Ripe Figs Research Articles

Constituents from ripe figs of Ficus vallis-choudae Delile (Moraceae) with antiplasmodial activity.

Ripe figs, barks, and wood of Ficus vallis-choudae are used in traditional medicine against several conditions including nausea and malaria. However, its use is still to be scientifically documented and validated. Hence, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the antiplasmodial activity of the dichloromethane-methanol (DCM-MeOH (1:1)) crude extract, their hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and methanoli fractions, as well as the isolated chemical constituents. The chemical study of the DCM-MeOH (1:1) crude extract of F. vallis-choudae figs led to the isolation of fifteen (15) known compounds identified based on their spectroscopic data [one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry] and by comparison of these data with those reported in the literature. Some of the isolated compounds were assessed in vitro for their antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 (Pf3D7) and multidrug-resistant Dd2 strains. The dichloromethane fraction exhibited very good antiplasmodial activity against both strains with IC50 values of 13.86 μg/mL and 8.18 μg/mL, respectively. Among the tested compounds, wighteone (2) was the most active against P. falciparum 3D7 (IC50 = 24.6 ± 1.5 μM) and Dd2 (IC50 = 11.9 ± 2.4 μM) strains. The obtained results could justify the traditional uses of F. vallis-choudae against malaria. Wighteone appears to be the most active ingredient. However, further consideration of this compound as starting point for antimalarial drug discovery will depend upon its selectivity of action towards Plasmodium parasites.Highlights• 15 (fifteen) compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-methanol extract of Ficus vallis-choudae.• Their structures were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic data.• The dichloromethane fraction showed promising activities on the Pf3D7 and PfDd2 strains with IC50 values of 13.86 and 8.18 µg/mL, respectively.• Wighteone was the most active compound against PfDd2 (IC50 = 11.9 ± 2.4 μM).Graphical abstract Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00436-022-07540-5.

Short communication: Organic fertilization for the improvement of production and quality of ripe figs

Aim of study: The use of natural inputs in farming practices and the consumption of in natura products have been on the rise. Natural crop fertilizing sources gains force when the intent lies in crop by way of an ecologically correct agricultural system. To this end, this paper targeted assessing the use of cattle (CM) and bird manure (BM) in organic fertilization of fig culture in organic handling, and its effect on the production of ripe figs. Area of study: Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Material and methods: In 2011, an experimental fig orchard was established using the ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ cultivar. The experimental outline adopted was in randomized blocks, with 3 repetitions and 7 treatments comprised of: the control and 6 types of fertilization using CM and/or BM. Harvests were performed in 2016 and 2017. The characteristics evaluated were mean weight, length and diameter of individual fruits, mean weight and number of fruits per tree, total soluble solids content, total titratable acidity and pH. Main results: Organic fertilization with 5 L of CM per fig tree promoted the best results in all biometric variables as compared to the plants that were not fertilized. Considering quality, only 5 L of CM or 1.25 L of BM provided equal total titratable acidity in comparison with control. Plants fertilized with 2.5 L of CM produced figs with higher maturation index against plants fertilized with 5 L of CM or 1.25 L of BM. Research highlights: Considering the fig tree productivity and quality of ripe figs, organic fertilization with CM and BM promoted good characteristics.

UV-C radiation on fresh fig quality

ABSTRACT: Sanitization using chemical agents to reduce the microbiological load on the surface of agricultural products have the drawback of leaving residues. Conversely, physical treatments, such as ultraviolet radiation C (UV-C), are residue-free, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Ripe figs are perishable, exhibiting an epidermis with low resistance to mechanical treatment, high water content and the ostiole, which is an open door that expedites undesirable microorganism penetration. In this study, the effect of different energy levels of UV-C radiation on the appearance and physico-chemical properties of the figs when stored at 10 °C and 20 °C was evaluated focusing on the technological parameters of the application of radiation. The energy levels of radiation applied were 0.00, 0.71, 1.32, 2.64 and 4.01 kJ m−2 and they showed neither acceleration nor delay effects on fig ripening. Figs exposed to the radiation energy at 0.71, 1.32, 2.64 and 4.01 kJ m−2 showed a lower incidence of rot at the same temperature, but the figs exposed to the highest radiation, 4.01 kJ m−2, showed more wilting and stains, which significantly impaired their appearance. UV-C radiation reduces the development of rotting, providing evidence of its potential in the postharvest processing of ripe figs. However, radiation levels should be limited to avoid undesirable epidermis stains.

