Molossus Rufus Research Articles

Isolation of Microascus sp. and Cephalotheca sp. from Bats in Argentina.

Bats worldwide play significant roles in ecosystem functions, encompassing pollination, seed dispersal, and pest control while concurrently serving as diseases reservoirs. As part of a comprehensive wildlife health surveillance effort, bats were systematically sampled within two national protected areas in Argentina. During this study 67 bats were examined and samples were collected from eight Molossus spp. individuals exhibiting conspicuous yellowish or white lesions on their noses. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and lactrimel agar for fungal growth evaluation. Fungal isolates were identified using morphologic and molecular taxonomic techniques, leading to the detection of Microascus sp. in three Molossus rufus from Ibera National Park and Cephalotheca sp. in five Molossus molossus from Marsh Deer National Park. No fungal growth was identified in samples collected from the healthy hairs of the bats displaying lesions on their noses. The two fungi, which have not previously been isolated from bats, should be considered potentially pathogenic, evidenced by diseased hairs in the affected individuals.

Ectoparásitos (Diptera, Hemiptera y Siphonaptera) de murciélagos (Chiroptera) en el nordeste argentino

New information is presented regarding bats and their ectoparasite insects in the Esteros del Iberá ecoregion, Corrientes, Argentina. The aim of this study was to explore the diversity of ectoparasite species found on bats in northeastern Argentina and analyze their taxonomic features, hosts, and distribution. Bats were collected from the Molossidae, Pyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae families along with ectoparasites from the Streblidae, Nycteribiidae (Diptera), Polyctenidae (Hemiptera) and Ischnopsyllidae (Siphonaptera) families. Aspidoptera falcata Wenzel, 1976, Megistopoda theodori Wenzel, 1966, Hesperoctenes eumops Ferris & Usinger, 1939 and Hespercotenes fumarius Westwood, 1874 were added to the ectoparasite fauna for the province of Corrientes, increasing the number of species and their geographic distribution. A rarely studied stage of a larva about to emerge from the posterior end of Basilia carteri Scott, 1936 (Nycteribiidae) was recorded. Additionally, 13 parasitological associations were made for the Esteros del Iberá, four of which are new for the province of Corrientes: B. carteri with Myotis riparius Handley, 1960, H. fumarius and H. giganteus Ronderos, 1959 with Molossus rufus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1806 and Myodopsylla wolffsohni wolffsohni Rothschild, 1903 with M. riparius Handley, 1960; the latter being also new for Argentina. These results provide host and locality records and new parasite-host associations.

Morphological and molecular confirmation of Ornithodoros hasei (Schulze, 1935) (Acari: Argasidae) in Colombia

A large number of tick species are proven vectors for the transmission of bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Soft ticks (Acari: Argasidae) in South America have been found to be the most frequent carriers of borreliae of the relapsing fever group (RFG); however, there are several information gaps specially on the taxonomy and distribution of some tick species. Here, we used light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and PCR amplification of a fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene to evaluate 174 larvae of Ornithodoros (Argasidae) collected from three bat species (Eptesicus orinocensis, Molossus rufus and Noctilio albiventris) in the Orinoquia Region of Colombia. The morphological and molecular results confirmed that all the analyzed larvae corresponded to Ornithodoros hasei. Comparisons of mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences showed low genetic divergence (0% - 0.3%) between larvae of the Department of Arauca in the Orinoquia Region and higher genetic divergence (3.4 - 4.7%) in sequences from other American countries. Our work represents the most recent collection of this species in Colombia and provides a molecular evaluation for the first time. Moreover, a new association of O. hasei with bats such as E. orinocensis is documented. Considering the wide distribution of O. hasei in the American Continent, and its putative role as vector for Borrelia, integrative studies that involve morphological, morphometric, molecular data and experimental crosses are needed to determine if the higher genetic distances are associated with cryptic speciation, as detected in other tick complexes, or represent genetic divergences among geographically different populations of O. hasei.

