Texas A&M University

Post-Doc, Biology

Researcher/Lecturer

About

I am interested in the evolution of vocal and social complexity in mammals. Bats are superb subjects for vocal and social complexity- they are extremely social,extremely vocal and highly diverse in social structure and ecology. With over 1,100 species bats are also a treasure trove for comparative studies. Compared to other taxa, relatively little work has been done on social behavior and acoustic communication in bats. However, this is changing rapidly with technological advances that allow portable ultrasonic recordings (laptops) and video capabilities in near complete darkness (infrared).  I  use a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates field work, laboratory experiments including psychoacoustics, genetic analyses and playback experiments to examine behavior, cooperation, perception, and vocal production in various species. I am currently working on Tadarida brasiliensis, Brazilian Free-Tailed bats. Males of this species produce complex songs that are highly organized, yet for any individual, vary considerably from one rendition to the next. In Michael Smotherman's lab at Texas A&M we are examining the neurobiology of vocal production of song. 

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Homepage: http://www.bio.tamu.edu/users/kisibohn/