Biodegradable chitosan coating for improving quality and controlling Alternaria alternata growth in figs

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of a chitosan biodegradable coating (BC), functionalized with cinnamon essential oil and aqueous extract of Roselle calyces, on the quality, respiratory rate, anthocyanin content and antioxidant capacity using the ABTS radical. Figs ‘Black Mission’ of two maturity stages were used. The first maturity stage included purple fruits (14% SST), referred to as “ripe figs”. The second stage was unripe figs, which presented a green color in 25% of its surface (11% SST). Five treatments were applied for each fig maturity stage. 150 g of figs was kept into clamshells packaging at 5 °C for 0, 4, 10, 15 and 21 days, before being transferred to room temperature (20 °C) for 2 more days. The BC structure was evaluated with the use of SEM. Furthermore, quality of this fruits as a result of the use BC and the different storage conditions was determined. The incidence and severity of rotting caused by A. alternata was quantified. The matrix of the BC was porous and heterogeneous. The unripe figs treated with BC and preventive treatments showed a lower weight loss, color change, respiration rate, and anthocyanin content than the control group. Meanwhile, the ripe figs receiving the preventive, curative and coated treatments, only showed the smallest color changes compared to the remaining treatments, but the remaining variables were similar to those of the control group. Finally, A. alternata did not grow at 5 °C in unripe figs but only in the ripe ones. The BC preserved the physicochemical and microbiological quality of unripe figs at 5 °C for 21 days.

BIORREGULADORES PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE HIGO BAJO CONDICIONES DE INVERNADERO

La demanda de higo (Ficus carica L.) fresco crece anualmente en el mercado nacional e internacional, y México tiene potencial para convertirse en importante productor mundial. Para lograrlo, es necesario incrementar el rendimiento, adelantar las cosechas y obtener frutos de calidad. La maduración escalonada de los siconos en la planta representa una desventaja económica, por lo que es importante concentrar la producción de higos maduros para reducir la frecuencia de cosechas. Se ha demostrado que los biorreguladores aceleran el desarrollo de los frutos y mejoran su rendimiento y calidad. El objetivo de esta investigación fue analizar el efecto de la aplicación de cinco combinaciones de biorreguladores (thidiazurón, ácido giberélico, ácido glutámico, triptófano y tiamina) sobre la brotación de yemas axilares secundarias, el crecimiento, rendimiento y calidad de frutos de yemas primarias. Como material genético se utilizaron higueras cv. Netzahualcóyotl cultivadas en invernadero. Los tratamientos se aplicaron por aspersión dirigida a las yemas axilares secundarias en reposo. Las variables evaluadas fueron brotación de yemas axilares secundarias, crecimiento y rendimiento del fruto de la yema principal. Al momento de cosecha se evaluó la longitud, diámetro y peso del fruto, color de la epidermis, firmeza, sólidos solubles totales y acidez titulable. Los biorreguladores adelantaron en 15 d el tiempo a la cosecha, excepto la combinación de ácido glutámico y tiamina. En los frutos se incrementó el contenido de sólidos solubles totales (5 a 10 ºBrix), la longitud (≈ 1 cm), el diámetro (≈ 0.5 cm) y el peso individual (5 a 20 g) con respecto al testigo. El color se afectó por los biorreguladores en forma negativa; los higos tuvieron zonas verdes e inmaduras cercanas al pedúnculo. El rendimiento de fruto no presentó diferencias signifiativas. Aunque los tratamientos con biorreguladores mejoraron algunas variables de calidad, ninguna combinación fue consistente para incrementar el rendimiento y la calidad de frutos de higo.

Nocturnal scent in a 'bird-fig': A cue to attract bats as additional dispersers?

The plant genus Ficus is a keystone resource in tropical ecoystems. One of the unique features of figs is the diversity of fruit traits, which in many cases match their various dispersers, the so-called fruit syndromes. The classic example of this is the strong phenotypic differences found between figs with bat and bird dispersers (color, size, presentation, and scent). The ‘bird-fig’ Ficus colubrinae represents an exception to this trend since it attracts the small frugivorous bat species Ectophylla alba at night, but during the day it attracts bird visitors. Here we investigate day to night changes in fruit scent as a possible mechanism by which this ‘bird-fig’ could attract bats despite its fruit traits, which should appeal solely to birds. Analyses of odor bouquets from the bat- and bird-dispersal phases (i.e. day and night) differed significantly in their composition of volatiles. We observed a significant increase in relative amounts of sesquiterpene and aromatic compounds at night while relative amounts of two compounds of the fatty acid pathway were significantly higher during day. This finding raises the question whether Ficus colubrinae, a phenotypically classic ‘bird-fig’, might be able to attract bat dispersers by an olfactory signal at night. Preliminary observations from feeding experiments which indicate that Ectophylla alba is capable of finding ripe figs by scent alone point in this direction. However, additional behavioral experiments on whether bats prefer the ‘night-bouquet’ over the ‘day-bouquet’ will be needed to unequivocally answer this question.

Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene on postharvest quality of Roxo-de-Valinhos fresh ripe figs

El higo es una de las frutas más perecederas en la poscosecha, lo cual ha promovido estudios para evaluar el efecto a aplicación de sustancias en el fruto después de la cosecha con el fin de conservar su calidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de diferentes concentraciones 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP) en la calidad de poscosecha del higo variedad Roxo-de-Valinhos. El experimento fue realizado con aplicaciones de cuatro concentraciones de 1-MCP (0 - testigo, 5, 10 y 20 μg L-1) en los frutos que fueran evaluados en cinco diferentes períodos de almacenamiento (0, 4, 8, 12 y 16 días). El tratamiento con 1-MCP no aumentó el contenido de sólidos solubles totales (SST), sin embargo se observó un considerable incremento en el período de 12 y 16 días de almacenamiento. La acidez elevada fue obtenida en los frutos no tratados con 1-MCP a los 8 días de almacenamiento y en los tratados con 20 μg L-1 de 1-MCP a los 12 días de almacenamiento. El 1-MCP no influenció en la pérdida de peso de los frutos. Los higos tratados con las dosis de 1-MCP mostraron valores prometedores y crecientes de firmeza, acidez y SST. Las concentraciones de SST tendieron a aumentar a una dosis más alta, por lo que puede ser interesante probar esta sustancia aplicada en las concentraciones más altas que las utilizadas en este trabajo.

Geographic variation of fruit scents in a dispersion mutualism, the case of Ficus lutea

Chemical mediation is often involved in interactions between plants and animals, as in pollination and in seed dispersion mutualisms. Extensive investigation has been done in floral scents and on their interspecific and intraspecific variations, but similar research on fruit scent remains poorly explored and only focused on interspecific variations. We investigated in this study the intraspecific variations of volatile bouquet emitted by mature fruits of Ficus lutea, in two sites within its wide distribution range, i.e. in South Africa and in Madagascar. We demonstrated a clear geographic variation in the volatile bouquet emitted by ripe figs in these two study sites, especially due to the presence of sesquiterpenes in Madagascan bouquets, while scents present at both sites high amounts of fatty acid derivatives. We discuss here different possible explanations for such variations in fruit scents, potentially resulting from insular and/or geographic isolation. This novel result of an intraspecific variation linked to fig seed dispersion serves to increase our knowledge of the role of scents in seed dispersal mutualisms.

Preference of an insular flying fox for seed figs enhances seed dispersal of a dioecious species

AbstractInteractions among multiple species form complex networks of interdependences and are considered primary factors in the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Pteropodid bats are keystone species that provide important ecosystem services of pollination and seed dispersal in the tropics and subtropics. In this study, we investigated the utilization and preference of food resources by the insular frugivorous flying fox Pteropus dasymallus. We found that fig species constituted the major portion of the diet of the flying fox (94.6%). When foraging, the flying fox preferred seed figs from female trees over gall figs from male trees in functionally dioecious fig species. Germination experiments showed a significantly higher percentage of germination for fig seeds in feces than those from pellets and ripe figs (feces: 80.2%, pellets: 23.4%, ripe figs: 32.9%). Considering the active selection of seed figs and avoidance of gall figs by foraging flying foxes, we suggest that the abundance of seed figs accurately represents food availability for dioecy. This preference for seed figs or viable seeds can effectively promote the survival of pollinating wasps and might reinforce the evolution of dioecism in figs. In addition, the effects of gut passage on seed germination, in combination with the capacity of flying foxes to travel long distances, may substantially contribute to the efficiency of flying foxes as seed dispersers.

Chilocoris capensis n. sp., the first species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cydnidae) recorded in the Republic of South Africa with an annotated checklist of South African burrower bugs.

Chilocoris capensis n. sp. collected from fallen ripe figs of broom cluster fig Ficus sur Forsskål, 1775, the first burrower bug species of the genus Chilocoris Mayr, 1865 recorded in the Republic of South Africa, is described and compared with Chilocoris laevicollis Horváth, 1919, the morphologically most closely allied Afrotropical species. Additionally, an annotated checklist of burrower bug species recorded in the Republic of South Africa is provided. The known biology of Afrotropical Chilocoris species is briefly summarized.

