From individual differences to collective decisions: insights from the disc-winged bat

In animal groups, individual differences in morphology, physiology, and behavior can significantly influence how collective decisions are made during tasks such as foraging, predator avoidance, and roost searching. This talk will focus on the disc-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor), a species that roosts inside the developing tubular leaves of plants like heliconias. As these leaves unfurl, bats become vulnerable to diurnal predators, forcing them to rapidly locate a new roost while maintaining group cohesion. Through a series of past and ongoing studies, I will show how individual differences, such as vocal activity, reliance on social versus personal information, and exploratory tendencies, influence these collective behaviors. Specifically, I will examine how these traits shape tasks like the emission of social calls during roost searching, coordinated flight, and the call-and-response system that enables group decision-making. Finally, I will discuss how these findings contribute to our broader understanding of collective behavior in small, stable animal societies, offering insights into the balance between individuality and cohesion in decision-making processes.