动物造模 z-bio 2021-12-02 438

　　Vietnamese dwarf dormouses have "poor eyesight" like bats, and their "navigation" methods are similar. Recently, researchers discovered that this small and agile brown rodent, native to Vietnam, can use sound waves to detect the surrounding environment.

　　After studying dormouses in Moscow Zoo, Russia, the researchers believe that these animals cannot see objects due to the folding of the retina and the low number of neurons responsible for collecting visual information. But by recording the activities of dormouses, they found that these animals can emit ultrasonic waves—some bat species can also emit similar sound waves. Moreover, audio-visual data shows that when the dormouse is active, the sonic pulse rate is greater than when it is at rest.

　　These sound waves can be bounced off objects so that the dormouse can perceive the surrounding environment. This ability is also called echolocation or biosonar. The study showed that the dormouse is the only tree-climbing mammal known to use ultrasonic echolocation. Related papers were published in the journal "Integrated Zoology".

　　Researchers said that an extinct ancestor of these dormouses may have used leaves as a bed and lost the ability to see objects in the dark. As these animals began to climb to the trees, they gradually developed the ability of ultrasonic echolocation so that they could adapt to the new "acrobatic lifestyle." The discovery also supports the theory that bats may have evolved echolocation techniques before they could fly.