Differences in larval nutritional requirements and female oviposition preference reflect the order of fruit colonization of Zaprionus indianus and Drosophila simulans

Species coexist using the same nutritional resource by partitioning it either in space or time, but few studies explore how species-specific nutritional requirements allow partitioning. Zaprionus indianus and Drosophila simulans co-exist in figs by invading the fruit at different stages; Z. indianus colonizes ripe figs, whereas D. simulans oviposits in decaying fruit. Larvae feed on yeast growing on the fruit, which serves as their primary protein source. Because yeast populations increase as fruit decays, we find that ripe fruit has lower protein content than rotting fruit. Therefore, we hypothesized that Z. indianus and D. simulans larvae differ in their dietary requirements for protein. We used nutritional geometry to assess the effects of protein and carbohydrate concentration in the larval diet on life history characters in both species. Survival, development time, and ovariole number respond differently to the composition of the larval diet, with Z. indianus generally performing better across a wider range of protein concentrations. Correspondingly, we found that Z. indianus females preferred to lay eggs on low protein foods, while D. simulans females chose higher protein foods for oviposition when competing with Z. indianus. We propose the different nutritional requirements and oviposition preference of these two species allows them to temporally partition their habitat.

Foraging Movements of Epauletted Fruit Bats (Pteropodidae) in Relation to the Distribution of Sycamore Figs (Moraceae) in Kruger National Park, South Africa

We examined the distribution of Ficus sycomorus in relation to the movements and feeding, behavior of two species of epauletted fruit bats in Kruger National Park in order to learn about the scale and tempo of the seed dispersal of this riparian tree. Radio-tagged Epomophorus crypturus and Epomophorus wahlbergi restricted > 90% of activity within riparian forests having F. sycomorus present; whereas, < 10% of activity occurred in thorn thickets where folivory on Balanites maughamii and frugivory on Sclerocarya birrea appeared to offer secondary sources of forage. Bats usually carried figs to foliage perches within 200 m of the fruiting tree before feeding. Within a night, maximum one-way movement was 13.9 km as bats visited ≤ four foraging patches. No significant difference occurred between foraging ranges of E. wahlbergi at Skukuza (16.0 ± 3.0 ha) and E. crypturus at Shingwedzi (19.9 ± 5.1 ha). However, E. crypturus at Babalala had significantly larger mean foraging range (52.4 ha ± 4.5 ha) than either species elsewhere. Mean foraging range, core use area, and long axis across foraging range of E. wahlbergi changed significantly with season, year, and fig abundance. Our study suggests interdependence between F. sycomorus and the two species of fruit bats in Kruger National Park with bat movements largely following the distribution of available ripe figs.

Host Status and Fruit Odor Response of &lt;I&gt;Drosophila suzukii&lt;/I&gt; (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to Figs and Mulberries

Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an agricultural pest with a wide host range. It is known to infest fruit that are still ripening on the plant, as well as rotting and damaged fruit. Our study sought to determine whether D. suzukii use mulberries (Morus spp.) and figs (Ficus carica (L.)) as hosts, as their host status was ambiguous. Accordingly, we collected 25 field-infested fruit and counted the numbers of D. suzukii emerging from them. We also sought to determine whether female D. suzukii would respond to olfactory cues from ripe figs and mulberries. As the host population has been known to impact host odor response, flies from mulberry, fig, and cherry origins were tested in "one-choice" olfactometry studies. Our results show that mulberries and figs can serve as hosts for D. suzukii and that female flies will respond to their odors. The host population did affect response to fruit odors, although further studies are necessary to determine habitat fidelity. This has implications for management of this pest, especially in backyard and mixed fruit orchard situations, which commonly occur in the current range of D. suzukii, and fig and mulberry may serve as a pest reservoir for other hosts and cultivated crops.

