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Lasiurus villosissimus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Abstract
The South American hoary bat, Lasiurus villosissimus (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1806), is a vespertilionid bat, endemic to
South America and occurring in all countries except Guyana, French Guiana, and Suriname. It is one of the four species included in the subgenus Aeorestes. Lasiurus villosissimus is distinguishable from all other species of the genus by its larger size and coloration (except Lasiurus cinereus, but it only occurs in Mexico, Central America, and the Hawaiian Islands). Pelage is dark brownish and grayish mixed with yellow, tinged with white, producing a frosty or hoary appearance which is always evident. It is an insectivorous species that inhabits a great variety of habitats.
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The taxonomic history of bats of the tribe Lasiurini (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) has undergone significant changes over time. Authors at different times have recognized various numbers of genera and subgenera within the tribe. The most recent proposed change to generic level taxonomy (that there should be three genera recognized instead of a single genus) has been debated in the literature. We reviewed papers that commented on the recent changes to lasiurine generic taxonomy, as well as those that have adopted the new taxonomy and the ones that have not. We also reviewed the relevant taxonomic literature from 1942 to the present that shows the fluid taxonomic history of these bats. The literature review shows that the recently proposed taxonomic change recognizing the three groups of lasiurine bats as distinct genera is the only taxonomy that differentiates the tribe from the genera. Examination of times to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of 24 vespertilionid genera shows Lasiurus, if it comprises all Lasiurini, to be an outlier. Here, we support the recognition of three genera and explain how this arrangement best reflects the evolutionary history and biodiversity of the tribe by bringing the three distinct lineages in line with other vespertilionid genera with respect to divergence times and genetic distances. Considering the Lasiurini to comprise a single genus, Lasiurus, that genus has the greatest TMRCA of all vespertilionid genera analyzed, comparable only to the genus Kerivoula of the monotypic subfamily Kerivoulinae. However, recognizing the three deeply diverged lasiurine lineages (red bats, yellow bats, and hoary bats) as genera brings their TMRCAs in line with other genera and approximates the mean TMRCA of the 24 genera analyzed. Opponents of Baird et al.’s taxonomy argued that these three lineages should be considered as subgenera to avoid changing scientific names for purpose of nomenclatural stability and ease of conducting a literature search and because the three deep lineages are all monophyletic. That argument ignores the biological reality that these lineages are morphologically distinct, and that they are genetically as distinct from one another as other genera of vespertilionid bats; there is ample precedent in the mammalian literature to use values of TMRCA as a metric to maintain consistency of higher taxonomic categories such as genus. We encourage other mammalogists to utilize taxonomy to its maximum descriptive potential, while taking into account phylogenetic relationships of the taxa of interest.
The diet of arthropodophagous bats can be influenced by several factors. Furthermore, its study is critical for understanding their role in the ecosystem as regulators of arthropod abundance. The aim of this study was to analyze the diet of 12 species beloging to two families of arthropodophagous bats from the Yungas Forests, Northwestern Argentina. We also evaluated differences in diet between well-preserved and disturbed sites, sexes, and seasons. The specimens were collected with mist nets in eight different localities, four well-preserved and four disturbed sites of the Yungas Forests. Through the analysis of feces, arthropod remains were identified until the lowest possible taxonomic level. Volume and frequency of occurrence percentages for each food item and the niche breadth for the species were estimated. A total of 475 samples from 12 species were analyzed and their diet contained arthropods from eight orders and seven families; the highest number of consumed arthropod orders were registered for Eptesicus diminutus. A low niche breadth was recorded in general for all species. The diet was significantly influenced by season and site characteristics only in E. diminutus and E. furinalis, respectively. This showed that bats could modify its diet according to the different habitats and seasons.
