Abstract
The diet, activity and reproductive patterns of several species of bats were investigated in primary forests of Central Amazon. Between August 1996 and August 1997, using mist nets set both at canopy and understorey levels, 936 bats, belonging to 51 species, 31 genera and 6 families were captured. Fecal samples from 35 species were examined, with four food categories and 25 food items identified. Time of captures indicate a wide variation, but the major part of the species presented a peak of activity around the first hour after sunset. Three reproductive peaks were observed: October-November; January-February; and July-August, but reproductive patterns varied among the families. The structure of the bat fauna in Manaus is similar to other sites in the Amazon and Central America, the main common points being: a) a high diversity of bat species, usually more than 40 species representing 6-8 families; b) 3-4 very common and geographically widespread species; c) most species are represented by a few captures; d) frugivorous species dominate the fauna and insectivorous species are less often captured; and e) most species cluster in 2-3 guilds, dominated by small (< 12 g) species.
Chiroptera; activity patterns; bats; biodiversity; Amazon Forest; Brazil; diet; guilds; primary forests; reproductive patterns
Diet, activity and reproduction of bat species (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in Central Amazonia, Brazil
Enrico Bernard
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil. Present address: Department of Biology, York University. 4700 Keele SI., Toronto, Ontario Canada M3J 1 P3. E-mail: ebernard@yorku.ca
ABSTRACT
The diet, activity and reproductive patterns of several species of bats were investigated in primary forests of Central Amazon. Between August 1996 and August 1997, using mist nets set both at canopy and understorey levels, 936 bats, belonging to 51 species, 31 genera and 6 families were captured. Fecal samples from 35 species were examined, with four food categories and 25 food items identified. Time of captures indicate a wide variation, but the major part of the species presented a peak of activity around the first hour after sunset. Three reproductive peaks were observed: October-November; January-February; and July-August, but reproductive patterns varied among the families. The structure of the bat fauna in Manaus is similar to other sites in the Amazon and Central America, the main common points being: a) a high diversity of bat species, usually more than 40 species representing 6-8 families; b) 3-4 very common and geographically widespread species; c) most species are represented by a few captures; d) frugivorous species dominate the fauna and insectivorous species are less often captured; and e) most species cluster in 2-3 guilds, dominated by small (< 12 g) species.
Key words: Chiroptera, activity patterns, bats, biodiversity, Amazon Forest, Brazil, diet, guilds, primary forests, reproductive patterns
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. I would like to thanks Drs. CO. Handley, E.K.V. Kalko, and E.M. Sampaio for their comments on bat identification and field protocol. Dr. C. Gascon provided logistical support and useful comments. Dr. W.E. Magnusson provided suggestions and comments. J.T. Andes, A.M. dos Reis, and F.M. Bezerra helped in field work. Dr. M.B. Fenton revised this manuscript and provided useful comments. Financial support for the field work come from grants of CNPq (Masters Program), Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP-INPA/SI), and Bat Conservation International. This is publication number 303 of BDFFP's Technical Series.
Recebido em 12.IV.2001; aceito em 18.II.2002.
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
19 May 2009 -
Date of issue
Mar 2002
History
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Received
12 Apr 2001 -
Accepted
18 Feb 2002