This study provides the first record of Lasiurus ega (Gervais, 1856) from the Caatinga domain of the northeastern Brazilian state of Paraiba. The specimen was captured in mist-nets set in a grove of mango trees (Mangifera indica L.; Anacardiaceae), an exotic fruit species, on the Tamandua Farm, located in the rural municipality of Santa Terezinha (07o01’ S, 37o23’W), in the semi-arid zone of Paraiba. External and dental skull measurements were taken following standard procedures and compared with the data available on L. ega in the literature. An updated map of the distribution of L. ega in northeastern Brazil is provided. The Caatinga occupies 92% of the area of Paraiba, and its chiropteran fauna is still largely unknown. This record increases the number of bat species now known to occur to 44 in the Paraiba Caatinga, of which 19 are restricted to this biome.
Fluctuating asymmetry is a biological phenomenon defined by directionally departures from perfect symmetry and is hypothesized to indicate the inability of an organism to maintain precise development. Furthermore, its measurement permits evaluation of levels of stress during development of organisms, since asymmetric patterns indicate a stressful environment during ontogeny. This study aimed to assess whether there is significant difference between body sides in two bat species adapted to urban environments and if there is significant difference in levels of asymmetry in various body regions. Bats, Artibeus planirostris (n = 89) and Sturnira lilium (n = 36), were studied. In most body parts, there was no significant difference between sides, suggesting that species adapted to a human environment were not hampered. Moreover, we observed that bat forelimbs had the lowest levels of asymmetry (p <0.05 between the hindlimb and forelimb, and p <0.01 between the head and forelimb, on females of S. lilium ). Some studies suggest a ranking of importance of body parts based on the degree of asymmetry. This study highlighted the importance of the forelimbs in bats and suggested that they are not hampered by adaptation to human environments.
Frugivorous bats are important components of the natural environment since they perform essential roles in the maintenance of ecosystems, such as seed dispersal and the pollination of several plant species. This study aimed to describe the diversity of the Family Phyllostomidae and the diet of these bats at Urucum Massif in the municipality of Corumba, Mato Grosso do Sul. Captures were carried out using mist nets, from April to September 2004, in different vegetation types found within the study area. The captured bats were placed in individual cotton bags where they were allowed to defecate. The collected feces were washed and treated before their contents were identified using specialized keys. Bats were released back at their respective capture points on the night following capture. A total of 83 bats belonging to nine species of the Family Phyllostomidae were captured. The most abundant phyllostomids were Platyrrhinus lineatus, Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus lituratus. The most frequently consumed plants were represented by three families that are considered pioneer species: Cecropiaceae, Piperaceae and Moraceae. Since the study site is strongly impacted by mining activities, we recommend special attention be given to the conservation of bats that occur in the region due to their contribution to the regeneration of areas degraded by mining.
Beamerella latiscuta , n. sp. is described from the Leaf-chinned Bat, Mormoops megalophylla , taken in Colombia. A key to the species of Beamerella is given.
Pigmentary disorders such as albinism and leucism are rare in bats. These phenomena are caused by genetic mutations resulting in complete absence of pigmentation in eyes, skin and fur (albinism) or partial or total deficiency of pigment in all the body or parts (leucism). While monitoring a maternal colony of Tadarida brasiliensis located in Rosario, central Argentina, one albino specimen and other 12 with different kinds of leucism were recorded. The albino T. brasiliensis represents the first record for Argentina and South America. Shapes and location of these pigmentary disorders were described in leucitic individuals and compared with previous records from other authors. Here we report a new type of leucism not described until now. These records constitute the first description for South America of many individuals with different leucitic patterns in the same colony. Possible ecological implications for these atypical patterns are discussed.
This paper summarizes a first account of the bat fauna in the middle elevations of the Tambito Nature Reserve in the Colombian Choco. A month-long survey using mist netting found 13 genera comprising at least 26 species. As expected from mist net bias, virtually all the bats captured were understory phyllostomids, with few exceptions. Nonetheless, high ecological diversity was confirmed with frugivorous, nectarivorous, insectivorous and sanguivorous guilds represented. Estimates using extrapolation place the real understory diversity somewhere above 30 species, making this a key site for conservation of bats in general, and the genera Sturnira , Platyrrhinus , and Vampyressa , in particular.
Atualmente a recria artificial de filhotes de morcegos orfaos ou abandonados e baseada em tentativas e erros (Barnard, 1995). Com isso, a divulgacao de relatos mostra-se fundamental no que se refere ao uso de novas formulas que garantam maior probabilidade de acerto. Phyllostomus hastatus e especie frequentemente capturada no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, onde harens ou grupos de machos solteiros sao encontrados utilizando-se de ocos de arvores, grutas e construcoes residenciais para refugio (Esberard et al ., 1997). Durante uma captura de morcegos em refugio localizado em oco de arvore notamos o abandono de dois filhotes desta especie em 24/11/2001. Os dois animais, machos, apresentavam idade estimada de 15 e 20 dias respectivamente, a julgar pelo desenvolvimento do pelame, peso (21 e 40 g) e do comprimento do antebraco (39,00 e 55,07 mm).
