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Bats have been reported as hosts of the Trypanosoma cruzi protozoan, the etiologic agent of American trypanosomiasis, an endemic zoonotic disease in México.To describe T. cruzi infection in bats from the states of Campeche and Yucatán, México.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.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.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.Introducción. Los murciélagos se han reportado como huéspedes del protozoario Trypanosoma cruzi, agente etiológico de la tripanosomiasis americana, enfermedad zoonótica endémica en México. Objetivo. Describir la infección con T. cruzi en murciélagos capturados en los estados de Campeche y Yucatán, México. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron capturas de marzo a noviembre de 2017 en tres sitios de Yucatán y uno de Campeche. Para la captura se emplearon hasta cuatro redes de niebla por dos noches consecutivas. Se identificó la especie de los murciélagos capturados y se les practicó la eutanasia para recolectar muestras de riñón y corazón, utilizadas posteriormente en la extracción de ADN total. La infección con T. cruzi se detectó por la amplificación con PCR convencional de un fragmento perteneciente al ADN nuclear de T. cruzi. Resultados. Se capturaron 86 murciélagos pertenecientes a cinco familias (Vespertilionidae, Noctilionidae, Mormoopidae, Phyllostomidae, Molossidae) y 13 especies (Rhogeessa aeneus, Noctilio leporinus, Pteronotus davyi, P. parnellii, Artibeus jamaicensis, A. lituratus, A. phaeotis, Glossophaga soricina, Carollia sowelli, Chiroderma villosum, Uroderma bilobatum, Sturnira parvidens y Molossus rufus). La PCR mostró una frecuencia de infección de 30,2 % (26/86), detectada únicamente en tejido renal. Las especies infectadas fueron P. parnellii, G. soricina, A. lituratus, A. jamaicensis, S. parvidens, C. villosum y R. aeneus. Conclusiones. Los resultados confirmaron la participación de varias especies de murciélagos como huéspedes en el ciclo de transmisión de T. cruzi en la región. Es necesario realizar más estudios para determinar la importancia de estos animales en la transmisión zoonótica de T. cruzi.

Cryptic species, defined as those that are morphologically indistinguishable but phylogenetically distinct, are common in bats and correspond to the majority of newly described species. Such seems to be the case of Glossophaga soricina, a generalist, glossophagine bat that is broadly distributed throughout the Neotropics. Several studies have found high levels of molecular variation within G. soricina, suggesting that it could be a cryptic species complex. Here, we explore data derived from two-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses of cranial characters and their covariation with environmental variables, aiming to test the existence of more than one species grouped within it and to contribute to the knowledge of its variation and evolutionary history. Variation in shape and size of skull and mandible supports the two main mitochondrial lineages reported in previous studies, one corresponding to the east side of the Andes (subspecies G. s. soricina) and the other one corresponding to populations from Mesoamerica and the west side of the Andes, in turn composed of at least three monophyletic and morphologically differentiated taxa. Environmental variables correlate with shape variation and might be responsible for convergences in shape and size between the species with the smallest distributions. Based on the evidence we present in this work we elevate four subspecies to the taxonomic level of species. The correct names for the species of the analyzed complex are: G. soricina (Pallas 1766), G. mutica Merriam 1898, G. antillarum Rehn 1902, and G. valens Miller 1913.

Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat, Glossophaga soricina (Pallas, 1766), has a large range, covering much of the Neotropics. Until this study, Argentine records for this species were restricted to Misiones, Chaco, Salta, Jujuy and unverifiable records from Buenos Aires. We report the discovery of this nectarivorous bat in Corrientes, extending its known range and increasing the number of bat species recorded in this province to 32. An adult male was captured in Apipé Grande island in October 2019. This bat species is considered Vulnerable in Argentina and needs urgent conservation action in order to avoid further threats.

Species with high mobility may have low genetic differentiation among populations due to historical long-distance dispersal, but recent studies show that bat dispersal may be affected by habitat loss and fragmentation. Here, we analyze the effects of landscape contemporary changes and dynamics in paleodistribution during the Quaternary on genetic diversity and differentiation in the Pallas’ long-tongued bat, Glossophaga soricina. We sampled 18 populations in landscapes with different land cover, and used nine microsatellite loci and the sequence of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (CYB) to obtain genetic data. We performed ecological niche modelling and used general linear mixed models and optimization of multiple resistance surfaces to analyze how landscape structure and climatic suitability affect genetic diversity and differentiation. Our results show that the conversion of natural vegetation, such as forests and savannas, to agriculture, pastures or urban matrices (unsuitable habitats) decreases genetic diversity and increases inbreeding, but has no effect on genetic differentiation among populations, that was likely affected by spatial distance. Our findings point to the importance of maintenance of large areas of natural vegetation remnants to conserve genetic diversity of G. soricina, an important bat pollinator in the Neotropics.

