Bat (Mammalia: Chiroptera) diversity, dominance, and richness in the southwestern region of Bhutan with three new records for the country

Pema Choephyel,Sangay Tshering,Sumit Dookia,Kuenzang Dorji,Karma Sherub,Dhan Bahadur Gurung

doi:10.11609/jott.4986.12.1.15114-15128

Pema Choephyel, Sangay Tshering + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4986.12.1.15114-15128

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Abstract

Bats are ecologically crucial as they are good pollinators and pest controllers, but are less known in Bhutan. We investigated bat diversity and richness in broadleaved forests of southwestern Bhutan. Fieldwork was carried out from July 2016 to April 2017 using mist nets and hoop nets. The main objective of the study was to document bat diversity and species richness. We captured 157 bats of 10 species belonging to four families. Two species (Myotis siligorensis Horsfield, 1855 and Rhinolophus affinis Horsfield, 1823) accounted for almost 52% of the total captures. Species richness of bats differed depending upon habitat types. Myotis siligorensis was captured more often from broadleaved forests whereas Rhinolophus macrotis Blyth, 1844 and Rhinolophus affinis were common around human settlements. The present study contributed three new records for Bhutan which increased the bat diversity from 65 to 68 species. We conclude that the southwestern region, especially Chukha District, could be one of the bat diversity hotspots in Bhutan.

Highlights

J TT to generate data on bat species richness and diversity.Chiroptera are unique and true flying mammals consisting of more than 1,300 species worldwide (Fenton & Simmons 2014)
Study area The study area covers the southwestern districts of Samtse and Dagana including Chukha covering an area of about 1,802km2
Species diversity of bats The bat fauna in southwestern Bhutan is insectivorous as no fruit bats of suborder Yinpterochiroptera belonging to the family Pteropodidae were captured

Summary

Introduction

Chiroptera are unique and true flying mammals consisting of more than 1,300 species worldwide (Fenton & Simmons 2014). They are divided into 18 families in two unequal suborders–Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera. Bats constitute the second most diverse order of mammals (Korad et al 2007). They represent about one-fifth of the 5,418 known mammal species (Lumsden 2004; Rajchal 2007). Bhutan has recorded 65 species which constitutes 33% of all mammal taxa of which nine species are fruit bats and 56 species are insectivorous belonging to five families (Marimuthu 2009). The most common group of bats in Bhutan is the evening bats (Vespertilionidae) with 34 species (Wangchuk et al 2004; Choden 2009)

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