Chiropteran Fauna Research Articles

A preliminary assessment of the bat fauna (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Murlen National Park, Mizoram, India: distribution, morphology, and echolocation

As part of a faunal documentation work in Murlen National Park in Mizoram, two field surveys were conducted in the park area and its immediate periphery which resulted in capture of 39 individuals of bats. Based on these captures and a previous published record, 14 bat species belonging to nine genera and three families were recorded from the study area. Despite lesser sampling coverage and shorter duration of the surveys, uncommon and little-known species like Arielulus circumdatus, Kerivoula cf. hardwickii, Myotis annectans, Myotis montivagus, and Mirostrellus joffrei were recorded, thereby highlighting the rich assemblage of chiropteran fauna and also the need for effective protection of the area. Based on the collected samples, five species—Rhinolophus affinis, R. perniger, Myotis annectans, Pipistrellus javanicus, and Mirostrellus joffrei—are first recorded from Mizoram state. The echolocation call structures of four of the recorded species from the study area are also presented. We have also provided an updated checklist of the bat fauna of Mizoram state comprising 35 species of five families.

Filtros ambientais urbanos na movimentação de aves e morcegos em uma cidade média do Sul do Brasil

Urbanization causes drastic changes in the diversity and distribution of many species in Brazil, there are insufficient data on the accessibility and quality of urban forest fragments for wildlife. Thus, we estimated the proportion of bird and bat species barred from entering the intra-urban area of Ponta Grossa (PR) through a multiscale study of landscape and vegetation quality in the core area and the avian and chiropteran fauna present. Phytosociological analyses were carried out by means of tree and shrub vegetation plots in three urban parks. Bird surveys were carried out in a non-systematic manner over 12 months at dawn and dusk at potential birding sites in the urban area. Data on bats were obtained from the literature on local sampling in the urban area. Finally, landscape fragmentation metrics were calculated to assess the resistance of urban areas to the transit of the target species. A total of 142 shrub and tree taxa were surveyed in forested urban remnants, with diversity H' ranging from 3.68 to 3.87. This vegetation supported 62 species of birds and 8 bats, exceeding the literature estimative. The urban space is frequented by 37% of the regional avifauna and 50% of the regional chiropterofauna. The forest fragments have significant areas with a good supply of resources, close enough to connect these populations. However, the species observed are mostly generalists due to the poverty of the transition area corridors, which causes those peri-urban source areas could strongly select species adapted to environments subjected to edge effects. An integrated analysis of the vegetation cover of riparian areas, street trees, and backyard vegetation could point out the bottlenecks that urban planning should focus on to increase the environmental quality of the urban area.

Thousands of bats: A portrait of the chiropteran fauna of Palmas city, Central Brazil

AbstractUrban development remodels the natural landscape and reconfigures local faunal communities. This study investigated for the first time the composition of bats in the city of Palmas, a rapidly growing urban centre in the state of Tocantins, Brazil. We recorded twenty‐three species of bats, most of them frugivorous, and we try to launch light on a large colony of urban insectivorous bats. This bat colony contained an estimated one million broad‐eared bats (Nyctinomops laticaudatus), and resided under the Fernando Henrique Cardoso Bridge of Friendship and National Integration, over the Tocantins River, between April and the beginning of October. This site has been certified as a Site of Special Importance for Bat Conservation by the Latin American and Caribbean Bat Conservation Network. The protection of the city’s bats in general, and the bridge colony, in particular, will depend on efforts to raise the awareness of state and municipal authorities, programmes of environmental education and even the exploitation of the potential for local tourism.

