Olfactory mate choice in the Greater sac-winged bat (Saccopteryx bilineata): Influence of immunocompetence and parasites

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Many animal species use olfactory signals to gain information about conspecifics, such as individual identity, reproductive status, relatedness and fitness. One of the most important fitness parameter is an individual’s ability to fight parasites and pathogens. Thus, gaining information about the immunocompetence and the current infection status of a conspecific can help to decrease the risk of disease contraction and is therefore assumed to be an important factor in mate choice. While studies on olfaction and mate choice have mainly concentrated on laboratory mammals, there is a lack of evidence on the role of odour in signalling immunocompetence and infection status in wildlife species. Specifically, it is unclear if females use such information to choose a mate. This project aims to close this knowledge gap by investigating the role of odour in signalling immunocompetence and infection status, and its influence on mate choice decisions in wild populations of bats, which are exposed to natural pathogens, thus acting under natural conditions. Investigations will be done on the greater sac-winged bat, Saccotperyx bilineata, a bat species where odour is an important component of the courtship display. Former studies have shown that the wing sac odour of male greater sac-winged bats contains information about individual identity, reproductive status, geographic distance and species, but is so far unknown to inform females about the current infection status and immunocompetence. We aim at testing this hypothesis by collecting correlative and experimental data from animals of two wild populations in Costa Rica. By combining experimental and correlative studies, this project thus aims at providing an important contribution to our understanding about the role of olfactory cues in mate choice decisions in mammals.