Habitat alteration for agriculture can negatively affect wildlife physiology and health by decreasing diet diversity and increasing exposure to agrochemicals for animals foraging in altered landscapes. Such negative effects may be mediated by the disruption of the gut microbiota (termed dysbiosis), yet evidence for associations between habitat alteration, wildlife health, and the gut microbiota remains scarce. We examine the association between management intensity of banana plantations and both the body condition and gut microbiota composition of nectar-feeding bats Glossophaga soricina, which commonly forage within banana plantations across Latin America. We captured and measured 196 bats across conventional monocultures, organic plantations, and natural forests in Costa Rica, and quantified gut microbiome bacterial phylogenetic diversity using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We found that gut microbiota from bats foraging in conventional monocultures were overall less phylogenetically diverse than those from bats foraging in organic plantations or natural forests, both of which were characterized by diverse bacterial assemblages and individualized microbiota. Despite lower diversity, co-occurrence network complexity was higher in conventional monocultures, potentially indicating altered microbial interactions in agricultural landscapes. Bats from both organic and conventional plantations tended to be larger and heavier than their forest counterparts, reflecting the higher food supply. Overall, our study reveals that whilst both conventional monocultures and organic plantations provide a reliable food source for bats, conventional monocultures are associated with less diverse and potentially dysbiotic microbiota, whilst organic plantations promote diverse and individualized gut microbiota akin to their natural forestforaging counterparts. Whilst the long-term negative effects of anthropogenically-altered microbiota are unclear, our study provides further evidence from a novel perspective that organic agricultural practices are beneficial for wildlife health., publishedVersion

Distress calls are known from a variety of animals and are defined as vocalisations emitted during extreme physical stress. Even though distress calls have been studied for a long time, their preci...

We report a new record for the bat species Dryadonycteris capixaba (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae),the first for the Cerrado biome, based on two specimens collected in palm swamps (“veredas”) in the municipality of Turmalina, state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. This record confirms that D. capixaba is not endemic to Atlantic rainforest areas, although it may be associated with mesic habitats.

Introduction: Bats have become an epidemiologically significant source of pathogenic microorganisms, such as leptospires, the causative agents of leptospirosis. However, little information exists about bats and their potential role as a reservoir of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in Colombia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in the kidneys of bats from the Caribbean region of Colombia deposited in the collection of mammals of the Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural (MPUJ-MAMM). Methodology: DNA was extracted from twenty-six kidney samples from a total of 13 species of bats captured in Colombia. First, 16S ribosomal RNA conventional PCR was performed to detect the presence of Leptospira spp. Then, in samples that tested positive, LipL32 PCR was performed to detect pathogenic Leptospira spp. by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: The presence of Leptospira spp. was observed in 7/26 (26.9%) bats from the following 6 species: Carollia perspicillata, Glossophaga soricina, Dermanura phaeotis, Uroderma bilobatum, Desmodus rotundus, and Lophostoma silvicolum, and pathogenic Leptospira spp. were detected in 4/26 samples (15.4%). Conclusions: This study suggests that bats present in the Caribbean region of Colombia could be potential reservoirs of pathogenic Leptospira spp.

While the presence of some phytophagous bats species in Neotropical cities is generally known, detailed information on their feeding habits in urban ecosystems is still limited. In some highly developed urban spaces, native plant species are scarce, therefore phytophagous bats living in those conditions could be relying only on resources offered by introduced vegetation. This study describes the diet of Glossophaga soricina in the campus of Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in the city of Lima, Peru. To achieve this, from September 2016 to May 2017, bats were captured using mist nets to collect samples of feces and pollen from their body surface. The phytophagous diet of G. soricina comprised resources offered by at least 25 species of cultivated plants, nearly all of them introduced to Lima. Glossophaga soricina mainly fed on the nectar/pollen of Agave angustifolia, Eucalyptus spp., Crescentia cujete and Musa spp., and fruits of Piper aduncum and Morus nigra. Insects were also registered in its diet. It consumed many non-chiropterophilous flowers and most of its principal resources are not abundant in the study area. Results suggest that G. soricina is a generalist nectarivore that has adapted its dietary habits to consume nectar/pollen of a wide variety of flowers and complements its diet with fruits and insects. It is concluded that introduced cultivated vegetation permits the persistence of G. soricina in the city; hence unsuitable green areas management could negatively affect its local populations. More studies on ecology of urban phytophagous bats in Lima and other Neotropical cities are required to conserve their populations in those altered ecosystems.