Preliminary Assessment of Chiropteran Fauna within Kayam Forest (Inocarpus fagifer) in Barangay Pagatpatan, Butuan City, Philippines

Bats conservation studies in Butan City particularly within Kayan Forest are poorly studied and not even documented in the place. This study was purposely conducted to document and identify bats species in the unique forest. Diversity and assessment were conducted in different strategic locations along the portion of the lower Agusan River particularly in a well-known Kayam Forest (Inocarpus fagifer) in Butuan City, Philippines. The bats’ assessment was made through the mist-netting captured-and-release method for species identification and composition. Morphometrics was used for the validity of species taxonomic identification up to the species level. A total of four (4) species of bats were identified within the Kayam forest comprising 15% of the total known Mindanao bats and 10% of known Philippine bats, respectively. Among the identified bat species, Ptenochirus jagori was the most abundant species accounting for 57% of all total bats recorded followed by Macroglossus minimus and Cynopterus brachyotis with both obtained 19%. The species Ptenochirus minor was the rare species observed. Of all species, two (2) Philippine endemic were recorded, and these are Ptenochirus minor and Macroglossus minimus. Both endemic species were encountered within the Kayam forest vegetation. Initial results revealed that the Kayam forest could provide a suitable environment for all identified species of bats. Considering the recorded endemic species, this study provides preliminary information to the local government for their proper implementation, conservation, and protection of this unique local vegetation.

Bat assemblage at a high diversity locality in the Atlantic Forest

The Estação Biológica Santa Lúcia (EBSL) is one of the oldest reserves in Brazil, used as a research site since 1939 by the naturalist Augusto Ruschi. It is an Atlantic Forest fragment, and its fauna and flora have been studied throughout the years. However, its chiropteran fauna remains virtually unknown. Here, we aim to provide a bat species list for EBSL. We installed mist-nets over 19 nights from mid-2009 to mid-2010, with a sampling effort of 20 875.5 m2.h. We captured 204 specimens, from two families and 22 species. Ecological analysis reveals a medium to high diversity, heavily dominated by frugivorous species. The collector’s curve and the estimative of species richness suggests that the chiropteran fauna at EBSL remains partially unknown, and we encourage further inventories.

Annotated checklist of bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Mount Cameroon, southwestern Cameroon

Mount Cameroon is a priority area for global biodiversity conservation, considering its high species richness and endemism across many taxa. As of yet, its Chiroptera fauna is still poorly known. Thus this paper aims to provide an updated checklist of the Chiroptera fauna of Mount Cameroon based on our own field data, previously published data and data from museum collections. Details on published references and conservation statuses are also provided for each species. During our field surveys (2016-2018), 613 individuals and 21 species were recorded. Among them three species are new to the area: Mops (Xiphonycteris) nanulus J. A. Allen, 1917, Mops (Xiphonycteris) thersites (Thomas, 1903) and Glauconycteris egeria Thomas, 1913. These new records bring the number of known bat species in the Mount Cameroon area to 38, belonging to seven families. This includes Pteropodidae Gray, 1821 (eleven species), Hipposideridae Gray, 1821 (six species), Rhinolophidae Gray, 1825 (three species), Miniopteridae Dobson, 1875 (three species), Vespertilionidae Gray, 1821 (seven species), Nycteridae Van der Hoeven, 1855 (five species) and Molossidae Gervais, 1856 (three species). We also observe that 23.7% of bats in the area are frugivorous (nine species), 71.1% are insectivorous (27 species) and 5.3% are nectarivorous (two species). Moreover, because of the increasing rate of deforestation in the area caused by slash-and-burn shifting cultivation and expansion of agro-industrial plantations, knowledge of the regional chiropteran fauna is imperative, especially as this information can provide a base for the development of future management and conservation strategies.