Histopathological survey of free-ranging neotropical bats with dermatitis.

Bats have a fundamental ecological role, and no wildlife disease has decimated more individuals than white-nose syndrome (WNS). This impactful mycosis has raised the importance of monitoring disease threats to bat populations. In this study, we aimed to investigate gross skin lesions in neotropical bats by histopathology to survey the occurrence of dermatitis that could resemble WNS cases in Brazil. Eleven species of free-ranging bats were sampled from the rabies surveillance program in 9 municipalities of Northern Paraná. Members of the Molossidae family were the most frequent ones among the 126 analyzed individuals, and 4 cases of dermatitis in 2 black mastiff bats (Molossus rufus), 1 great fruit-eating bat (Artibeus lituratus), and a big free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops macrotis) were detected. Gross lesions included alopecia, macules, discoloration, and hyperkeratosis. Among the bats with gross lesions, dermal thickening and mild inflammation were observed histologically. Two M. rufus bats had dermal fungal invasion; however, none resembled WNS.

Rhipicephalus microplus larvae: first report in bats, Molossus rufus.

Cattle are the main hosts of Rhipicephalus microplus; however, this ixodid can also parasitize other animal species. We collected a specimen of R. microplus larvae from one bat Molossus rufus (Mammalia, Chiroptera) from the Cachoeirinha municipality (29° 56' 52'' S and 51° 5' 43'' W), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The specimen was taxonomically identified using identification keys(Vargas2006). This study reports the first occurrence of this species parasitizing insectivorous bats in Brazil.

Seasonal analysis of the diet and trophic niche breadth of Molossus rufus É. Geoffroy, 1805 (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in a tropical urban environment.

This study aimed to analyze the diet and trophic niche breadth of an insectivorous bat very common in an urban environment in southern Brazil. To analyze the feeding habit of Molossus rufus, it was necessary to collect fecal samples in urban colonies in the city of Maringá, State of Paraná. Samplings occurred from November 2018 to September 2019, including rainy and dry seasons. The fragments found in the samples were identified up to the level of order or family whenever possible. Percentage of volume and frequency of occurrence, Feeding Index (IAi%), PERMANOVA, and trophic niche breadth were used. Thus, a total of 140 samples were obtained, 92 for the rainy season and 48 for the dry season. In terms of percentage of volume, the diet consisted mainly of Hymenoptera (46.9%) in the rainy season and Coleoptera (39.2%) in the dry season. The results for standardized trophic niche breadth were Ba = 0.36 for the rainy season and Ba = 0.37 in the dry season, indicating a low food diversity. In conclusion, there was a food preference on the part of M. rufus according to the season evaluated, with Hymenoptera and Coleoptera being the most relevant dietary items.

Comparative analysis of male reproductive accessory glands in bats Histiotus velatus (Vespertilionidae), Molossus rufus (Molossidae), and Peropteryx leucoptera (Emballonuridae).

Despite the high number of species and wide geographic dispersion, reproductive accessory glands (RAGs) of bats have traditionally received little attention in the literature, with some species not even having a basic description of their composition and structure. Thus, this study aimed to analyze and compare the composition, anatomy, and histology of male RAGs of bat species belonging to three of the largest (cosmopolitan) bat families: Vespertilionidae (Histiotus velatus), Molossidae (Molossus rufus), and Emballonuridae (Peropteryx leucoptera), in order to understand the variations in the bat RAGs. The results showed that the RAGs of H. velatus, M. rufus, and P. leucoptera are composed of an intra-abdominal prostatic complex, associated with the urethra, urethral glands, and a pair of inguinal bulbourethral glands; without ampullary glands or seminal vesicles. The prostatic complex can be composed of two (M. rufus and P. leucoptera) or three (H. velatus) prostatic regions, and can be compact (P. leucoptera), semi-lobed (M. rufus), or multilobed (H. velatus). Each prostatic region has unique and distinct characteristics, with the ventral region presenting a holocrine nature, exclusive to bats; while the dorsal and/or dorsolateral regions have similar characteristics to the ventral prostate of rats and to the human peripheral zone.