Adaptamos o uso de coleiras plasticas para os morcegos capturados. Apos experimentos com 3 modelos diferentes de amarras plasticas encontramos um que se adapta as nossas necessidades e apresenta as caracteristicas desejadas – GI-5000 (Baumgartena) - (1) maleavel, nao limitando os movimentos dos animais; (2) comprimento satisfatorio facilitando o manuseio no momento da aplicacao – 12,65 mm, (3) peso adequado a todas as especies de morcegos Phyllostomidae – 0,2 g e (4) fina o bastante para permitir os movimentos normais da cabeca.
Colombia has near 180 bat species and is the second richest country in bats at the world and first for all America. Of these species, 59% are in the Andean zone, where also most of the country socioeconomic activity is concentrated and where severe processes of natural habitat transformation happen. From October of 2002 until January of 2003, a bat study was made in eight localities of the Departments of Calda, Quindio and Risaralda. Altogether 807 individuals pertaining to 33 species of bats, 16 genus and four families were captured. Saccopteryx bilineata was in this study registered for the first time for the Colombian Andes. In spite of the high degree of human intervention, the coffee rural landscapes lodge an important number of species of bats and the abundance of frugivores and nectarivores indicate that the pollination and seed dispersion would be the more important environmental services that bats are offering in agroecosystems.
The Escaba dam is in the southwest of Tucuman province, northwestern of Argentina. The characteristics of the structure of the dam favored the development of a colonial aggregation of Tadarida brasiliensis. The colony is protected and the species is included in the Convention on Conservation to Migratory Wild Animal Species, to which Argentina has adhered in 1991. As an alternative that could make compatible the opposed interests of the conservationists groups and the civil employees in charge of the security of the dam, the colony of bats was relocated and confined to one of the seven inner bays of the structure, without affecting the integrity of the colony. The controlled confinement will facilitate the later tasks of auscultation, indispensable to guarantee the security of the dam, the people, and the material goods and productive activities downstream, and will constitute an alternative of viable handling for the protection of the colony.
Redes-de-neblina sao instrumentos utilizados ha poucas decadas, principalmente em pesquisas envolvendo aves e morcegos. Seu surgimento e disponibilidade no mercado pode ser considerado uma verdadeira revolucao metodologica, pois favoreceu um aumento impressionante na possibilidade de obtencao de informacoes antes praticamente inacessiveis.
The frog-eating bat, Trachops cirrhosus , is a medium-sized carnivore bat (28-45 g), which appears to feed mainly on frogs, although it also eats lizards, some insects and occasional fruits, small mammals and birds. This species is able to identify frog species by their vocalizations and avoid poisonous species. In August 2002 we found three feeding roosts of T. cirrhosus in an abandoned house within the Reserva Biologica de Saltinho, Pernambuco state. Despite their high behavioral specialization to consume frogs, in the Saltinho Reserve frog- eating bats consumed mainly birds and perhaps bats.
We have been documenting the species diversity of mammals in Guyana since 1990 to investigate their distribution, systematics, biogeography, ecology, and conservation. Recent work, primarily in the lowland area of Iwokrama Forest in central Guyana, has identified 24 species of bats new to the country (Lim et al . 1999, Lim & Engstrom In press). A total of 239 specimens representing 33 different species of bats were collected during this short exploratory three week field expedition to the Upper Mazaruni River area in September 1997. Work in other parts of the Pakaraima Highlands would be highly informative in light of the fact that three poorly known species were obtained during this preliminary survey
Fishing bats ( Noctilio spp.) occur in Central and South Americas. Distribution is from the Mexican Pacific coast and Cuba (greater species) to south of Guatemala (smaller species) and to the north of Argentina and Uruguay, including the Greater and Smaller Antilles. The two fishing bats species are present in Ecuador, but there is no present scientific documentation on Noctilio leporinus in the Ecuadorian Coast. Herein we report two unusual registries from three collected individuals of this species, in the begining of 1999, inside and outside the limits of the urban zone of the Guayaquil city, Ecuador.
There are few extensive works on the reproductive phenology of phyllostomid bats. Herein I present data on reproduction of six species of phyllostomid bats at Serra do Japi, Sao Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Seemingly, sexual activity of frugivorous and nectarivorous species is more intense from July through November. Most pregnant females were collected between September and February and, consequently, most births should occur between October and March, period which corresponds to the warm and wet season, when food availability reaches its maximum at Serra do Japi.
The genus Diclidurus Wied, 1820 includes four species currently recognized, D. albus Wied, 1820, D. ingens Henandez-Camacho, 1955 , D. isabellus (Thomas, 1920), and D. scutatus Peters, 1869 (Jones and Hood 1993; Simmons 2005). Diclidurus inhabits moister areas from tropical and semidecidual forests from Mexico to southern Brazil (Eisenberg and Redford 1999, Peracchi et al. 2006