Fossil micromammals of the early Pliocene locality of Almenara MB: biostratigraphical and palaeoecological implications

In this work, we have studied the fossil rodent, insectivore and chiropteran faunas, of a new locality from the AlmenaraCasablanca karstic complex, named ACB MB (Castellón, east Spain). We consider an early Ruscinian age for this site, close to the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, and infer warm and relatively humid conditions from the analysis of the micromammal assemblage. We remark the presence of two species of Eliomys in ACB MB, rare in localities of this age, and the lack of any gerbil remains, fossil markers of faunal interchanges between Africa and Europe in the context of the Messinian Salinity Crisis, recorded in the nearby late Miocene site of ACB M

Echolocation calls of some bats of Gujarat, India

Abstract Bats play an important role by providing ecosystem services including pollination, seed dispersal, forest regeneration and insect pest control and also serve as bio-indicators. In the present study, we present an acoustic guide to the calls of nine species of bats from Gujarat belonging to families Rhinopomatidae (Rhinopoma hardwickii, Rhinopoma microphyllum), Emballonuridae (Taphozous melanopogon, Taphozous longimanus and Taphozous nudiventris), Rhinolophidaea (Rhinolophus lepidus), Hipposideridae (Hipposideros galeritus) and Vespertilionidae (Scotophilus heathii, Pipistrellus ceylonicus). Discriminant function analysis was used to classify the bat calls to the species level using leave-one-out cross validation. Analysis was carried out separately for constant frequency (CF) calls and frequency-modulated (FM) calls. Bats echolocating with CF calls were classified with 100% success, while in the case of FM calls, the calls were classified with 66.7% accuracy. In species-rich communities, care should be taken while using echolocation calls to identify bats producing FM calls. More such call libraries of bats from other parts of India are needed for non-invasive documentation of chiropteran fauna in different biogeographic zones.

The Serological Prevalence of Rabies Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies in the Bat Population on the Caribbean Island of Trinidad.

Rabies virus (RABV) is the only lyssavirus known to be present within the Caribbean. The island of Trinidad, is richly diverse in chiropteran fauna and endemic for bat-transmitted rabies with low RABV isolation rates observed in this population. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies (RVNA) in light of spatio-temporal and bat demographic factors to infer the extent of natural exposure to RABV in the Trinidadian bat population. RVNA titers were determined by the RABV micro-neutralization test on 383 bat samples representing 21 species, comprising 30.9% of local bat diversity, from 31 locations across the island over 5 years. RVNA was positively detected in 33 samples (8.6%) representing 6 bat species (mainly frugivorous) with titers ranging from 0.1 to 19 IU/mL (mean 1.66 IU/mL). The analyses based on a multivariable binomial generalised linear mixed-effects model showed that bat age and year of capture were significant predictors of seropositivity. Thus, juvenile bats were more likely to be seropositive when compared to adults (estimate 1.13; p = 0.04) which may suggest early exposure to the RABV with possible implications for viral amplification in this population. Temporal variation in rabies seropositivity, 2012–2014 versus 2015–2017 (estimate 1.07; p = 0.03) may have been related to the prevailing rabies epizootic situation. Regarding other factors investigated, RVNA was found in bats from both rural and non-rural areas, as well as in both hematophagous and non-hematophagous bat species. The most common seropositive species, Artibeus jamaicensis planirostris is ubiquitous throughout the island which may potentially facilitate human exposure. The findings of this study should be factored into public health assessments on the potential for rabies transmission by non-hematophagous bats in Trinidad.

Distribution and new records of cave-dwelling bats in the Central Zagros Mountains, Lorestan province, Iran

Data on distribution and fauna of cave-dwelling bat species from Iran is infrequent. Recent studies in certain parts of the country especially the western and southwestern regions demonstrated a high level of species richness for chiropteran fauna. Since Lorestan province is located in the middle of Zagros mountain ranges, and a considerable number of bat species are living in the adjacent provinces; it is expected that Lorestan also harbors a great number of bat species. In the present study, 49 caves were investigated of which 48 caves were found to be occupied by 1 to 3 bat species. Bats were identified using identification keys, measured, photographed, and then released. A total number of 68 records from 11 species was documented in this study. The identified species include Rhinopoma hardwickii, R. muscatellum and R. microphyllum from family Rhinopomatidae, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rh. hipposideros, Rh. euryale, Rh. mehelyi and Rh. blasii from family Rhinolophidae, Myotis blythii and M. capaccinii from Vespertilionidae family, and Miniopterus pallidus from Miniopteridae family. Rh. ferrumequinum with 19 observation records had the highest distributional range. Furthermore, the biggest colony comprising several thousands of individuals of R. microphyllum was observed in Khofash Big Cave. Myotis capaccinii, Rhinopoma microphyllum, Rhinolophus blasii, and Rh. mehelyi were observed for the first time in Lorestan province.

