Noseleaf Morphology and Ecological Correlates in Phyllostomid Bats

Recent research has demonstrated that the noseleaves function in the echolocation system of phyllostomid bats. Species with different foraging habits would be expected to have different noseleaf morphology. Seven measurements of noseleaves of 46 species of phyllostomids were analyzed by use of multivariate techniques. Principal-components analysis separated desmodontines, brachyphyllines, glossophagines, and another group composed of the stenodermatines, carolliines, and phyllostomines. The first two principal components showed that noseleaf variables can be grouped by size of the horseshoe and size of the spear. Forearm length (a measure of body size) was correlated with general size of the noseleaf, spear size, and horseshoe size, but the correlation was strongest with the last feature, indicating that the spear is a more variable element that may depend on the ecology of the animal. A canonical discriminant analysis failed to separate stenodermatines from phyllostomines. However, it demonstrated an association between feeding habits and noseleaf morphology by creating a derived variable significantly correlated with feeding habits but not with body size among phyllostomines.