Retinal ganglion cell topography and spatial resolution in three Indian pteropodid bats

Pteropodidae is the only phytophagous bat family that predominantly depends on visual and olfactory cues for orientation and foraging. During daytime, pteropodids of different species roost in sites with varying light exposure. Pteropodids have larger eyes relative to body size than insectivorous bats. Retinal topography has been studied in less than 10% of the approximately 200 pteropodid species, a behavioural estimation of spatial resolution is available only for Pteropus giganteus, and little is known about the relationship between their roost site preference and visual ecology. We present retinal ganglion cell topographic maps and anatomical estimates of spatial resolution in three southern Indian pteropodid species with different roosting preferences. Ganglion cell densities are between 1000 and 2000 cells/mm2 in the central retina and lower in the dorsal and ventral periphery. All three species have a temporal area in the retina with peak ganglion cell densities of 4600 to 6600 cells/mm2. As a result, the foliage-roosting Cynopterus sphinx and the cave-roosting Rousettus leschenaultii have similar anatomical resolution (2.7 and 2.8 cycles/degree, respectively). The anatomical estimate for the larger tree-roosting P. giganteus (4.0 cycles/degree) is higher than the spatial resolution determined earlier in behavioural tests. Like other pteropodids and unlike other vertebrates, all three species have choroidal papillae. Based on 15 pteropodid species studied to date, we find no relationship between roost type and eye size or visual acuity. For a general understanding of the sensory ecology of pteropodids that perform key ecosystem services in the tropics, it will be essential to study additional species.

Automated summary

Pteropodidae is the only bat family that relies primarily on visual and olfactory cues for orientation and foraging. Although the eye size and retinal density vary among species, there is no clear relationship between roosting preferences and visual acuity. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of the sensory ecology of pteropodids, which play important roles in tropical ecosystems.