Introduction: Reproduction is a critical phase for most living organisms and in bats the reproductive strategies exhibit considerable complexity and variability. Objective: To describe the reproductive patterns and population dynamics of seven bat species (Artibeus toltecus, Carollia perspicillata, Glossophaga soricina, Mormoops megalophylla, Pteronotus fulvus, Pteronotus mesoamericanus and Natalus mexicanus) that roost in one mine (La Mina) and two caves (El Apanguito and Cerro Huatulco) in the State of Oaxaca, in Southeastern México. Methods: Sampling was conducted monthly from July 2016 to June 2017. Bats were captured using a harp trap, which was placed at the entrance of the roosts. The captured bats were identified using taxonomic keys, marked with an aluminum ring, sex and age class were also determined. Reproductive activity was modeled through 63 GLMs for each species (504 in total). The best model was selected according to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Results: A total of 5 836 bats were captured and marked, classified into 14 species, 10 genera, and five families. The most abundant species were: P. fulvus and P. mesoamericanus, representing 41 % and 32.3 % of the captures, respectively. The mormopids M. megalophylla, P. fulvus, P. mesoamericanus,together with N. mexicanus showed a restricted seasonal monoestrous pattern, while the phyllostomids A. toltecus, C. perspicillata, and G. soricina showed a seasonal bimodal polyoestry pattern. The monthly abundance of species fluctuated significantly (H= 13, df= 11, P= 0.044) in the three roosts throughout the entire study period and the best supported GLM that included the seven species showed that the six chosen variables (season, sex, roost, temperature, precipitation and humidity) were positively associated with reproductive activity. Conclusions: The reproductive activity of each species seems to be synchronized with the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season, as well as influenced by factors such as temperature, humidity and roost site. Resumen Introducción: La reproducción es una fase crítica para la mayoría de los organismos vivos y en los murciélagos las estrategias reproductivas exhiben considerable complejidad y variabilidad. Objetivo: Describir los patrones reproductivos y la dinámica poblacional de siete especies de murciélagos: Artibeus toltecus, Carollia perspicillata, Glossophaga soricina, Mormoops megalophylla, Pteronotus fulvus, Pteronotus mesoamericanus y Natalus mexicanus, que se refugian en una mina (La Mina) y dos cuevas (El Apanguito y Cerro Huatulco), en el estado de Oaxaca, sureste de México. Métodos: El muestreo se realizó una vez al mes de julio 2016 a junio 2017. Los murciélagos se capturaron utilizando una trampa de arpa que fue colocada en la entrada de los refugios. La especie de los murciélagos capturados fue determinada con claves de identificación taxonómica, además fueron marcados con un anillo de aluminio y también se determinó el sexo y la clase de edad. La actividad reproductiva fue modelada a través de 63 GLMs para cada especie (504 en total). El mejor modelo fue seleccionado según el Criterio de Información de Akaike (AIC). Resultados: Se capturaron y marcaron 5 836 murciélagos, incluidos en 14 especies, 10 géneros y cinco familias. Las especies más abundantes fueron: P. fulvus y P. mesoamericanus, que representaron el 41 y el 32.3 % de las capturas, respectivamente. Los mormópidos M. megalophylla, P. fulvus, P. mesoamericanus junto con N. mexicanus mostraron un patrón monoéstrico estacional,mientras que los filostómidos A. toltecus, C. perspicillata y G. soricina mostraron un patrón poliéstrico estacional bimodal. La abundancia mensual de las especies fluctuó significativamente (H= 13, df= 11, P= 0.044) en los tres refugios a lo largo del periodo de estudio y el GLM mejor respaldado que incluyó las siete especies mostró que las seis variables elegidas (temporada, sexo, refugio, temperatura, precipitación y humedad) se asociaron positivamente con la actividad reproductiva. Conclusiones: La actividad reproductiva de cada especie parece estar sincronizada con el final de la temporada seca y el comienzo de la temporada de lluvias, e influenciada por factores como temperatura, humedad y el sitio de refugio.

Most flowering plant species, including those under cultivation, are pollinated by animals. The passion flower (Passiflora setacea DC.) variety BRS Perola do Cerrado is apparently dependent on pollinators for the production of its fruits; however, very little is known about its reproductive biology. The present work analyzes the periods of flowering and fruit production, and the morphology, floral biology, visitors and pollinators of P. setacea, as well as the effect of pillagers on its fruit production. The study was carried out between April 2015 and December 2016 on a farm located in the Brazilian Cerrado. Passiflora setacea blooms throughout the year and produces fruit for several months. The greatest fruit production occurs during the off-season of commercial passion flower (Passiflora edulis Sims) fruiting. The flowers of P. setacea depend on bats for pollination; they open in the early evening, are white and are produced in considerable amounts every day. Glossophaga soricina (Pallas, 1766) has been considered the effective pollinator of P. setacea, although its flowers also receive daytime floral visitors such as bees, wasps and birds. The bees Apis mellifera (Linnaeus, 1758) and Trigona spinipes (Fabricius, 1793) are pillagers of P. setacea flowers, but do not interfere with fruit production. Passiflora setacea fruits from manual self-pollination are not adequate for commercialization, and the species relies on pollinators for the production of quality fruits with seeds and pulp. In the absence of natural pollinators, farmers should perform manual cross-pollination using pollen from different plants. It is also important that genetically related individuals be kept far from each other in the same plantations.

