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Acoustical and neural aspects of hearing in the Australian gleaning bats,Macroderma gigas andNyctophilus gouldi

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Summary

  1. 1.

    The maximum acoustic gain of the external ear inMacroderma gigas was found to be 25–30 dB between 5–8 kHz and inNyctophilus gouldi it reached 15–23 dB between 7–22 kHz. Pinna gain reached a peak of 16 dB near 4.5–6 kHz inM. gigas and 12–17 dB between 7–12 kHz inN. gouldi, with average gain of 6–10 dB up to 100 kHz. Pinna gain curves resemble that of a finite conical horn, including resonance.

  2. 2.

    The directional properties of the external ear in both species result from sound diffraction at the pinna face, as it approximates a circular aperture. The frequency dependent movement of the acoustic axis in azimuth and elevation is attributed to the asymmetrical structure of the pinnae.

  3. 3.

    Evoked potentials and neuronal responses were studied in the inferior colliculus. InM. gigas, the neural audiogram has sensitivity peaks at 10–20 kHz and 35–43 kHz, with extremely low thresholds (-18 dB SPL) in the low frequency region. InN. gouldi, the neural audiogram has sensitivity peaks at 8–14 kHz (lowest threshold 5 dB SPL) and 22–45 kHz. Removal of the contralateral pinna causes a frequency dependent loss in neural threshold sensitivity of up to 10–15 dB in both species.

  4. 4.

    The high frequency peak in the audiogram coincides with the sonar energy band in both species, whereas the low frequency region is used for social communication. Highly sensitive low frequency hearing is discussed in relation to hunting in bats by passive listening.

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Author notes

  1. Anna Guppy & Roger B. Coles

    Present address: Zoologisches Institut, Universität München, Luisenstrasse 14, D-8000, München 2, Federal Republic of Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    Anna Guppy & Roger B. Coles

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  1. Anna Guppy
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Guppy, A., Coles, R.B. Acoustical and neural aspects of hearing in the Australian gleaning bats,Macroderma gigas andNyctophilus gouldi . J. Comp. Physiol. 162, 653–668 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01342641

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