An Inventory of Chiropteran Fauna in Bhubaneswar City, Eastern India

An inventory of chiropteran fauna was carried out in Bhubaneswar city, Odisha, eastern India during October 2015 and March 2016 following roost survey and mist net survey techniques. During the study a total 19 species of bats belonging to seven families including the nationally threatened Rhinolophus rouxii were recorded of which family Vespertilionidae was the most diverse one, represented by five species. Majority of 11 species are found roosting and breeding in old temples and caves and are vulnerable from renovation activities, persecution and tourism. Therefore, long term monitoring of these sites are essential to understand the population trend over time and derive appropriate conservation implications.

Influence of the size and degree of conservation of remnants of the Atlantic rain forest on chiropteran assemblages

Reduction in the size and loss of the quality of habitats are considered the greatest threats to bat species. Aiming to complement information, the objective of this study was to evaluate, from compiled data, the influence of the size of forest fragments and their degree of conservation on the richness and composition of chiropteran fauna in the Atlantic rain forest. A total of 33 publications on Chiroptera in the Atlantic rain forest was reviewed and a list of 86 species was extracted from them. The size of forest fragments exhibited positive and significant relationship with the total number of Relatively Common Species, Rare Species, Not Generalist species and with richness. Positive and significant relationship was observed between degree of conservation of the forest fragments and the total number of Rare Species, of Not Generalist species and with richness. The results here presented indicate that large and well-conserved fragments of Atlantic rain forest should be the priority when the intention is to maintain a high richness of Chiroptera and of Rare Species and Not Generalist Species.

Influence of the size and degree of conservation of remnants of the Atlantic rain forest on chiropteran assemblages

Reduction in the size and loss of the quality of habitats are considered the greatest threats to bat species. Aiming to complement information, the objective of this study was to evaluate, from compiled data, the influence of the size of forest fragments and their degree of conservation on the richness and composition of chiropteran fauna in the Atlantic rain forest. A total of 33 publications on Chiroptera in the Atlanticrain forest was reviewed and a list of 86 species was extracted from them. The size of forest fragments exhibited positive and significant relationship with the total number of Relatively Common Species, Rare Species, Not Generalist species and with richness. Positive and significant relationship was observed between degree of conservation of the forest fragments and the total number of Rare Species, of Not Generalist species and with richness. The results here presented indicate that largeand well-conserved fragments of Atlantic rain forest should be the priority when the intention is to maintain a high richness of Chiroptera and of Rare Species and Not Generalist Species.

The bats of Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil

Abstract Rio Grande do Norte is one of the smallest states in Brazil but has a rich diversity of ecosystems, including Caatinga vegetation, remnants of Atlantic Forest, coastal habitats, mangroves and large karstic areas with caves. However, its chiropteran fauna is little known, and the state contains conspicuous gaps of information on the occurrence and distribution of bats in Brazil. In order to reduce this information gap, based on a review of scientific literature and regional mammal collections, we list 42 species of bats, including new occurrences for 13 species and discussion on their conservation status. Results show that more than half (54%) of the recorded species are phyllostomid bats, and about one third of the bats in the state roosts in underground cavities. The Caatinga harbored the highest bat richness in the state, including the occurrence of four vulnerable species (Furipterus horrens, Lonchorhina aurita, Natalus macrourus and Xeronycteris vieirai). The Atlantic Forest needs to be more sampled, including mangroves, coastal habitats and areas of Caatinga in the central region of the state (Borborema highlands), which are virtually unsurveyed. Although the recent increase of studies on bats in the state, future studies should complement conventional mistnetting with active roost search and bioacoustical records in order to obtain better data for unraveling the bat fauna of Rio Grande do Norte.

