Meeting Abstract

4.1  Sunday, Jan. 4  Connecting performance and behavior: the evolution of bite performance and biting behavior in bats SANTANA, S.E.*; DUMONT, E.R.; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of Massachusetts Amherst ssantana@bio.umass.edu

Morphological variation is usually regarded as determinant of differences in performance, behavior and ecology within and among species. The interaction between behavior and performance is a neglected part of this ecomorphological paradigm that could also affect ecological diversification. Here we used bats (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) as a model system to investigate the relationship between performance, behavior, and ecology. We studied the patterns of evolution and tested for correlations between bite performance and biting behavior among 20 species of bats with differing diets, and we reconstructed ancestral states for biting behavior and its plasticity. Our results indicated that although behavior possessed a strong phylogenetic signal, performance did not. Most variables exhibited accelerating evolution over time, and the rapid evolution of performance and behavior coincided with major dietary shifts from insect-feeding to plant-feeding. The evolution of bite performance and biting behavior were not correlated. However, bats modulated their performance by significantly changing their biting behavior to maximize bite force while feeding on hard foods. These results indicate a complex relationship between performance and behavior in this system. The ancestor of phyllostomids was likely a generalist characterized by high plasticity in biting behavior, a condition that later evolved secondarily in specialized frugivores and potentially contributed to their diversification.