Aerial insectivorous bats in the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna: Modelling the occupancy through acoustic detection

The Pampa is the least protected and one of the least sampled for bats among the Brazilian domains. This leads to significant Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls for bats in the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna ecoregion. Here, we aimed to model the occupancy of aerial insectivorous bats in response to landscape structure at different scales, considering the influence of microclimate on bat detection. We acoustically monitored 68 locations during the spring and summer of 2019/2020, gathering data on temperature and humidity associated with each acoustic record using data loggers. We detected at least 11 species of the Molossidae and the Vespertilionidae families, of which 9 were used in the model. The response to landscape structure was species-specific: the occupancy probability of Eptesicus brasiliensis and Molossus cf. currentium increased with landscape connectivity at the 500 m scale while Eptesicus furinalis and Histiotus cf. velatus were negatively affected by landscape connectivity at the 5.0 km scale. Molossus occupancy probability responded negatively to landscape heterogeneity at the 3.0 km scale, while Promops centralis responded positively to landscape heterogeneity at the 5.0 km scale. Molossus rufus responded negatively to native vegetation cover and positively to landscape heterogeneity at the 5.0 km scale. Myotis albescens and Molossops temminckii did not respond significantly to any of the evaluated landscape metrics. Our results show that different bat species perceive the landscape differently, regardless of the guild of use of space – edge- or open-space forager. Our estimate of projected occupancy for the areas contiguous to those sampled ranged from 0.45 to 0.70 for the whole of the bat taxa, suggesting that the landscape, particularly where it still maintains its native elements, is reasonably favourable to aerial insectivores.

Morphological aspects of the digestive tract of insectivorous bats of the species Molossus rufus (E. Geoffroy, 1805)

AbstractFive male specimens of the species Molossus rufus from north‐western Parana were captured, identified, packaged and transported to the laboratory for weighing and later euthanasia with isoflurane. They were laparatomized for evaluation of macroscopic characteristics and the digestive tube segments were collected for fixation in 10% neutral formalin for histological processing, after 48 h of fixation. Macroscopically, the digestive tube had an oesophageal segment in the abdominal cavity, with a J‐shaped saccular stomach, in addition to a small intestine divided into duodenum, jejunum‐ileum and terminal ileum. In the large intestine, an organ dilatation was observed from the small intestine with a one‐way oral‐aboral ending in the anus, which was called the descending colon. Morphological similarity of the walls of all segments with those of other mammals was observed; however, it presented some peculiarities such as the absence of oesophageal glands, Brunner in the intestine, cecum and appendages. The anatomical disposition and tissue pattern were similar to that found in other insectivorous species. The adaptations of the digestive tube of this species are possibly due to the insectivorous feeding habits, which can be impacted due to anthropic actions in foraging environments.

Circulation of coronavirus in bats from northern and central Argentina: preliminary study

