OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION IN THE LESSER SPE AR-NOSED BAT PHYLLOSTOMUS DISCOLOR (CHIROPTERA, PHYLLOSTOMIDAE)

Male Phyllostomus discolor are able to distinguish between the own and another male's marking odour. When their preferred roosting-site was marked by a strange male, they increased the amount of rime spent ther e, but, however, not at an alternative sire, when the same mark was pr esent. The amount of time at the preferred site did not increase in re sponse to the presence of own odour, while own odour at an alternative site resulted in increased time spent there. Female P. d. reacted to a non-harem-male's odour at their roosting-site with an increase in mo tor activity but not an increase in the time spent there. The odour of the familiar harem male evoked little behavioural response.