Many studies have used intake response as a tool for understanding digestive capacities of bats to process nectar. Nevertheless, most of them have been done so in one season, assuming that this response does not change over the year. One study performed with Glossophaga soricina, a bat inhabiting warm environments, found different intake response over seasons, but these changes are unknown for other bat species; especially those inhabiting cold climates. We measured changes in volumetric intake of Anoura geoffroyi (found in places above 2, 500 m a.s.l.) feeding on sucrose concentrations ranging from 5 to 35% (wt./vol.) in spring and compared the results with those previously published for winter. Because of differences in ambient temperature and nectar availability in the places they inhabit, we predicted different intake responses among seasons. We found differences in intake responses between winter and spring. Constant energy intake in winter was 101.07 ± 5.4 kJ, and decreased from 23 to 37% in spring. Body mass gain in winter was 1.31 ± 0.1 g, and was reduced from 56 to 74% in spring, when bats fed on sugar concentrations of 15 and 5%. Seasonal differences in intake responses and body mass changes provide evidence of digestive plasticity, which may have important ecological implications for bats. Species able to change their digestive traits would have the capacity to change their food intake depending on the energy demands imposed by their environment, while those with low plasticity should change their behavioral and energy-saving strategies when confronting changes in the abundance or the nutritional quality of the nectar they consume.

The study of interaction networks between species is a subject that has drawn increasing attention in recent decades, especially in investigations involving relationships between plants and pollinators or seed dispersers. In the Neotropics, bats of the subfamily Glossophaginae show morphological modifications for a specialized diet consisting of nectar and pollen, but opportunistic species belonging to other subfamilies that consume floral resources (nectar and pollen) have also been identified. This study describes for the first time the interactions between nectarivorous bats in the Andean region of Colombia from the identification of pollen associated with the bat species inhabiting the protected area “Reserva Forestal Bosque de Yotoco (RFBY)”. Bats were captured with mist nets; a pollen sample was collected from each specimen by contact with glycerin gelatin, and pollen samples were mounted on slides. In addition, plant material of the blooming species that displayed the syndrome of chiropterophyly was collected to build a reference pollen collection. For the analysis, we used Levin’s standardized niche breadth (BA), the relative frequency of resources (Fi), and the Resource Importance Value Index (RIVI). The interaction network was built and the NODF nesting algorithm was calculated to establish the degree of coupling within the network. In 44 loads of contact pollen for six species, three belonging to the subfamily Glossophaginae (Anoura caudifer, Glossophaga soricina and Choeroniscus godmani), we identified six palynomorphs from 7,971 pollen grains. The highest RIVI values correspond to three species of the genus Inga. The Levin’s standardized niche breadth (BA) highlights Anoura caudifer and Glossophaga soricina as generalist species that take advantage of the availability of floral resources for consumption (Tables 2, 3). The interaction network reveals a high nesting degree according to the value of the NODF algorithm of 86.67 (Figure 3). With four bat species, the RFBY has a high diversity of nectarivorous species relative to other localities across the Andean region of Colombia, despite the study area being a fragmented landscape; hence, this area is of critical importance for the local bat species, as it fulfills their food requirements. The bat species using the largest amount of resources in the community is Anoura caudifer; this finding differs from the results of other studies, where the genus Glossophaga has been reported as the dominant taxon in terms of resource use. Plants of the genus Inga and O. pyramidale are key resources for the nectarivorous bat species recorded, and this is probably also the case for other animals in the area; therefore, the inclusion of these species in the active restoration process will likely promote the establishment of a larger number of bats.

Pollinator-friendly plants are often a necessary component of the management of urban ecosystem that aim to reduce the impact of the artificial urban matrix on natural pollinator populations. Nectarivorous bats are neglected components of the urban pollinator community and there is a paucity of assessments on pollinator-friendly plants that may provide urban bats with reliable, year-long resources. Crescentia cujete is a bat-pollinated Bignoniaceae with very distinctive chiropterophilous features that is often used as an ornamental species in tropical urban areas worldwide. Its flowers are large and produce copious amounts of nectar, which accumulates in the flower’s storage-shaped flowers. Thus, the species is a potential bat-friendly urban plant. We assessed the species’ year-round flower emission and nightly nectar production dynamics in a green area in northeastern Brazil, and described the behavior of its floral visitors. C. cujete showed a steady, year-round flowering pattern, with no significant seasonality. Its flowers secreted copious amounts of diluted nectar and were visited exclusively by the Pallas long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina throughout the night at high visiting frequencies, delivering successive visits to individual flowers spaced by short intervals. Our results suggest overexploitation of floral resources from C. cujete by urban bats. Moreover, its continuous flowering and copious nectar production may become a reliable resource in an artificial environment generally lacking bat-pollinated plants, thus mitigating the effects of food shortage for urban nectar bats.

