirrels and bears reveal that many genes involved in metabolism are differentially expressed during hibernation. especially, the genes involved in carbohydrate catabolism are down-r ...201526698122
adaptation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha to hibernation in bats.hibernation is a survival mechanism in the winter for some animals. fat preserved instead of glucose produced is the primary fuel during winter hibernation of mammals. many genes involved in lipid metabolism are regulated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (pparα). the role of pparα in hibernation of mammals remains largely unknown. using a multidisciplinary approach, we investigated whether pparα is adapted to hibernation in bats.201525980933
severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) coronavirus orf8 protein is acquired from sars-related coronavirus from greater horseshoe bats through recombination.despite the identification of horseshoe bats as the reservoir of severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars)-related coronaviruses (sarsr-covs), the origin of sars-cov orf8, which contains the 29-nucleotide signature deletion among human strains, remains obscure. although two sars-related rhinolophus sinicus bat covs (sarsr-rs-batcovs) previously detected in chinese horseshoe bats (rhinolophus sinicus) in yunnan, rsshc014 and rs3367, possessed 95% genome identities to human and civet sarsr-covs, th ...201526269185
high duty cycle pulses suppress orientation flights of crambid moths.bat-and-moth is a good model system for understanding predator-prey interactions resulting from interspecific coevolution. night-flying insects have been under predation pressure from echolocating bats for 65myr, pressuring vulnerable moths to evolve ultrasound detection and evasive maneuvers as counter tactics. past studies of defensive behaviors against attacking bats have been biased toward noctuoid moth responses to short duration pulses of low-duty-cycle (ldc) bat calls. depending on the re ...201526549128
bats and rodents shape mammalian retroviral phylogeny.endogenous retroviruses (ervs) represent past retroviral infections and accordingly can provide an ideal framework to infer virus-host interaction over their evolutionary history. in this study, we target high quality pol sequences from 7,994 class i and 8,119 class ii ervs from 69 mammalian genomes and surprisingly find that retroviruses harbored by bats and rodents combined occupy the major phylogenetic diversity of both classes. by analyzing transmission patterns of 30 well-defined erv clades ...201526548564
localization of nitric oxide synthase-containing neurons in the bat visual cortex and co-localization with calcium-binding proteins.microchiroptera (microbats) is a suborder of bats thought to have degenerated vision. however, many recent studies have shown that they have visual ability. in this study, we labeled neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nnos)-the synthesizing enzyme of the gaseous non-synaptic neurotransmitter nitric oxide-and co-localized it with calbindin d28k (cb), calretinin (cr), and parvalbumin (pv) in the visual cortex of the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum, a species of microbats). nnos-immun ...201526379314
lancet dynamics in greater horseshoe bats, rhinolophus ferrumequinum.echolocating greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) emit their biosonar pulses nasally, through nostrils surrounded by fleshy appendages ('noseleaves') that diffract the outgoing ultrasonic waves. movements of one noseleaf part, the lancet, were measured in live bats using two synchronized high speed video cameras with 3d stereo reconstruction, and synchronized with pulse emissions recorded by an ultrasonic microphone. during individual broadcasts, the lancet briefly flicks forward ( ...201525853738
interplay of lancet furrows and shape change in the horseshoe bat noseleaf.horseshoe bats emit biosonar pulses through the nostrils and diffract the outgoing ultrasonic pulses with baffles, so-called "noseleaves," that surround the nostrils. the noseleaves have complex static geometries and can furthermore undergo dynamic shape changes during emission of the biosonar pulses. the posterior noseleaf part, the lancet, has been shown to carry out anterior-posterior flicking motions during biosonar emissions with average lancet tip displacements of about 1 mm. here, the aco ...201526627792
prey pursuit strategy of japanese horseshoe bats during an in-flight target-selection task.the prey pursuit behavior of japanese horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon) was investigated by tasking bats during flight with choosing between two tethered fluttering moths. echolocation pulses were recorded using a telemetry microphone mounted on the bat combined with a 17-channel horizontal microphone array to measure pulse directions. flight paths of the bat and moths were monitored using two high-speed video cameras. acoustical measurements of returning echoes from fluttering m ...201424958227
