First report of a hard fruit in the diet ofCenturio senex(Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Recently it was proposed that Centurio senex specializes on hard fruit because of its strong bite compared to other similar-sized frugivorous bats; however, this hypothesis has not been tested. We tested the hardness of 5 fruit species eaten by bats, including Sideroxylon capiri (Sapotaceae), here reported for the 1st time as part of the diet of C. senex. Results show that S. capiri is the hardest fruit of the species evaluated. This is the 1st evidence of C. senex eating hard fruit in the wild, which supports the theory of a skull adapted to eating hard fruit.