Abstract
We investigated the diet composition of Natalus mexicanus in a semi-evergreen forest in the state of Oaxaca, in the southeast of Mexico, using fecal analysis. The diet was composed of eight arthropod orders, the most abundant and important preys being members of the orders Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera. We did not observe significant differences in diet composition between males and females or in proportions consumed by the bats and those obtained through collections with light traps. In the study area, N. mexicanus is a species with a generalist opportunist diet.
Highlights
Resumo Investigamos a composição da dieta de Natalus mexicanus em uma floresta perenifólia no estado de Oaxaca, no sudeste do México, utilizando análise fecal
We carried out fecal analysis since this way we could obtain a higher number of samples compared to prey remains and stomach contents, as well as relatively more accurate results on the orders consumed by the bats
It is a less destructive sampling method (Gardner 1977; Rabinowitz and Tuttle 1982; Kunz and Whitaker 1983; Whitaker et al 2009). This technique consists of collecting feces, analyzing it by separating exoskeletons from other dirty, and identifying large pieces of these exoskeletons such as legs, antennas, eyes, and wings for the identification and quantification of prey abundance (Whitaker et al 2009).It is known that N. mexicanus feeds on small insects, mainly of the orders Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera (Kunz et al 2011)
Summary
Resumo Investigamos a composição da dieta de Natalus mexicanus em uma floresta perenifólia no estado de Oaxaca, no sudeste do México, utilizando análise fecal. We carried out fecal analysis since this way we could obtain a higher number of samples compared to prey remains and stomach contents, as well as relatively more accurate results on the orders consumed by the bats.
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