PurposeBats have proven throughout history to be the reservoir and disseminator of a wide variety of viruses in nature, where they have sometimes been linked to important infections in public health, such is the case of coronaviruses causing SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Considering the importance of these previous events and due to the lack of information on the coronavirus present in the bat population in Argentina, we decided to monitor their circulation in two provinces in which there is continuous contact of these animals with others (domestic and wild) and human beings.Methods & MaterialsSamples of pharyngeal swabs and fecal matter were collected from different species of bats from the provinces of Jujuy (northern Argentina) and La Pampa (central Argentina), and from other wild and domestic animals that cohabitated with bats. The samples were stored in RNA Shield® 1X until processing. The viral RNA extraction was performed with Quick-RNA Viral Kit (ZYMO RESEARCH®) and the cDNA with EasyScript First-Strand cDNA Synthesis SuperMix (TRANS®). Each sample was analyzed individually by nested PCR directed to a conserved 440 bp fragment located within the viral polymerase gene (Chu et al., 2006).ResultsPreliminary results from 43 stool samples and 53 pharyngeal swabs from insectivorous and hematophagous bats demonstrated the presence of alfacoronavirus sequences in four fecal samples (3 insectivorous bats and 1 hematophagous bat) and in one pharyngeal swab sample from an insectivorous bat. Through comparison with GenBank sequences, the closest relatives identified were alphacoronaviruses of the species Myotis riparius/ nigricans, Molossus rufus and Desmodus rotundus. Interestingly, we found alphacoronavirus sequences of one species present in another bat species since the colonies were in close contact. Samples from other animal species are in the process of being analyzed.ConclusionThe identification of new coronaviruses that naturally inhabit bat populations and in animal species that share the biological niche, contributes to the knowledge of viral evolution and the biology behind the jump between animal species.

Natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in bats captured in Campeche and Yucatán, México.

Introduction: Bats have been reported as hosts of the Trypanosoma cruzi protozoan, the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis, an endemic zoonotic disease in México. Objective: To describe T. cruzi infection in bats from the states of Campeche and Yucatán, México.Materials and methods: Captures were made from March to November, 2017 at three sites in Yucatán and one in Campeche. Up to four mist nets on two consecutive nights were used for the capture. The bats' species were identified and euthanasia was performed to collect kidney and heart samples for total DNA extraction. Trypanosoma cruzi infection was detected by conventional PCR with the amplification of a fragment belonging to the T. cruzi DNA nuclear. Results: Eighty-six bats belonging to five families (Vespertilionidae, Noctilionidae, Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, and Molossidae) and 13 species (Rhogeessa aeneus, Noctilio leporinus, Pteronotus davyi, P. parnellii, Artibeus jamaicensis, A. lituratus, A. phaeotis, Glossophaga soricina, Carollia sowelli, Chiroderma villosum, Uroderma bilobatum, Sturnira parvidens, and Molossus rufus) were captured. Infection frequency by PCR was 30,2% (26/86) detected only in the renal tissue. The infected species were P. parnellii, G. soricina, A. lituratus, A. jamaicensis, S. parvidens, C. villosum, and R. aeneus.Conclusions: Our results confirmed the participation of several bat species as hosts in the T. cruzi transmission cycle in the region. Further studies are necessary to establish the importance of these animals in the zoonotic transmission of T. cruzi.

Quantification of the neurons of myenteric plexus of the bat molossus rufus

ABSTRACT: There are no studies that characterize the enteric nervous system (ENS) bats. The organization and density of myenteric neurons may vary according to the animal species, as well as the segment of the digestive tube considered. The nitric oxide is one of the key neurotransmitters present in the myenteric neurons, acting as a mediator in the smooth muscle relaxation. These neurons are evidenced by immunohistochemistry of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) or by NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. In this sense, this study aimed to characterize the total neuronal population and subpopulation NADPH-d+ of the myenteric plexus present in the jejunum of the insectivore species Molossus rufus quantitatively. Five specimens were collected of M. rufus in a buffer area of the “Reserva Biológica das Perobas” in the microregion of Cianorte/PR. After the euthanasia, in a chamber saturated with isoflurane, segments were collected from the small intestine corresponding to the jejunum intended for two techniques for neuronal marking, Giemsa and NADPH-diaphorase, and a fragment to the histological technique of hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome. All the procedures were approved by the “Comitê de Ética no Uso de Animais Unipar” (CEUA - protocol No. 34347/2017) and the “Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade” (ICMBio - protocol No. 60061-1) The histological sections allowed to highlight the location of the myenteric plexus between the longitudinal and circular layers of the muscular tunic. The myenteric plexus had an average of total neuronal population (neurons Giemsa+) of 279.23 neurons/mm2, being the nitrergic neurons (neurons NADPH-d+) represented 20.4% of this total population, with an average of 58.14 neuron/mm2. Therefore, the collected data are consistent with previous studies in other mammalian species concerning the location of the myenteric plexus, as well as the neural myenteric proportion NADPH-d+ compared with the population of neurons Giemsa+. The gaps in the knowledge of ENS of bats limits comparative intraspecific and interspecific studies.