insights into persistence mechanisms of a zoonotic virus in bat colonies using a multispecies metapopulation model.rabies is a worldwide zoonosis resulting from lyssavirus infection. in europe, eptesicus serotinus is the most frequently reported bat species infected with lyssavirus, and thus considered to be the reservoir of european bat lyssavirus type 1 (eblv-1). to date, the role of other bat species in eblv-1 epidemiology and persistence remains unknown. here, we built an eblv-1-transmission model based on local observations of a three-cave and four-bat species (myotis capaccinii, myotis myotis, miniopte ...201424755619
comparison of brain transcriptome of the greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in active and torpid episodes.hibernation is an energy-saving strategy which is widely adopted by heterothermic mammals to survive in the harsh environment. the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) can hibernate for a long period in the hibernation season. however, the global gene expression changes between hibernation and non-hibernation season in the greater horseshoe bat remain largely unknown. we herein reported a comprehensive survey of differential gene expression in the brain between winter hibernating an ...201425251558
determinants and patterns of reproductive success in the greater horseshoe bat during a population recovery.an individual's reproductive success will depend on traits that increase access to mates, as well as the number of mates available. in most well-studied mammals, males are the larger sex, and body size often increases success in intra-sexual contests and thus paternity. in comparison, the determinants of male success in species with reversed sexual size dimorphism (rsd) are less well understood. greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) exhibit rsd and females appear to exert mate choic ...201424551052
a test of rensch's rule in greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) with female-biased sexual size dimorphism.sexual size dimorphism (ssd) is widespread within the animal kingdom. rensch's rule describes a relationship between ssd and body size: ssd increases with body size when males are the larger sex, and decreases with body size when females are the larger sex. rensch's rule is well supported for taxa that exhibit male-biased ssd but patterns of allometry among taxa with female-biased size dimorphism are mixed, there is evidence both for and against the rule. furthermore, most studies have investiga ...201424465886
molecular detection and genotypic characterization of toxoplasma gondii infection in bats in four provinces of china.toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a wide variety of warm-blooded hosts, including humans. limited information about t. gondii infection in bats is available in china. the objective of the present study was to determine prevalence and genetic characterization of t. gondii infection in bats in jilin, liaoning, jiangxi and guangdong provinces, china.201425465220
novel papillomaviruses in free-ranging iberian bats: no virus-host co-evolution, no strict host specificity, and hints for recombination.papillomaviruses (pvs) are widespread pathogens. however, the extent of pv infections in bats remains largely unknown. this work represents the first comprehensive study of pvs in iberian bats. we identified four novel pvs in the mucosa of free-ranging eptesicus serotinus (eserpv1, eserpv2, and eserpv3) and rhinolophus ferrumequinum (rferpv1) individuals and analyzed their phylogenetic relationships within the viral family. we further assessed their prevalence in different populations of e. sero ...201424391150
different auditory feedback control for echolocation and communication in horseshoe bats.auditory feedback from the animal's own voice is essential during bat echolocation: to optimize signal detection, bats continuously adjust various call parameters in response to changing echo signals. auditory feedback seems also necessary for controlling many bat communication calls, although it remains unclear how auditory feedback control differs in echolocation and communication. we tackled this question by analyzing echolocation and communication in greater horseshoe bats, whose echolocatio ...201323638137
the complete mitochondrial dna genome of a greater horseshoe bat subspecies, rhinolophus ferrumequinum quelpartis (chiroptera: rhinolophidae).there are two subspecies of rhinolophus ferrumequinum currently recognized in south korea. the korean greater horseshoe bat subspecies, rhinolophus ferrumequinum quelpartis, is distributed only in jeju island. the complete mitochondrial genome of the island subspecies was determined and revealed 99.7% similarity to the mainland subspecies rhinolophus ferrumequinum korai. if d-loop region is excluded, similarity of the two genomes was 99.9%.201322963579
adaptive beam-width control of echolocation sounds by cf-fm bats, rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon, during prey-capture flight.the echolocation sounds of japanese cf-fm bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon) were measured while the bats pursued a moth (goniocraspidum pryeri) in a flight chamber. using a 31-channel microphone array system, we investigated how cf-fm bats adjust pulse direction and beam width according to prey position. during the search and approach phases, the horizontal and vertical beam widths were ±22±5 and ±13±5 deg, respectively. when bats entered the terminal phase approximately 1 m from a moth, d ...201323487269
