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Bats Can Jam Each Other's Ultrasonic Signals

sciencehabit writes Just before nabbing an insect, a bat emits a rapid series of ultrasonic calls whose echoes back pinpoint the prey's exact location. Scientists call these sounds 'the feeding buzz,' and they're known to attract other bats presumably in search of a meal. When another bat arrives, it can jam the hunter's buzz, according to a new study, much like someone blocking a radio signal. That causes the original bat to miss its meal, allowing its competitor to swoop in to grab the insect instead. This is the first time that this type of competitive interference among individuals of the same species has been discovered in animals, the scientists say.

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  1. Competitive interference by Thanshin · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is the first time that this type of competitive interference among individuals of the same species has been discovered in animals, the scientists say.

    Any Friday night in a dance club should let them review that statement.

  2. Re:Seems familiar by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    "Squeeeeeeeekeekeeek", same as anything else.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. dogs by dhammabum · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I remember when I was a kid we had two basset hounds, mother and son. The son wasn't too bright. They would both get a bone, the mother would eat hers quickly and the son would doddle. She would then rush at the gate, barking furiously (at no one). The son would run up and start barking too. The mum would then double back and get his bone.

    Fair enough, she wasn't using sonar but it was "competitive interference among individuals of the same species."

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    I am not a robot. I am a unicorn.
    1. Re:dogs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      What an actual bitch!

  4. Re:Bats are interesting creatures by Immerman · · Score: 2

    Not really - every organism plays host to numerous relatively benign microorganisms, the interesting bit is that they can occasionally stumble upon a way to survive in other host species. Once they make such a jump the fact that some of their "benign to organism A" behavior wreaks havoc with organism B is only to be expected. Hell, you yourself host numerous gut bacteria that are essential to your continued survival, but if they made it into your bloodstream would cause a potentially fatal infection.

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