Habitat loss for food production is a problem strongly affecting wildlife. However, some species may adapt their behavior and use these habitats, such as the neotropical nectar-feeding bats (Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae) occurring in banana monocultures. We assessed the diet of the common nectar-feeding bat Glossophaga soricina, foraging in two habitats with different levels of alteration and land use intensities, conventional and organic banana plantations, and compared it to that from bats living in native forest patches. We collected pollen from the fur of captured bats and identified it under a microscope to the lowest taxonomical level possible. We found that bats foraging in forests have a richer diet, since they feed in more heterogeneous areas with more plant species. Additionally, bats foraging in conventional banana plantations generally showed a less diverse pollen load. One hectare of banana plantation provides an energy density that easily supports five bat individuals per night throughout the year, so plantations might be ideal foraging grounds. However, bats also require proteins, and banana cultivars produce very little or no pollen at all and additionally pesticide use makes insects a scarce resource in most plantations. Such a simplified and incomplete diet and agrochemical exposure might negatively affect the bats, but we still do not understand to what extent. Thus, we conclude that, although banana plantations represent a high nectar availability habitat, they might be less-than-perfect foraging grounds for nectarivorous bats., publishedVersion

53. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat Glossophaga soricina French: Glossophage murin / German: Pallas-Blitenfledermaus / Spanish: Gloséfago de Pallas Taxonomy. Vespertilio soricinus Pallas, 1766, type locality not given. Restricted by G. S. Miller in 1912 to Suriname. Prossible specific distinction of subspecies valens has been discussed by some authors, but no systematic assessment has been proposed. Five subspecies currently recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. G.s.soricinaPallas,1766—SouthAmericaEoftheAndesStoBolivia,Paraguay,SBrad,andNAching,eatinSorenandTrinidadIs. G.s.antillarumRehn,1902—Jamaica. G.s.handleyiWebster&J.K.Jones,1980—fromW&EMexicolowlandsthroughCentralAmericatoNWSouthAmerica(NW&WColombia). G.s.muticaMerriam,1898—MariasIs,offPacificcoastofMexico. G. s. valens G. S. Miller, 1913 — South America W of the Andes in W Ecuador and W Peru. Descriptive notes. Head-body 45-59 mm, tail 5-12 mm, ear 9-15 mm, hindfoot 7-11 mm, forearm 32-38 mm; weight 7-12 g. Fur of Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat ranges from gray-brown to reddish brown (seldom dark brown); underparts are slightly paler, gray-brown with pale frosting. In more arid areas,it occasionally has yellowish fur from carotenoids associated with pollen of the tree Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae). Pallas’s Longtongued Bat has moderately elongated rostrum that encloses tongue with hair-like papillae that can reach ¢. 40 mm into flowers. Nectar is extracted by dipping this hairy tongue repeatedly into nectar source at a high frequency of c.12 dips/second. Lowerjaw is about the same length as upper jaw. Lower incisors are small but well developed and in contact with each other; upper incisors are moderately procumbent. Habitat. Wide variety of subtropical and tropical habitats ranging from arid thorn forests to rainforests and savannas up to elevations above 2500 m. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat thrives in primary and secondary vegetation and readily occupies heavily modified agricultural and even urban areas, and it uses many man-made structures for roosting. Dueto this flexibility, it is probably the most widely distributed nectarfeeding bat in the Neotropics. Food and Feeding. As nectarfeeding specialists, Pallas’s LLong-tongued Bats visit many flowering species—in fact, the most on record—and manyfruits throughout their large distribution. Food requirements of these small nectar specialists are enormous and can be 150-200% of body weight in nectar each night. Generally with rapid hovering flight, they visit many bat-pollinated plant species such as Crescentia spp. (Bignoniaceae), Agave spp. (Asparagaceae), various species of columnar cacti (Cactaceae), and trees such as Pseudobombax ellipticum (Malvaceae) and C. pentandra. Being extremely opportunistic, they occasionally exploit flowers from other pollination syndromes that offer larger amounts of nectar or pollen (e.g. insect-pollinated flowers of coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, Arecaceae), and they also regularly fed from hummingbird feeders. There are only a few reports of species of Glossophaga defending floral resources against conspecifics and other flowervisitors; resource defense seems to occur only at inflorescences offering particularly rich nectar supplies that will satisfy a significant part of nightly energy requirements. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats are often the dominant nectarfeeding bat in commercial banana (Musa acuminata, Musaceae) plantations. Bananas are not native to the Neotropics, and although flowersstill producing significant quantities of nectar, cultivated plants no longer need pollination for fruit production. Consequently, Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats and other nectarfeeding bats sometimes have been regarded as pests because they were suspected to scratch young bananas with their claws while visiting flowers; these scratches increase in size during growth of the banana and can reduce their market value. Nevertheless, this species and other nectar specialists (Glossophaginae and Lonchophyllinae) are probably not the origin of such claw marks because they visit flowers almost always in hovering flight and therefore their claws only rarely touch and damage flowers or fruit. More probably, omnivorous spear-nosed bats (Phyllostomus) that can also be quite common are the culprits; they are much larger and heavier and always perch on banana inflorescence when drinking nectar. Although all morphological adaptations of Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats point to specialization on a nectar diet, they regularly eat soft fruits (e.g. Cecropia, Urticaceae and Piper, Piperaceae) and smaller fruits of Ficus spp. (Moraceae). Mastication with premolars and molars extracts primarily fruitjuices, but some fruit pulp and seeds are swallowed. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats regularly eat insects (e.g. moths and small beetles) that they capture in flight. At some locations, they switch seasonally between diets dominated by nectar and diets with increased use offruit and insects. Breeding. Reproduction of Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat is generally bimodal, often with birth peaks in dry and wet seasons. Parturition dates vary throughout the distribution and seem to depend locally on plant phenology and resource availability. Young are not born naked but have short gray fur. They are nursed for c.2 months and startto fly at ¢.20-25 days. A few weeks after birth, non-volant young start to regularly lick their mothers’ snouts to be fed regurgitated nectar. Activity patterns. Pallas’s Long-tongued Batis strictly nocturnal, leaving roosts after full darkness. Some evidence suggests bimodal night activity pattern, with first peak just after dusk and second peakjust before dawn. Other evidence suggests a unimodal pattern, with greatest activity occurring three hours after sunset. Emergence is inhibited by high light intensities (daytime or intense moonlight). Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat roosts in many natural and anthropogenic structures such as hollow trees, caves, abandoned houses, mines, and culverts. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Roosts range from small groups of 5-10 individuals in small tree hollows up to several hundred individuals in cave roosts and abandoned buildings. Because of their wide distribution, Pallas’s Long-tongued Bats can share roosts with as many as 30 bat species but most commonly with Seba’s Short-tailed Bats (Carollia perspicillata) in natural roosts and man-made structures. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Pallas’s Long-tongued Bat is probably the most abundant and widely distributed small nectarfeeding bat in the Neotropics. Bibliography. Alvarez et al. (1991), Bonaccorso (1979), Clare et al. (2014), Geiselman & Defex (2015), von Helversen & von Helversen (1975), von Helversen & Winter (2003), Hoffmann & Baker (2001), Knérnschild etal. (2010), Lemke (1984), MacSwiney et al. (2012), Miller (1912), Reid (2009), Rose et al. (2019), Stephens & Tyson (1975), Tschapka (2003), Winter & von Helversen (2003)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Phyllostomidae, pp. 444-583 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 513, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6458594