brevity is prevalent in bat short-range communication.animal communication follows many coding schemes. less is known about the coding strategy for signal length and rates of use in animal vocal communication. a generalized brevity (negative relation between signal length and frequency of use) is innovatively explored but remains controversial in animal vocal communication. we tested brevity for short-range social and distress sounds from four echolocating bats: adult black-bearded tomb bat taphozous melanopogon, mexican free-tailed bat tadarida br ...201323377576
geographic variation in the acoustic traits of greater horseshoe bats: testing the importance of drift and ecological selection in evolutionary processes.patterns of intraspecific geographic variation of signaling systems provide insight into the microevolutionary processes driving phenotypic divergence. the acoustic calls of bats are sensitive to diverse evolutionary forces, but processes that shape call variation are largely unexplored. in china, rhinolophus ferrumequinum displays a diverse call frequency and inhabits a heterogeneous landscape, presenting an excellent opportunity for this kind of research. we quantified geographic variation in ...201323950926
advantages of using fecal samples for stable isotope analysis in bats: evidence from a triple isotopic experiment.stable isotope analysis in ecological studies is usually conducted on biomaterials, e.g. muscle and blood, that require catching the animals. feces are rarely used for stable isotope analysis, despite the possibility of non-invasive sampling and short-term responsiveness to dietary changes. this promising method is neglected due to a lack of calibration experiments and unknown diet-feces isotopic difference (δ(diet-feces)).201323939961
adaptation of phenylalanine and tyrosine catabolic pathway to hibernation in bats.some mammals hibernate in response to harsh environments. although hibernating mammals may metabolize proteins, the nitrogen metabolic pathways commonly activated during hibernation are not fully characterized. in contrast to the hypothesis of amino acid preservation, we found evidence of amino acid metabolism as three of five key enzymes, including phenylalanine hydroxylase (pah), homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (hgd), fumarylacetoacetase (fah), involved in phenylalanine and tyrosine catabolism w ...201323620802
vocalization of echolocation-like pulses for interindividual interaction in horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum).although much is known about the echolocation of horseshoe bats (rhinolophus spp.), little is known about the characteristics and function of their communication calls. this study focused on a stereotyped behavior of a bat approaching a companion animal in the colony, and examined their interaction and vocalization during this behavior. the bats emit echolocation-like vocalizations when approaching each other and these vocalizations contain a "buildup" pulse sequence, in which the frequency of t ...201223145704
echolocation behavior of the japanese horseshoe bat in pursuit of fluttering prey.echolocation sounds of rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon as they approached a fluttering moth (goniocraspidum pryeri) were investigated using an on-board telemetry microphone (telemike). in 40% of the successful moth-capture flights, the moth exhibited distinctive evasive flight behavior, but the bat pursued the moth by following its flight path. when the distance to the moth was approximately 3-4 m, the bats increased the duration of the pulses to 65-95 ms, which is 2-3 times longer than those d ...201222777677
convergence of reference frequencies by multiple cf-fm bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon) during paired flights evaluated with onboard microphones.the constant frequency component of the second harmonic (cf(2)) of echolocation sounds in rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon were measured using onboard telemetry microphones while the bats exhibited doppler-shift compensation during flights with conspecifics. (1) the cf(2) frequency of pulses emitted by individual bats at rest (f (rest)) showed a long-term gradual decline by 0.22 khz on average over a period of 3 months. the mean neighboring f (rest) (interindividual differences in f (rest) betwe ...201222717760
noseleaf dynamics during pulse emission in horseshoe bats.horseshoe bats emit their biosonar pulses nasally and diffract the outgoing ultrasonic waves by conspicuous structures that surrounded the nostrils. here, we report quantitative experimental data on the motion of a prominent component of these structures, the anterior leaf, using synchronized laser doppler vibrometry and acoustic recordings in the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum). the vibrometry data has demonstrated non-random motion patterns in the anterior leaf. in these patt ...201222574110
