Low-frequency hearing sensitivity in the echolocating bat, E p t e s i c u s f u s c u s

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Abstract
Echolocating bats of the species Eptesicus fuscus use sound at frequencies of 10 to 100 kHz for sonar or for acoustic social communication, and they hear these ultrasonic frequencies very well. Eptesicus also has a lower-frequency region of auditory sensitivity from 200 Hz to 5 kHz. They may use these lower frequencies to detect and identify insect prey by passive hearing of the insect’s own sounds. The hearing of Eptesicus at low frequencies is tuned to 0.7 to 1.3 kHz, indicating that some specialization of the auditory system, perhaps in the external or middle ear, underlies the capacity to hear these lower frequencies. The results also suggest some specific role for low-frequency hearing in the bat’s life, and it is known that Eptesicus orients towards the sounds produced by insects under natural conditions.

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