Environmental Components and Boundaries of Morphological Variation in the Short-Tailed Fruit Bat (Carolliaspp.) in Ecuador

Abstract

Species in Carollia, although loosely recognizable by size and shape, show overlap in most morphological character states as well as in geographic distribution and use of resources. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding where and what this overlap is. Variation in the morphology of Carollia should correspond to the environment, yet such patterns remain unknown. Species may coexist as a function of environmental factors and sympatry may not be uniform along the distributional extent of these species. An informed perception of the morphological and ecological variation across their geographic range may clarify not only the limits and extents of their spatial and morphological boundaries, but also may provide insights into the relationships among size, shape and environment. In our quantitative analysis of the variation in morphology and environment we tried to answer what limits species distribution, as well as how morphology changes with the environment within and among species. A combination...