discovery of retroviral homologs in bats: implications for the origin of mammalian gammaretroviruses.gammaretroviruses infect a wide range of vertebrate species where they are associated with leukemias, neurological diseases and immunodeficiencies. however, the origin of these infectious agents is unknown. through a phylogenetic analysis of viral gene sequences, we show that bats harbor an especially diverse set of gammaretroviruses. in particular, phylogenetic analysis places rhinolophus ferrumequinum retrovirus (rfrv), a new gammaretrovirus identified by de novo analysis of the rhinolophus fe ...201222318134
horseshoe bats make adaptive prey-selection decisions, informed by echo cues.foragers base their prey-selection decisions on the information acquired by the sensory systems. in bats that use echolocation to find prey in darkness, it is not clear whether the specialized diet, as sometimes found by faecal analysis, is a result of active decision-making or rather of biased sensory information. here, we tested whether greater horseshoe bats decide economically when to attack a particular prey item and when not. this species is known to recognize different insects based on th ...201121367788
The complete mitochondrial genome of the greater horseshoe bat subspecies, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum korai (Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae).The total length of the mitogenome of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum korai is 16,839 bp with a total base composition of 31.8% A, 25.4% T, 28.7% C, and 14.0% G. The mitogenome consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA (12S and 16S RNA) genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 1 control region.201122040078
a real-time pcr assay for bat sars-like coronavirus detection and its application to italian greater horseshoe bat faecal sample surveys.bats are source of coronaviruses closely related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) virus. numerous studies have been carried out to identify new bat viruses related to sars-coronavirus (bat-sars-like covs) using a reverse-transcribed-polymerase chain reaction assay. however, a qualitative pcr could underestimate the prevalence of infection, affecting the epidemiological evaluation of bats in viral ecology. in this work an sybr green-real time pcr assay was developed for diagnosing ...201122654650
detection of a virus related to betacoronaviruses in italian greater horseshoe bats.the association between coronaviruses and bats is a worldwide phenomenon and bats belonging to genus rhinolophus are the reservoir host for several coronaviruses, including a large number of viruses closely related genetically to severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (sars-cov). we carried out a survey in colonies of italian bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) for the presence of coronaviruses. two of 52 r. ferrumequinum captured from different italian areas tested positive by reverse trans ...201120478089
seroprevalence of rabies virus antibodies in bats from southern china.members of the order chiroptera are the natural reservoirs of lyssaviruses and play an important role in the transmission of rabies to animals and humans. in this present study, the seroprevalence for rabies virus was determined for bats sampled from four southern provinces on the chinese mainland. a total of 685 bats of 8 species representing 4 families were collected from 10 sites, and were tested by the indirect fluorescent antibody test using fluorescein isothiocyanate (fitc)-conjugated prot ...201019492948
structural and functional studies of leptins from hibernating and non-hibernating bats.leptin, a 16-kda hormone produced by mature adipocytes, has been shown to regulate the hibernation of mammals. in this study, the leptin gene sequences of both hibernating (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and non-hibernating (rousettus leschenaultii) bats were determined, and the leptin proteins from these two different species of bats were expressed in escherichia coli for the first time. results showed that the amino acid sequence of the leptin protein from hibernating bats had a lower degree of id ...201020394750
co-distribution of glycoconjugates and h(+), k(+)-atpase in the parietal cells of the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum (schreber, 1774).histochemical, lectin-histochemical, and immunohistochemical analyses were performed on parietal cells of the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, to clarify the composition and distribution of oligosaccharide chains in the beta-subunit of the protonic pump h(+),k(+)-atpase. pas, alcian blue (ph 2.5) and alcian blue (ph 1.0) stainings detected only neutral glycoconjugates. lectin-binding analyses included lta, uea-i, cona, sba, bsi-b4, aaa, dba, pna, and wga. wga-and pna-bindings we ...201020443691
bat head contains soft magnetic particles: evidence from magnetism.recent behavioral observations have indicated that bats can sense the earth's magnetic field. to unravel the magnetoreception mechanism, the present study has utilized magnetic measurements on three migratory species (miniopterus fuliginosus, chaerephon plicata, and nyctalus plancyi) and three non-migratory species (hipposideros armiger, myotis ricketti, and rhinolophus ferrumequinum). room temperature isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition and alternating-field demagnetization showed tha ...201020607738