Caprification modifies polyphenols but not cell wall concentrations in ripe figs

Figs, when ripe, move to their final colour and lose radically their firmness, and caprification (artificial pollination) leads to increased fruit softening during maturity. To identify the effects of caprification on cell wall amounts and phenolics composition, cell wall material and polyphenols were investigated in five Tunisian figs. Cell walls were isolated as alcohol insoluble solids (AIS) content. AIS yield was not affected by caprification in all cultivars. Pectin polymers decreased as the fruits fulfil their development after being caprified. The pectin in figs exhibited high degree of methylation (>50%) which increased more with caprification. Major neutral sugars components of the AIS were glucose, from cellulose, followed by arabinose. Caprification had no effect on neutral sugars composition of the cell wall. Methanol extraction followed by HPLC–DAD analysis revealed two anthocyanins, three flavonols and one hydroxycinnamic acid. For all varieties the total polyphenols were less in the flesh (up to 1.27mg/kgFW) than in the peel (up to 12.64mg/kgFW). Anthocyanins were the major compounds described in figs representing more than 98% of total polyphenols in both dark and white coloured fruit. Textural components and properties of figs are moderately affected by caprification, while anthocyanins biosynthesis appears to be stimulated by pollination with higher concentrations of total polyphenols in caprified fig fruits.

The phenology of dioecious Ficus spp. tree species and its importance for forest restoration projects

Ficus spp. are keystone tree species in tropical forest ecosystems and therefore, it is vital to include them in tree planting for forest restoration programs. However, lack of knowledge about critical aspects of their reproductive ecology currently limits their use, particularly optimal seed collection times and potential interruption of their highly specialized pollination mechanisms. Therefore, the reproductive phenology of seven dioecious Ficus species ( Ficus auriculata, F. fulva, F. hispida, F. oligodon, F. semicordata, F. triloba and F. variegata) was studied at Doi Suthep–Pui National Park, Northern Thailand, in order to provide useful data to support forest restoration projects. The fig crops on male and female trees of each species were quantified monthly over a full annual cycle (March 2008–February 2009), using the canopy density method. At the population-level, most species produced figs all year round, but fig abundance varied seasonally. Maximum production of ripe figs by female (i.e. seed-producing) trees of most species occurred in the rainy season (May–August, except for F. triloba), while the main fig crop of male (i.e. wasp-producing) trees peaked 1–3 months before female trees. Four species F. auriculata, F. fulva, F. oligodon, and F. variegata presented critical bottleneck periods for wasp survival, especially during the rainy season, when the wasp-producing figs of male trees were least abundant. The study generated scientifically-based recommendations that will be useful for development of efficient forest restoration programs that maintain keystone resources in tropical forest ecosystems such as (i) optimum time and place for seed collection, (ii) recommendations on the propagation of dioecious fig species, (iii) optimum planting sites for each species and (iv) forest restoration plans to sustain the obligate ecological relationships between fig-trees and their pollinators.

Nutritional Dimorphism in New Guinea Dioecious Figs

ABSTRACTThe life history of figs (Ficus, Moraceae) involves pollination by specialized insects and seed dispersal by vertebrate frugivores. This three‐way interaction raises the possibility of conflict between pollinators and seed dispersers over fig resources. The conflict might be mediated in dioecious figs by the segregation of inflorescences with specialized male and female sexual functions, termed gall figs and seed figs, on separate trees. In dioecious figs, pollinators are intimately associated with gall figs, whereas vertebrate frugivores prefer seed figs and disperse the seeds they contain. Optimal foraging theory predicts that frugivore preference for ripe seed figs is associated with superior nutritional quality when compared to gall figs. We tested this prediction comparing nutrient and mineral properties of ripe figs in 12 functionally dioecious and two monoecious species from New Guinea. Analyses of variance indicated that gall figs contain more fiber and minerals, whereas seed figs contain significantly more carbohydrates and fat. Fruit bats, the primary dispersers of dioecious figs in New Guinea, prefer carbohydrate‐rich diets, and from this perspective, seed figs offer a greater nutritional reward than gall figs. More nondigestible fiber in gall figs than seed figs would appear to discourage frugivory. Parallel differences between ripe gall figs and seed figs occur in each independent dioecious lineage whereas nutritional content in monoecious figs is more similar to seed figs. This suggests that sexual dimorphism in nutritional quality might be adaptive and associated with the maintenance of functional dioecy in figs.