Influence of urbanization on the occurrence and activity of aerial insectivorous bats

Activity and species-specific responses of insectivorous bats in different urban-forest conditions provides a general perspective on the adaptability and vulnerability of bat species towards urbanization intensity. Here we evaluated species richness and activity patterns of aerial insectivorous bats across an urbanized landscape in the highlands of Chiapas, in Mexico. Acoustic monitoring of echolocation calls was conducted for 27 nights over a period of four months. Species richness and relative activity of insectivorous bats were estimated in a landscape with different conditions of urbanization intensity: urban areas, non-urban and forest areas. We identified a total of 14 bat species and three phonotypes. Bat species richness and relative activity was similar (X2 = 0.568, gl = 2, p > 0.05), but species composition differed among conditions. We observed a significant higher occurrence of Bauerus dubiaquercus, Eptesicus brasiliensis and Myotis californicus in forest sites. Urban sites presented higher occurrence of Molossus rufus and phonotype Molossidae 2, while non-urban sites presented a higher occurrence of Eptesicus furinalis and phonotype Molossidae 2. We were able to identify bat species according to their relative activity in relation todifferent landscape conditions. Species of the Molossidae family presented the highest activity in urban sites, which was positively affected by the number of streetlights, while species of the Vespertilionidae presented the highest activity in forest sites, which was positively related totree density. While urbanization tends to diminish native biodiversity and alter faunal communities, our results show a similar richness and relative activity of aerial insectivorous bats along the urban ecosystem. The effect of urbanization intensity becomes more apparent in species-specific bat activity; the response of species towards particular habitat conditions depends on local habitat quality and characteristics (i.e., presence of streetlights, vegetation cover and tree density).

Molossus rufus: distribuição geográfica e primeiro registro para Sergipe, nordeste do Brasil

Distributed throughout the world, Molossidae family consists of 18 genera and more than 100 species, 31 of which are found in Brazil. In this country, most of the records of Molossus rufus were taken in the southeast of the Atlantic Forest, with few records in the Cerrado and Caatinga. This study reports the first record of Molossus rufus for the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. One lactating female was captured by mist nets, near buildings, in the Ibura National Forest (FLONA Ibura), in the beginning of the rainy season. This is the third species of molossid recorded to the state of Sergipe; the other two ( Molossus molossus and Cynomops planirostris ) were also recorded in human buildings. Keywords: Atlantic Forest, bats, Molossidae.

Characterization of fungi associated with the nasal hairs of Molossid bats

Fungal pathogens have become a serious threat to wildlife, threatening populations of even once common, abundant species. We describe the mycobiota associated with the nasal hairs of three Molossid bat species, Cynomops planirostris, Molossus molossus, and Molossus rufus, in southwest Brazil. Bats were captured in the Cerrado and Pantanal biomes. We cultured 22 fungal isolates from twelve individual bats. Sixteen sequences of the ITS region were obtained, yielding 11 unique sequence types from the genera Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium. No obvious detrimental effects on the bats from the fungi were observed, although some species or genera that we identified are known pathogens in other species. This is the first report of such fungi associated with the nasal hairs of Molossid bats. Our results indicate the need for further research on the biodiversity, ecological role, and potential effects of this mycobiota on Molossid bats.

