Frequency of leucism in a colony of Anoura geoffroyi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) roosting in a ferruginous cave in Brazil

Aline da Silva Reis,Robson de Almeida Zampaulo,Sônia Aparecida Talamoni

doi:10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0676

Aline da Silva Reis, Robson de Almeida Zampaulo + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0676

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Abstract

Abstract: We provide the first report of the frequency of leucism for a species of Neotropical bat. Leucism is an anomaly of the skin pigmentation of an animal that manifests itself as the total or partial loss of the natural color of the species, and can affect part of or the entire body. During a study involving capture and marking individuals of a population of A. geoffroyi residing in a cave in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, seven individuals with some degree of depigmentation were recorded out of 616 individuals marked, for a frequency of 1.1%. Since leucism is due to recessive gene expression, these findings may indicate that the population is isolated and possesses a high level of endogamy. Factors that may be responsible for this condition in the studied population remain unknown.

Highlights

Leucism is an anomaly of the pigmentation of the skin of animals and manifests itself as the total or partial loss of the natural color of the species, and can affect parts of or the entire body of an individual (Miller 2005; Acevedo & Aguayo 2008)
Pigmentation abnormalities have been recorded in fish, reptiles, birds and mammals (Uieda 2000, Abreu et al 2013); such abnormalities occur more frequently in small and isolated populations due to inbreeding, which increases the likelihood that recessive alleles are expressed (Bensch et al 2000)
Even though microchiropterans represent a group with the second greatest number of reported cases of leucism among Neotropical mammals (Abreu et al 2013), there remains a lack of studies addressing the factors related to its occurrence in bats

Summary

Introduction

Leucism is an anomaly of the pigmentation of the skin of animals and manifests itself as the total or partial loss of the natural color of the species, and can affect parts of or the entire body of an individual (Miller 2005; Acevedo & Aguayo 2008). Even though microchiropterans represent a group with the second greatest number of reported cases of leucism among Neotropical mammals (Abreu et al 2013), there remains a lack of studies addressing the factors related to its occurrence in bats.

Results

Conclusion