pulse-echo interaction in free-flying horseshoe bats, rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon.because horseshoe bats emit a long-duration pulse, the returning echo temporally overlaps with the emitted pulse during echolocation. here, the pulse-echo interaction that horseshoe bats actually experience during flight was examined using onboard telemetry sound recordings. doppler-shifted returning echoes produced beats in the amplitude patterns of constant-frequency components. bats shortened the pulse duration with target distance, but the overlap duration was at least 8 ms within the approa ...200919739702
phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum: contrasting results from mitochondrial and microsatellite data.phylogeographical studies are typically based on haplotype data, occasionally on nuclear markers such as microsatellites, but rarely combine both. this is unfortunate because the use of markers with contrasting modes of inheritance and rates of evolution might provide a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of a species' history. here we present a detailed study of the phylogeography of the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum, using 1098 bp of the mitochondrial nd2 gene from ...200919192181
a new trematode (digenea: mesotretidae) from the horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum (chiroptera: rhinolophidae) in china.a new species of mesotretes (trematoda: mesotretidae) parasitizing the small intestine of rhinolophus ferrumequinum was obtained by the examination of 48 bats collected from 4 localities in henan province, china, from august 2003 to january 2005. this species, mesotretes jiyuanensis n. sp., is similar to mesotretes orientalis and mesotretes hangzhouensis, but mainly differs from them in the ratio of the oral sucker and the ventral sucker, and the distance of the intestinal bifurcation from anter ...200919642799
screening of hibernation-related genes in the brain of rhinolophus ferrumequinum during hibernation.the greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) is a widely distributed small mammal that hibernates annually. a systematic study was initiated to identify differentially expressed genes in hibernating and aroused states of the greater horseshoe bat brain by using suppressed subtractive hybridization technique and dot blot. forty-one over-expressed ests in the hibernating state were found and 17 were known genes reported in ncbi. among these 17 genes, three were further checked by real tim ...200818055242
the photoreceptor populations in the retina of the greater horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum.recently, we reported the existence of aii "rod" amacrine cells in the retina of the greater horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum (jeon et al., 2007). in order to enhance our understanding of bat vision, in the present study, we report on a quantitative analysis of cone and rod photoreceptors. the average cone density was 9,535 cells/mm2, giving a total number of cones of 33,538 cells/retina. the average rod density was 368,891 cells/mm2, giving a total number of rods of 1,303,517 cells. on a ...200818612246
on-board telemetry of emitted sounds from free-flying bats: compensation for velocity and distance stabilizes echo frequency and amplitude.to understand complex sensory-motor behavior related to object perception by echolocating bats, precise measurements are needed for echoes that bats actually listen to during flight. recordings of echolocation broadcasts were made from flying bats with a miniature light-weight microphone and radio transmitter (telemike) set at the position of the bat's ears and carried during flights to a landing point on a wall. telemike recordings confirm that flying horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum n ...200818663454
characteristics of echolocating bats' auditory stereocilia length, compared with other mammals.the stereocilia of the organ of corti in 4 different echolocating bats, myotis adversus, murina leucogaster, nyctalus plancyi (nyctalus velutinus), and rhinolophus ferrumequinum were observed by using scanning electron microscopy (sem). stereocilia lengths were estimated for comparison with those of non-echolocating mammals. the specialized lengths of outer hair cells (ohc) stereocilia in echolocating bats were shorter than those of non-echolocating mammals. the specialized lengths of inner hair ...200717653670
use of integrated modeling to enhance estimates of population dynamics obtained from limited data.demographic data of rare and endangered species are often too sparse to estimate vital rates and population size with sufficient precision for understanding population growth and decline. yet, the combination of different sources of demographic data into one statistical model holds promise. we applied bayesian integrated population modeling to demographic data from a colony of the endangered greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum). available data were the number of subadults and adult ...200717650245