In order to contribute to the understanding of the effect of geological and climatic changes on species diversification in the Neotropics, we employed molecular techniques to study the population dynamics of the glossophagine bat Glossophaga soricina, a widespread species in the Neotropical region. We aimed to assess the dispersal and distribution of mtDNA lineages of G. soricina and evaluate the possible effect of vicariant events in the population history and dynamics. Glossophaga soricina presented two main highly supported mtDNA lineages, which diverged between ∼2.4 and 5 million years ago, probably following a vicariant event caused by the Andes final uplift. The lower sea level during Pleistocene glaciations also made possible the occupation of Jamaica after an event of dispersion over the Caribbean Sea, although past climatic fluctuations had little effect over population dynamics of G. soricina. Our results corroborate the idea that the Andes uplift played an important role in the evolution of Neo...

Bat pups produce isolation calls to solicit maternal care. During maturation, pup isolation calls may gradually develop into echolocation calls or exist in parallel to them, depending on the species involved. We studied the ontogeny of isolation calls in nectivorous bats, Glossophaga soricina. Isolation calls of G. soricina pups were frequency modulated calls uttered in bouts of varying length. Newborn pups already produced both isolation calls and echolocation call precursors (which developed into ‘normal’ echolocation calls), indicating that isolation calls of G. soricina pups occur independently and exist in parallel to echolocation calls during ontogeny. We found strong statistical evidence for an individual signature encoded in isolation calls. Moreover, we provide evidence for considerable changes in isolation call parameters over a short ontogenetic time span. Throughout ontogeny, the call interval decreased significantly whereas most frequency parameters increased significantly and call entropy rose (i.e., isolation calls became less tonal but noisier).

