Re-examining extreme sleep duration in bats: implications for sleep phylogeny, ecology and function

• DOI: 10.32942/osf.io/97fpb
• Publication Date: 2021-07-03T05:04:32Z
• Authors: Christian Harding; Yossi Yovel; Talya Hackett; Stuart Peirson; Vladyslav Vyazovskiy
• Keywords: Sleep

Bats are quoted as sleeping for up to 20 hours a day, an example of extreme sleep duration amongst mammals. Given that is one the primary metrics featured in comparative studies sleep, it important determinations species-specific well founded. Here, we summarise evidence characterisation bats sleepers and discuss whether provides useful representation behaviour Chiroptera. Although there wealth activity data suggest diurnal cycle dominated by rest, citable they spend vast majority this time asleep limited single species studied under conditions which may not be representative natural environment. Furthermore, durations expressed all or bat species. This calls into question validity using represent sleep. We best practices future Chiroptera will allow better characterisations order elucidation factors influence duration.