The understory bat community in a fragmented landscape in the lowlands of the Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico

Bat species in Neotropical regions are known to reach a high diversity. The Chiropteran fauna contributes significantly to the ecological dynamics of tropical forests and are excellent indicators of the state of conservation. The Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz has suffered severe habitat degradation and forest fragmentation in the last four decades, mostly due to anthropogenic activities. The main objective of the present study was to describe in terms of species richness, feeding guild, biomass, and dominance, the little known bat community of the Parque de Flora and Fauna Silvestre Tropical (PAFFASIT) in the municipality of Catemaco, Veracruz. We expected that after nearly 30 years of ambient protection that this study site would maintain its functional diversity, as well as complexity in the bat understory assemblage. Since the relationship between richness and abundance is regulated by area size and the structural complexity of the vegetation, we hypothesize that in the PAFFASIT, a small number of species in the understory are dominant in terms of abundance and biomass. Fieldwork was conducted from November 2007 to November 2008. Sixteen mist nets were operated on four consecutive nights monthly from dusk until 0300 hours. All bats captured were processed and released in the field. We estimate the overall species diversity. A species accumulation curve over time was constructed. All species were assigned a feeding guild. Sampling effort totaled 1344 net/hours. We captured a total of 509 individuals, which represented 22 species. The Phyllostomidae family accounted for 98% of the total captures. Four species of this family, Sturnira parvidens, Carollia sowelli, Artibeus jamaicensis and Glossophaga soricina, alone accounted for 79 % of the total captures. The frugivore guild had the highest number of species (68 % of total captures). Two species, S. parvidens and C. sowelli, represented 57 % of the total gross biomass of the sample. The Shannon-Wiener Index value was 1.97 for the overall sample. New species were added slowly each month, but after nine months the accumulation curve tended to reach an asymptote. Nine species were added to the bat inventory for this site. In PAFFASIT due to the slow accumulation of species the number of bat species may increase as more surveys are carried out. In our study, we initially hypothesized a dominance by a few species. Our results concur with our prediction; as we found four species, S. parvidens, C. sowelli, A. jamaicensis and G. soricina that dominated the bat assemblage. In agreement with our hypothesis, results revealed the presence of a rich understory assemblage of bat species, which is similar to other findings in neotropical forests, but with a different species composition. The four species, belonging to the Phyllostomidae family accounted for 79 % of all captures, as well as 68 % of the total captures of the frugivore guild. The PAFFASIT forest reserve probably serves as an important link between two large areas of relatively well-preserved rainforest immersed in an anthropogenic landscape. The bat community, we observed at the PAFFASIT seems to be a simplification of that of mature rainforests in Los Tuxtlas, and it is noteworthy the absence of rare or sensitive animalivorous bat species such a as Chrotopterus auritus, Lophostoma evotis, Trachops cirrhosus and Vampyrum spectrum.

Bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from a remnant of Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil

The RPPN Carnijó (08° 07’ 07” S, 35° 05’ 32” N) is a 25 hectare fragment of Atlantic Forest located in the municipality of Moreno, Pernambuco. Bats were sampled at this site during a total of 19 months between 2006 and 2008. Four mist-nets were set for six hours each night along trails, the forest edge, natural clearings, and over watercourses, while roosts were located during daytime searches. A total of 518 specimens were captured during 43 nights, representing 20 species in 16 genera. Total species richness was estimated to be 25.7 ± 2.0, and diversity was H’ = 2.07. The family Phyllostomidae predominated, with 98% (N = 509) of the specimens captured. The species recorded represent 28% of the known chiropteran fauna of the state of Pernambuco. The results indicate that the reserve may play a fundamentally important role in the maintenance of local biodiversity by acting as a “stepping stone” linking the larger fragments within the local landscape.

