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Target-detection by the echolocating bat,Eptesicus fuscus

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Summary

The long-range echo-detection capabilities of echolocating bats (Eptesicus fuscus) were studied in a two-choice psychophysical procedure.E. fuscus can detect 4.8 mm diameter spheres at a distance of 2.9 m, and 19.1 mm diameter spheres at a distance of 5.1 m. The threshold of echo-detection corresponds to the distance at which a target returns an echo amplitude in the region of 0 dB SPL. The results demonstrate that the maximum effective range of bat sonar is greater than previously indicated by obstacleavoidance and target-interception tasks.

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Kick, S.A. Target-detection by the echolocating bat,Eptesicus fuscus . J. Comp. Physiol. 145, 431–435 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00612808

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