Checklist of bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) from Tocantins and Bahia, Brazil: a gradient from Cerrado, Caatinga and Atlantic Forest

Herein we present a list of bat species in a gradient of physiognomies, from the Cerrado to the Caatinga and to the Atlantic Forest, between Tocantins and Bahia, two of the most poorly bat-sampled regions in Brazil. A total of 30 species (26 for Bahia and 13 for Tocantins), were recorded. We report, for the first time, two species of bats from Tocantins: Anoura geoffroyi (Phyllostomidae) and Cynomops planirostris (Molossidae). Our study increases to 41 the number of bat species for the Caatinga of Bahia, including two new formal reports for this region (Artibeus fimbriatus and Molossus rufus).

Species composition and mortality of bats at the Osório Wind Farm, southern Brazil

We present the results of a three-year study on the bat species killed by wind turbines at the Osório Wind Farm, a large wind power complex in southern Brazil, and compare these fatalities to the composition of the local bat fauna. Fatality searches around wind turbines were conducted from 2006 to 2009, as well as a bat inventory through mist-netting and searches for colonies from 2004 to 2010. We found a total of 336 bat fatalities: Tadarida brasiliensis (n = 245), Lasiurus cinereus (n = 44), Nyctinomops laticaudatus (n = 12), Molossus molossus (n = 9), Lasiurus blossevillii (n = 6), Promops nasutus (n = 3), Lasiurus ega (n = 3), Molossus rufus (n = 1), and Artibeus lituratus (n = 1). By mist-netting, we recorded 13 bat species in the region, of which only six were killed by wind turbines. Our results are similar to mortality patterns from the Northern Hemisphere in terms of: (1) uneven distribution of fatalities among species; (2) dominance of migratory species, including foliage/tree-roosting bats; and (3) discrepancy between presence and abundance of species recorded in the wind farm area and in the fatality sample.

Tree cavities used as diurnal roosts by Neotropical bats

Bats occupy a variety of natural and artificial diurnal roosts. These environments offer several advantages for bats, among which we highlight the relative climatic stability, darkness, and protection from predators. The aim of this study was to identify and describe the use of tree hollows as natural diurnal roosts by Molossops temminckii, Molossus rufus, Artibeus planirostris and Sturnira lilium in southeastern Brazil. In the first one, we sought to describe the physical characteristics of shelters. In the second objective, we determined the number of individuals in the colonies and, we described and classified the posture adopted by bats within cavities. In the third objective, we seek to relate the physical characteristics of refuges with the foraging behavior and diet of bat species. Moreover, we also discussed the advantages and disadvantages that tree cavities may confer for bats, in the context of approximation of opportunistic predators. We found four colonies, one of each species, which roosted within tree trunk cavities. In general, the colonies were small, with less than 10 individuals of both sexes. Usually the molossids left the roost at dusk, while phyllostomids left later, around three hours after dusk. Individuals of the first three species were recaptured while foraging near the roosts. We believe (through observations) that the location in the landscape and the physical characteristics (dimensions of access to the cavities and height from the ground) of shelters used by bats, depend exclusively on the morphology, foraging behaviour and diet of each species of bat. Furthermore, this study contributes to an increase of knowledge about the natural history of Neotropical bats, which can provide relevant information for conservation.

Novel Bat Coronaviruses, Brazil and Mexico

Novel Bat Coronaviruses, Brazil and Mexico

First record of Parakosa flexipes (Acari: Chirodiscidae) parasitizing a free-tailed bat (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in Brazil

The present study reports the occurrence of Parakosa flexipes (Pinichpongse) (Chirodiscidae) for the first time in Brazil, along with its infection sites on Molossus rufus E. Geoffroy. Thirty-eight bats were caught using mist nets that were placed near a house at the Mars Center for Cocoa Science in the state of Bahia, of which 14 (37%) were parasitized by P. flexipes. Parakosa flexipes was observed parasitizing M. rufus on hairs that were evidently longer than others distributed over the bat's body, where up to three parasites could be spotted on a single hair.