Produtividade e qualidade de figos Roxo de Valinhos submetidos à fertirrigação e ao armazenamento refrigerado

A baixa produtividade de figos no Brasil geralmente está relacionada com as deficiências hídrica e nutricional. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da fertirrigação com doses de nitrogênio e potássio sobre a produtividade e qualidade dos figos do cultivar Roxo de Valinhos durante o armazenamento refrigerado. O experimento de campo foi realizado durante dois anos, e que no último ano os frutos foram armazenados na temperatura de 0,5 °C por 15 dias. Os tratamentos consistiram da combinação das doses de 150, 250, 350 e 450 kg ha-1 de nitrogênio (N) e 150, 250 e 350 kg ha¹ de potássio (K) fornecidas via fertirrigação. Segundo os resultados, doses de até 250 kg ha-1 de N e K na fertirrigação elevam a produtividade de figos Roxo de Valinhos, e estas doses conduzem a maior produtividade entre os tratamentos avaliados. A fertirrigação aumentou em 96,7% a produtividade de figos verdes e 49% a de figos maduros em comparação ao tratamento padrão. Os níveis de N, K e a forma de aplicação não influenciam a qualidade dos frutos durante o armazenamento refrigerado.

Evaluating Quality Attributes of Four Fresh Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivars Harvested at Two Maturity Stages

The effect of two fruit maturity stages on the quality attributes of four fresh fig cultivars was examined, including consumer acceptance and antioxidant capacity. Fig quality attributes such as weight, soluble solids concentration (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), SSC:TA, firmness, antioxidant capacity, and consumer acceptance varied by cultivar. Fig cultivars harvested at the advanced maturity stage (“tree ripe”) had lower TA and firmness but higher weight, SSC, and SSC:TA than figs harvested at “commercial maturity.” Fig maturity did not affect antioxidant capacity, but tree ripe figs had higher consumer acceptance than commercial maturity figs. SSC was more highly correlated with consumer acceptance than TA or SSC:TA, but other factors may also be important in controlling this relationship. Cultivars with high SSC and firmness, at a maturity stage high enough to tolerate harvesting and postharvest handling, should be selected to develop the fresh fig industry. Because fig firmness is a concern, changes to packaging should be evaluated to protect the flavor of advanced maturity figs during postharvest handling.

Diet and Feeding Ecology of Ateles chamek in a Bolivian Semihumid Forest: The Importance of Ficus as a Staple Food Resource

We describe temporal patterns of food consumption by Peruvian spider monkeys (Ateles chamek) in a semihumid forest in lowland Bolivia. We assessed dietary composition in relation to temporal variation in abundance, duration, and synchrony of different food items in their home range. We collected data from September 2003 to September 2004, in the forestry concession La Chonta, Department of Santa Cruz. Throughout the period of detailed feeding data collection (February-September 2004), Ateles chamek used Ficus as a staple food resource. Figs constituted almost 50% of their diet in terms of total time spent feeding, and subjects consumed them to a great extent even during times of high overall food availability. This is contrary to the general expectation that for Neotropical frugivores, Ficus is a fallback food in times of fruit scarcity, rather than a staple food resource. Surprisingly, despite being considered ripe fruit specialists, Ateles chamek spent 18% of their feeding times eating unripe figs. Ateles chamek consumed unripe figs all through the year, including periods when ripe figs and other ripe fruit were abundant. We identify other important fallback foods for Ateles chamek in the forest, in particular the ripe fruit of Myrciaria sp.

Chemical Ecology of Fruit Bat Foraging Behavior in Relation to the Fruit Odors of Two Species of Paleotropical Bat-Dispersed Figs (Ficus hispida and Ficus scortechinii)

We investigated the fruit odors of two bat-dispersed fig species in the Paleotropics, in relation to the foraging behavior of fruit bats, to test the following hypotheses: 1) fruit odor plays a critical role for detection and selection of ripe figs by fruit bats; 2) bat-dispersed fig species are characterized by the same, or similar, chemical compounds; and 3) total scent production, in bat-dispersed figs, increases when fruits ripen. We performed bioassays to test the effect of both natural and synthetic fig fruit odors on the foraging behavior of the short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus brachyotis)-an important disperser of figs within the study area. Fruit bats responded to both visual and chemical (olfactory) cues when foraging for figs. However, the strongest foraging reaction that resulted in a landing or feeding attempt was almost exclusively associated with the presence of a ripe fruit odor-either in combination with visual cues or when presented alone. Fruit bats also used fruit odors to distinguish between ripe and unripe fruits. By using gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (MS), a total of 16 main compounds were identified in the ripe fruit odor of Ficus hispida and 13 in the ripe fruit odor of Ficus scortechinii-including alcohols, ketones, esters, and two terpenes. Additional compounds were also recorded in F. hispida, but not identified-four of which also occurred in F. scortechinii. Total scent production increased in both species when fruits ripened. Both natural and synthetic fruit odors resulted in feeding attempts by bats, with no feeding attempts elicited by unscented controls. Reaction rates to natural fruit odors were higher than those to synthetic blends.