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:04:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-07-01 The male reproductive accessory glands (RAGs) are important organs that contribute to the secretion of different substances that composed the ejaculate. Despite this important function, their composition, anatomy and function vary widely between species. Thus, the RAGs of three species of phyllostomid bats were morphologically and ultrastructurally characterized and compared in this study. The RAGs of the three analyzed species are composed of a prostate and a pair of bulbourethral glands (BG). In all species, the prostate is composed of three well-defined regions (ventral, dorsolateral and dorsal regions). The ventral region showed an atypical epithelium (undefined) with no obvious cellular limits and a holocrine PAS-positive secretion. The dorsolateral region of Carollia perspicillata and Phyllostomus discolor showed a pseudostratified cubic morphology, and that from Glossophaga soricina had a columnar morphology endowed with cytoplasmic projections and stereocilia. The dorsal region of the three analyzed species is composed of a pseudostratified columnar epithelium endowed with stereocilia; however, G. soricina also presented cytoplasmic projections in the apical portions of the secretory cells similar to those in the dorsolateral region. The BG of the three analyzed species are composed of a pseudostratified columnar epithelium including basal and PAS-positive secretory cells. In conclusion, this study morphologically and ultrastructurally characterized the RAGs of three species of phyllostomid bats, demonstrating the presence of a novel third prostatic region in species of this family. The results also showed the absence of seminal vesicles and ampullary glands, and better characterized the holocrine pattern of the prostatic ventral region, which is unique to bats. Department of Biology UNESP – Univ. Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto Center of Biological and Health Sciences UFOB – Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia Department of Zoology and Botany UNESP – Univ. Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto Department of Biology UNESP – Univ. Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto Department of Zoology and Botany UNESP – Univ. Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto

The evolution of cue reception and cue production is well documented. The ability of species to use cues they did not evolve with is important in understanding flexibility in behaviour. We observed Neotropical nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaga soricina) feeding at Old World banana flowers (Musa acuminata) in a Belize garden. The flowers produce a rich source of nectar that is exposed as a bract lifts before dusk. We tested the hypothesis that the bracts serve as beacons to foraging bats and discuss this approach and the use of acoustic information by bats feeding at flowers. We ensonified a bract with cues like those of echolocating G. soricina, which revealed the production of strong echoes from the bract. Additionally, the removal of bracts from the flowers influenced the bats' flower-visiting behaviour. We suggest that the bats use the echoes from the bract opportunistically as a cue to find the nectar source. Our findings provide an example of an interaction between a plant and flower visitor not refle...

Leucism is a genetic condition that manifest as the total or partial lack of coloration, as result of a deficiency in the melanin deposit in the skin and fur. We present the first occurrence of leucism in Glossophaga soricina valens from Peru, a nectarivorous species of the western slope of the Andes from Peru and Ecuador, and the Maranon valley. Also, we discuss some implications of this occurrence, and update the checklist of bat species recorded with leucism in the America.

Although many tropical countries have functional wind farms, most of the information on their impact on bat populations has come from temperate zones. Our study is based on a 5-year study (2009–2013) of bat captures using mist nets, acoustic recordings, and carcass searches at a wind farm in tropical southern Mexico. We investigated the composition of bat species, estimated the number of bat fatalities per turbine, and assessed the effect of the spatial attributes of vegetation cover near turbines on numbers of bat carcasses recovered by trophic guild. We recorded 29 bat species at the wind farm. The family Phyllostomidae was best represented in terms of number of species and individuals captured. Glossophaga soricina and G. morenoi exhibited the highest relative abundance, whereas Balantiopteryx plicata had the highest acoustic activity. We found 203 carcasses, including 73 Pteronotus davyi individuals (35.9%); other frequent species were Mormoops megalophylla, Molossus sinaloae, and Lasiurus intermedius. The total number of carcasses found within a year ranged from 17 to 83 (2012 and 2009, respectively), with the corrected estimates ranging from 410 to 1,980, or 4.18–20.20 fatalities/turbine. The number of carcasses recorded was positively correlated with secondary vegetation surrounding turbines but negatively correlated with agricultural fields. The spatial attributes of vegetation surrounding turbines influenced numbers of bat carcasses differentially depending on the bats’ trophic guild and habitat use. Contrary to findings from United States and Canadian wind farms, most of the carcasses observed in our study were resident species. Notably, the most commonly captured and acoustically active species were not the most commonly found in carcass searches. To obtain more accurate information about the most vulnerable species and how to reduce the impact on bat mortality, we advise the use of alternative monitoring methods in pre-construction studies. Aunque muchos países tropicales han promovido el establecimiento de parques eólicos en sus territorios, mucha de la información referente al impacto de esta actividad sobre las poblaciones de murciélagos proviene de zonas templadas. Usando datos de 5 años (2009–2013) de muestreos con redes de niebla, grabaciones acústicas, y búsquedas de cadáveres en un parque eólico al sur del trópico mexicano, investigamos la composición de especies de murciélagos, estimamos el número de cadáveres/turbina y evaluamos el efecto de los atributos espaciales de la vegetación que rodea a las turbinas sobre el número de cadáveres de murciélagos por gremio trófico. Registramos 29 especies de murciélagos en el parque, la familia Phyllostomidae fue la mejor representada en cuanto al número de especies e individuos capturados. Glossophaga soricina y G. morenoi fueron las especies con mayor abundancia relativa, mientras que Balantiopteryx plicata fue la especie con mayor actividad acústica. Se registraron 203 cadáveres de murciélagos en el parque eólico, el 35.9% pertenecían a Pteronotus davyi, otras especies frecuentes fueron Mormoops megalophylla, Molossus sinaloae y Lasiurus intermedius. El número total de cadáveres encontrado va de 17 a 83 (2012 y 2009 respectivamente), mientras que la estimación corregida va de 492–1,980, o 4.18–20.20 cadáveres/turbina. La cantidad de cadáveres estimada para los 5 años combinados es de 4,782. El área ocupada por vegetación secundaria alrededor de los aerogeneradores se relacionó significativa y positivamente con el número de cadáveres registrados. Nuestros resultados también indican que la ubicación de los aerogeneradores afecta de forma diferencial a las especies de murciélagos según sus gremios tróficos y uso de hábitat. Contrario a lo encontrado en parques eólicos de Estados Unidos y Canadá, los cadáveres de murciélagos registrados en el parque eólico tropical son de especies residentes, incluyendo aquellas que forman grandes colonias. Ya que algunas de las especies frecuentemente registradas en las redes y acústicamente, no fueron las que se encontraron frecuentemente en los cadáveres, sugerimos diversificar los métodos de monitoreo en estudios de pre-construcción para identificar las especies más vulnerables y tomar acciones que reduzcan el impacto sobre sus poblaciones.