cloning and expression of pdk4, foxo1a and dyrk1a from the hibernating greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum).pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase isoenzyme 4 (pdk4) cdna was cloned from the brain of greater horseshoe bat (rhinolophus ferrumequinum). the deduced amino acid sequence shares strong homology with these pdk4 of other mammals. moreover, we partially cloned homologues of dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylated and regulated protein kinase 1a (dyrk1a), and forkhead box protein o1a (foxo1a) from greater horseshoe bat. among five different tissues tested, pdk4 mrna was highly expressed in the heart, wh ...200717140834
lectin histochemistry of gastrointestinal glycoconjugates in the greater horseshoe bat, rhinolophus ferrumequinum (schreber, 1774).mucins in the gastrointestinal tract of rhinolophus ferrumequinum were investigated by histochemistry and lectin histochemistry to evaluate morphofunctional variations of different regions and their possible physiological and evolutionary implications. histochemical methods included periodic acid-schiff (pas), alcian blue (ab) at ph 2.5 and 1.0 and high-iron-diamine ab ph 2.5. binding of lectins con a, dba, wga, lta, lfa, pna and sba; lfa, pna and sba with prior sialidase treatment; and paradoxi ...200717570476
differential expression and functional constraint of prl-2 in hibernating bat.circannual hibernation is a biological adaptation to periods of cold and food shortage and the role of the brain in its control is poorly understood. an ssh library of hibernating bat brains (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) was constructed in order to explore the molecular mechanism of hibernation. an up-regulated gene, prl-2, was obtained from hibernating bat brains. prl-2 is a member of ptp family and has an important function in controlling cell growth. alignment of sequences showed that prl-2 is ...200717683965
rangewide phylogeography in the greater horseshoe bat inferred from microsatellites: implications for population history, taxonomy and conservation.the distribution of genetic variability across a species' range can provide valuable insights into colonization history. to assess the relative importance of european and asian refugia in shaping current levels of genetic variation in the greater horseshoe bats, we applied a microsatellite-based approach to data collected from 56 localities ranging from the uk to japan. a decline in allelic richness from west asia to the uk and analyses of f(st) both imply a northwestward colonization across eur ...200717927706
up-regulation of a non-kinase activity isoform of ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase beta1 (camkkbeta1) in hibernating bat brain.hibernation is an adaptive strategy that is utilized by some animals to survive the harsh environments of low temperature and food scarce. hibernators, however, can survive in frequent and dramatic fluctuation of body temperature and blood flow causing by periodic arousals during hibernation without brain insult, and this indicates that it must have some unique adaptive aspects of hibernation physiology. to find out the up-regulated genes of bat brain during hibernation and explore the brain fun ...200717258919
vocal communication in adult greater horseshoe bats, rhinolophus ferrumequinum.whereas echolocation in horseshoe bats is well studied, virtually nothing is known about characteristics and function of their communication calls. therefore, the communication calls produced by a group of captive adult greater horseshoe bats were recorded during various social interactions in a free-flight facility. analysis revealed that this species exhibited an amazingly rich repertoire of vocalizations varying in numerous spectro-temporal aspects. calls were classified into 17 syllable type ...200616418857
long-term paternity skew and the opportunity for selection in a mammal with reversed sexual size dimorphism.most mammalian groups are characterized by male-biased sexual size dimorphism, in which size-dependent male-male competition and reproductive skew are tightly linked. by comparison, little is known about the opportunity for sexual selection in mammalian systems without male-biased dimorphism, where the traits under sexual selection might be less obvious. we examined 10 years of parentage data in a colony of greater horseshoe bats (rhinolophus ferrumequinum) to determine the magnitude of male rep ...200616911219
full-length genome sequences of two sars-like coronaviruses in horseshoe bats and genetic variation analysis.bats were recently identified as natural reservoirs of sars-like coronavirus (sl-cov) or sars coronavirus-like virus. these viruses, together with sars coronaviruses (sars-cov) isolated from human and palm civet, form a distinctive cluster within the group 2 coronaviruses of the genus coronavirus, tentatively named group 2b (g2b). in this study, complete genome sequences of two additional group 2b coronaviruses (g2b-covs) were determined from horseshoe bat rhinolophus ferrumequinum (g2b-cov rf1) ...200617030870
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