Richness of insectivorous bats in a chaparral area in the municipality of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico

Twenty species of bats have been reported in the state of Baja California, however, there is not much information available for this group due to the lack of local studies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to increase the knowledge about the actual existing chiropteran fauna in Tecate, Baja California. For this purpose, a combined sampling was performed by capturing specimens using mist nets and an ultrasonic bat detector. The sampling took place from September to November 2013 and from May to June 2014. Five species of the Vespertillionidae family were registered with mist nets, and the ultrasonic records detected 12 species of the Vespertilionidae, Molossidae and Phyllostomidae families. The fact that 4 scantly documented species were detected in the area (Eumops perotis, Lasiurus xanthinus, Lasiurus blossevillii and Myotis melanorhinus) is noteworthy. The results obtained provide the first data about echolocation sounds of bats in this locality. Thus, the information obtained in this research is relevant to the implementation of strategies for the conservation of bats in this area.

Diversity and Morphometry of Chiropteran Fauna in Jahangirnagar University Campus, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

The study was conducted to know the diversity of Chiropterans as well as their status and morphometric measurements in Jahangirnagar University campus between July, 2014 and April, 2015. Eight species of bats from three families were identified where Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and Pouch Tomb Bat (Saccolaimus saccolaimus) were recorded for the first time in Bangladesh. A total of 31bat individuals of 8 species were captured during 15 netting nights for morphological studies. Skull preparation was carried out for taking cranial measurements to identify the Pipistrelle species. No roosting colony of Pteropus gigantius was found in the study area but it visits the area only for foraging while the other species roost permanently. The old buildings in the study area provide suitable habitats for a significant number of insectivore bats. Indian Flying Fox (Pteropus gigantius) was the largest (mean head body length 23.33±1.86cm) and Least Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus tenuis) was the smallest (mean head body length 39.45±1.66 mm) species observed from the study area.Bangladesh J. Zool. 43(2): 201-212, 2015

The fossil bat assemblage of Sima del Elefante Lower Red Unit (Atapuerca, Spain): First results and contribution to the palaeoenvironmental approach to the site

The fossil bat assemblage from the Lower Red Unit of Sima del Elefante (TELRU) in Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain) has been exhaustively analysed for the first time. Bat fossil assemblages are of particular relevance to palaeoenvironmental approaches to sites. Here we integrate our new data on the chiropteran fauna with the data provided previously by other authors on the basis of the small-vertebrate assemblages and the palynology of the site. Our results are consistent with the earlier results in that they indicate a generally warmer climate than at present in the area and stable environmental conditions throughout the major part of the TELRU sequence. However, fossil bat assemblages sometimes lead to problems when they are used in landscape reconstruction. These problems are discussed here and should be taken into account in future works.

<b>Species diversity and seasonal variation in the composition of a bat community in the semi-arid brazilian caatinga

The caatinga scrublands are relatively poorly-studied, and few data are available on the biome’s chiropteran fauna. The present study focuses on the bat community of the arboreal caatinga of Serra da Guia. Bats were trapped in mist-nets on three new moon nights per month between October, 2008, and September, 2009. Atotal of 157 individuals were captured, representing 12 species. Species richness estimated by Jackknife1 was 14.8. Glossophaga soricina and Carollia perspicillata were by far the most common species, accounting for 56.7% of the specimens captured. Species diversity was 1.80, while equitability was 0.72. There was no significant seasonal difference in species diversity or evenness. However, the present study recorded a clear seasonal shift in community structure. The principal difference in species composition was related to the temporal distribution of the rarest forms – all of the seven rarest species were recorded exclusively in only one season (dry or wet). The nectarivorous bats predominated numerically both in the dry season as in rainy, while frugivores became prominent, in terms of both the number of species and individuals, during the wet season. The predominance of stenodermatine bats during the wet season almost certainly reflects the increased availability of resources for this group during this part of the year.