Pre-pollination mechanisms for isolation among sympatric bat-pollinated plants are largely unknown. We investigated the mechanisms for reproductive segregation between four sympatric chiropterophilous bromeliads in Veracruz, Mexico. With ex situ and in situ manual pollination treatments we determined the breeding system by assessing fruiting and seedling success and sampled bat visitors using mist-nets and infrared cameras. Bromeliads showed staggered flowering, different pollen deposition sites on the body of the pollinator and differences in the reward offered. These traits may have evolved to reduce the competitive costs of sharing pollinators while providing a constant supply of food for the nectarivorous bat community., Pollinators can be a limited resource and natural selection should favour differences in phenotypic characteristics to reduce competition among plants. Bats are important pollinators of many Neotropical plants, including the Bromeliaceae; however, the pre-pollination mechanisms for isolation among sympatric bat-pollinated bromeliads are unknown. Here, we studied the mechanisms for reproductive segregation between Pitcairnia recurvata, Pseudalcantarea viridiflora, Werauhia noctiflorens and W. nutans. The study was conducted at Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, in Veracruz, Mexico We carried out ex situ and in situ manual pollination treatments to determine the breeding system by assessing fruiting and seedling success and sampled bat visitors using mist-nets and infrared cameras. We determined the nocturnal nectar production pattern, estimating the energetic content of this reward. All four bromeliads are self-compatible, but only P. recurvata appears to require pollinators, because the physical separation between anthers and stigma prevents self-pollination, it is xenogamous and presents a strictly nocturnal anthesis. The bats Anoura geoffroyi, Glossophaga soricina and Hylonycteris underwoodi are probable pollinators of three of the studied bromeliads. We did not record any animal visiting the fourth species. The flowering season of each species is staggered throughout the year, with minimal overlap, and the floral morphology segregates the locations on the body of the bat where the pollen is deposited. The most abundant nectar per flower is provided by P. viridiflora, but P. recurvata offers the best reward per hectare, considering the density of flowering plants. Staggered flowering, different pollen deposition sites on the body of the pollinator and differences in the reward offered may have evolved to reduce the competitive costs of sharing pollinators while providing a constant supply of food to maintain a stable nectarivorous bat community.

We analyze the effects of morphology and wing kinematics on the performance of hovering flight. We present a simplified dynamical model with body translational and rotational degrees of freedom that incorporates the flapping, long-axis wing rotation and folding of the wing. To validate our simulation, we compare our results with direct measurements from hovering insects, hummingbirds and bats. Results show that long-axis wing rotation angle (a proxy for pronation) has a significant effect on energy efficiency. For a given wing rotation amplitude, the hovering system has a power-optimal flapping frequency for each stroke-plane orientation, and that frequency closely corresponds to the wingbeat frequencies observed in a diverse range of hummingbird species. We find that larger animals (with larger total mass and wing size), such as bats, require more power to maintain a stable hovering orbit and that hovering with a constant wingspan becomes increasingly impractical with increasing body size. We show, as an exemplar, that for a system of the size of a hovering bat, e.g. Glossophaga soricina, hovering with constant wingspan is dynamically possible, but is implausible and inefficient. For these conditions, hovering with varying wingspan, retracting the wing on the upstroke, is a more realistic hovering modality.