Mother-Infant Communication in a Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon): Development of Vocalization

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Abstract
A Japanese bat that uses constant frequency echolocation signals, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon, has a close mother-infant relationship: the mother retrieves the young if it strays and returns to it after foraging. The breeding colonies are in dark caves, and infant vocalization may serve as a basis for mother-infant communication and recognition. Infant vocalization and its development were analyzed by separating mother-infant pairs of various ages and recording their vocalizations and behavior. Infants can emit oral and nasal calls. Vocal development consists of a shift from oral to nasal calls, low to higher frequencies, and noisy to pure tones. The shift occurs even within a syllable. Morphological perfection of the laryngo-nasal junction underlies vocal development.

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