Data and code from: Dialect formation in ghost bats: Genetic, geographic, and morphological drivers of social and echolocation call divergence

Geographical patterns of vocal dialects are poorly understood in bats, despite growing evidence that they possess complex vocal communication systems.
We investigated patterns and drivers of variation in vocalisations recorded at five ghost bat colonies in the Northern Territory, Australia. We calculated the genetic and morphological distances among individuals and investigated correlations with geographic distance. We then determined variation within three ghost bat social vocalisations (“Chirp-trill”, “Squabble”, “Ultrasonic Social”) and their “Echolocation” call using seven spectrographic measurements. Finally, we tested whether acoustic distance could be explained by genetic, geographic, or morphological distance.
Geographic and genetic distance were highly correlated, suggesting the occurrence of isolation by distance. All measures of morphological distance were consistent with Bergmann’s Rule, except noseleaf shape, which is likely constrained by its role in echolocation. Geograph..., , # Data and code from: Dialect formation in ghost bats: Genetic, geographic, and morphological drivers of social and echolocation call divergence

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.kprr4xhjf](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.kprr4xhjf)

## Description of the data and file structure

To investigate dialect formation in the vocal repertoire of the ghost bat (*Macroderma gigas*), we collected genetic, geographic, morphological, and acoustic data from five colonies in the Northern Territory, Australia. Distances among colonies were calculated for each data type, and relationships between acoustic distance and genetic, geographic, and morphological distance were assessed using R.

This repository contains acoustic measurement datasets, genetic datasets, and sample covariates associated with those analyses.

## Files and variables

### File: all_ct.csv, all_u.csv, all_s.csv, all_e.csv

**Description:** These files contain acoustic measurements extracted from individual ghost bat vocalisations. Each row..., ,