Surviving in the Dark: The Complexities of Nocturnal Animal Behavior and Adaptation
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Wildlife".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 5237
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Image courtesy of 1 Will Hall; 2,3,5 Aconk; 4 Carlos Carrapato; 6 Diogo Oliveira; (1. Nycticebus javanicus, 2. Paradoxurus musanga javanicus, 3. Vivvericula indica, 4. Lynx pardinus, 5. Prionailurus javanensis, 6. Miniopterus schreibersii)
Special Issue Editors
Interests: bats; wildlife; conservation; monitoring; conservation education
Interests: animal welfare; mammal conservation; nocturnal animals; spatial ecology; density and distribution of mammals; feeding ecology; home range; illegal wildlife trade; taxonomy; conservation education; bioacoustics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The field of nocturnal animal behaviour and adaptation is a fascinating, developing area focusing on the ecological and biorhythmic changes in species that need or prefer to be awake during the night.
Recent advances in methodologies have significantly improved the ability to study and understand some of these changes. These include field-based methods, which allow for us to collect more detailed data than ever before; analytical methods, which allow for us to interpret these data; and genetic and taxonomic methods, which allow for us to reveal more cryptic nocturnal animals.
The world, and consequently, all natural values, have been influenced by climate change and anthropogenic changes, posing additional difficulties in understanding some biological adaptations. Scientists have an even more difficult task to distinguish between normal biological adaptations and those influenced by climate- or other human-mediated effects, such as artificial light at night.
Overall, this Special Issue intends to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in nocturnal animal behaviour and adaptation, and new methodologies to study them.
We welcome high-quality and original research or review papers that address new insights on these topics.
Dr. Luísa Rodrigues
Prof. Dr. Anna Nekaris
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- nocturnal species
- nocturnal behaviour
- nocturnal adaptation
- biorhythmic changes
- cryptic species
- climate change
- bats
- amphibians
- marsupials
- primates
- birds
- reptiles
- conservation
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Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: The unique adaptive profile of lorises is supported by a suite of specializations of the sensory system that are reflected in the morphology of the cranium
Authors: Mary Silcox; Sergi Lopez Torres
Affiliation: University of Toronto
Abstract: This paper seeks to consider the temporal depth of these adaptations based on the orbital and inner ear morphology of the best-preserved skull of a fossil loris from the Miocene, pertaining to Mioeuoticus shipmani.
Title: The two extremes of pygmy loris night time life
Authors: Marina Kenyon
Affiliation: University of Cambridge
Abstract: Information gathered from pygmy loris rehabilitation and post-release tracking has gleamed further insight into the seasonal adaptations of pygmy loris in South Vietnam, in surviving in the extreme dry season and extreme wet. They drastically change their appearance from orange to a beige frosted, the frosted coat difficult to see amongst brown bamboo leaf in the extreme dry, in addition to changing the volume of food eaten. Social behaviour and tolerance of other pygmy loris changes in preparation for the strict breeding season. In the dry season out of mating season social affinities can be any way, in particular same sexed pairings, while in the wet breeding season with enlarged testicles, weapons are out and same sexed pairings are not an option. The seasonal search for mates is shown in the greater distances between sleep sites in the wet season, compared to the more relaxed dry season, when they travel under 100m.
Title: Effect of resource availability on ranging patterns and sleeping site selection of a nocturnal folivore, Avahi meridionalis
Authors: Giuseppe Donati; Marco Campera; Michela Balestri
Affiliation: School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University
Title: First vocalisation record of the elusive 'Data Deficient' black flying squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas) in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Sapphire Hampshire; Henry Bernard; Priscillia Miard
Affiliation: Universiti Malaysia SabahThis link is disabled., Kota Kinabalu, Malaysi
Abstract: Flying squirrels are the nocturnal, gliding relatives to tree and ground squirrels (order Sciuridae). Despite >50 species existing, literature is scarce meaning they are overlooked in conservation action plans. The ‘giant’ black flying squirrel (Aeromys tephromelas) is classed as ‘data deficient’, with no focused publications. Recently, individuals were observed during nocturnal mammal survey at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), an Eco centre at the edge of the Kabili-Sepilok Forest reserve in Sepilok, Sabah. The survey (February-March 2023) incorporated the use of Red LED spotlighting, thermal imaging and bioacoustic recording during systematic along-line point counts. The most notable result was the first documentation of a black flying squirrel vocalisation (call frequency: between 2-4 kHz, call duration: 0.34s, call repetition: 1.57s). Although call function could not be determined, this result sheds lights on a previously unknown part of their ecology. These results stress the urgency for further research on the black flying squirrel to evaluate their current extinction risk, considering deforestation is prevalent across most of their distribution. Additionally, the RDC, with its accessible trails and unique 25 m canopy walkway, provides an ideal field site for studying black flying squirrel ecology.
Title: Sleeping tree selection and camouflage in wild Sunda colugos from Langkawi Island, Malaysia
Authors: Molly C. Gilbert; Priscillia Miard; Nadine Ruppert; Nik Fadzly Nik Rosely; Francesco Rovero; Claudia Barelli
Affiliation: nstitute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS)
Abstract: Selection of sleeping trees and camouflage are important adaptations for many animals, providing them with protection from predators. One common camouflage tactic is background matching, the degree to which an animal is similar with its background pattern and colour. Sunda colugos (Galeopterus variegatus) are nocturnal mammals, distributed throughout Southeast Asia, with little information being available on camouflage potential. This study was conducted on wild colugos inhabiting Langkawi Island, Malaysia. We aimed to assess sleeping tree use by colugos, identifying sleeping tree parameters and comparing them to non-sleeping trees. Using photography, we quantified the degree of camouflage between the Sunda colugos and their chosen sleeping trees by analysing and comparing the colour and pattern of fur to that of the sleeping trees’ bark. The main findings revealed the majority of sleeping trees were used only once and by one individual only; however, re-use of sleeping trees and small groups on a single tree were also recorded. Among the described structural parameters of trees, colugos selected those with larger crown diameter compared to smaller ones. Lastly, in terms of pattern and colour, Sunda colugos’ fur matched the pattern of their sleeping trees, but not the colour. Although preliminary, this study emphasizes the importance of studying the cryptic colouration of Sunda colugos, as it provides important insights into their anti-predation tactics, which furthers the understanding of these elusive and poorly studied animals.
Title: Emerging from darkness: trafficking and unregulated translocations imperils Bengal slow loris in Bangladesh
Author: Hasan
Highlights: 1. we analyzed media reports to evaluate the incidences of illegal trading, rescue operations, and relocation efforts concerning the Endangered Nycticebus bengalensis in Bangladesh.
2. These individuals were released presumably without following any guidelines and there are no data on post-release survivorship.