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Masked auditory thresholds from the bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum

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Summary

Thresholds for pure tones masked by broad band white noise were measured in the bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, using a classically conditioned response to shock. The critical ratios obtained from the masked thresholds differ from those obtained from other mammals in that some of the fine structure of the behavioural hearing curve is reflected in the critical ratio curve. This difference is discussed in relation to specializations of the auditory system of this bat.

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Supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, grant No. Sch 138/3&4, and Stiftung Volkswagenwerk Az. 111858

I thank H.U. Schnitzler and the Arbeitsgruppe Neuro- und Rezeptorphysiologie, Fachbereich Biologie der J.W. Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main for help and encouragement during the course of the experiment, Dr. L.H. Roberts and J.A. Simmons for criticism of the manuscript, and to the Life Sciences Department of the Polytechnic of Central London for providing support during the preparation of the paper.

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Long, G.R. Masked auditory thresholds from the bat,Rhinolophus ferrumequinum . J. Comp. Physiol. 116, 247–255 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605406

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605406

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