Yet there was only one case of close inbreeding, with a female mating with her father. Six cases of moderate inbreeding were also recorded (three maternal half-siblings, two paternal half-siblings, one granddaughter-maternal grandfather).
It's not clear why female bats choose certain males and how they can find them time and again.
"One possibility is that the female relatives are sharing information and following each other to suitable mating sites, where the males live," Rossiter said.
"This is a phenomenal study. The depth of lineage information is beyond anything yet seen for wild bats. I suspect females choose mates on the basis of some cues that indicate high fitness, maybe odors," Gary McCracken, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, told Animal Planet News.
Name: Greater Horseshoe Bat (
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
Primary Classification: Chiroptera (Bats)
Location: Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and most of Asia.
Habitat: Vegetation near water, especially parks, pastures and edges of woodland.
Diet: A variety of insects, especially moths, beetles, craneflies and sedge flies.
Size: Around 2.5 inches in length and 1 oz in weight.
Description: Thick, gray fur on top and buff underneath; leaf-shaped ears with pointed tips; horseshoe-shaped skin around nose.
Cool Facts: In colder climates, it hibernates during the winter months, wrapping itself in its own wing membranes to stay warm.
Conservation Status: Lower Risk (Near Threatened)
Major Threat(s): Habitat loss, changes in prey base and human disturbance.
What Can I Do?: Visit
Bat Conservation International and
The Bat Conservation Trust for information on how you can help.