Resumen Se propone una nueva especie dentro del género Lasiurus a partir de 3 ejemplares recolectados en el desierto costero y vertiente occidental del sur de Perú. Basados en evidencia molecular y morfológica, Lasiurus sp. nov. está relacionada con especies rojizas del género Lasiurus (i.e., L. atratus, L. castenaeus, L. blossevillii y L. varius). La divergencia genética del gen citocromo b entre la nueva especie y las otras especies del género fueron altas (> 9.4%). Esta nueva especie, endémica de Perú, incrementa la diversidad conocida del género Lasiurus a 20 especies. Abstract A new species within the genus Lasiurus is proposed from 3 specimens collected in the coastal desert and western slopes of southwestern Peru. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, the new species is related to Lasiurus reddish species (i.e., L. atratus, L. castaneus, L. blossevillii, and L. varius). Cytochrome b genetic divergence between the new species and the other species of the genus was high (> 9.4%). This new species, endemic to Peru, increases the known diversity of Lasiurus to 20 species.
Leishmaniasis involves the participation of several species of both wild and domestic mammal hosts and sandfly vectors, which demonstrates the eco-epidemiological complexity observed in this disease. Bats are among the most abundant types of mammals and the scarcity of research on Leishmania infection in these animals gives evidence of the importance of new studies that aim to clarify this relationship. This study aimed to detect the Leishmania spp. in bats. 146 bats, representing 16 different species belonging to the Molossidae, Vespertilionidae, and Phyllostomidae families, were received and processed for collection of tissues. Skin samples were collected from 100% of the bats, and liver samples were collected from 87% (n=127). After evaluating the quality of the DNA extracted by means of PCR directed to the IRBP gene, the samples considered suitable for the Leishmania detection test were submitted for PCR directed to Leishmania kDNA, and to confirm positivity, were tested to the SSUrRNA gene-directed Nested-PCR. The Leishmania presence in the species Molossus pretiosus, Nyctinomops macrotis, and Lasiurus cinereus are the first reports this encounter in these species of bats in Brazil. Furthermore, new species of bats as possible hosts for L. infantum are reported, such as Molossus pretiosus, Myotis nigricans, Nyctinomops laticaudatus, Nyctinomops macrotis, and, for L. braziliensis, Lasiurus cinereus and Cynomops planirostris. These findings in bats in an area endemic for leishmaniasis indicate that these animals may be involved in sustaining the disease cycle in this location.
En esta guía se actualizan e incrementan las distribuciones de muchas especies, incluyendo extensiones de especies a nuevas provincias, como resultados de un aumento muy significativo de muestreos de campo e incorporación de ejemplares en las colecciones sistemáticas
(Barquez et al. 2011 a, b, 2013; Bracamonte y Lutz 2013; Castilla et al. 2010, 2013; Díaz et al. 2017, 2018, 2019 a, b; Gamboa Alurralde et al. 2016, Giménez y Schiaffini 2019; Idoeta et al. 2012, 2015; Lutz et al. 2016; Massa et al. 2014; Montani et al. 2018, Pautasso et al. 2009, Pavé et al. 2017, De Sousa y Pavé 2009, Teta et al. 2009, Udrizar Sauthier et al. 2013). Entendemos que esta guía será una herramienta de utilidad para la identificación de las especies, en el campo y en las colecciones sistemáticas, y no sólo para investigadores, sino también para estudiantes, guardaparques y público en general; al mismo tiempo esperamos que sirva para incentivar el desarrollo de más estudios sobre este grupo en la Argentina.
Bats are one of the least-studied vertebrate groups in Chile. We sampled six fruit farms in theMediterranean-climate zone and three in a semiarid zone during 2015 and 2016, respectively.We assessed if activity (passes) and foraging (feeding buzzes) of bat species differed betweencultivated and uncultivated intra-farm habitats. We found six bat species, all threatened andinsectivorous.Tadarida brasiliensiswas the most frequently recorded species. We found moreactivity and foraging in uncultivated than cultivated habitats in total, although the oppositetrend was observed during springtime in semiarid region. More than a third of the bat passeswere feeding buzzes in both habitats, suggesting the potential service to agriculture. Furtherinvestigation is needed to promote conservation of bats and their integration as biocontrolsin agroecosystems in Chile.
Este estudio organiza toda la información disponible acerca de los patógenos virales y bacterianos de mamíferos silvestres en Chile. Esto fue realizado con el objetivo de identificar patógenos que han sido bien documentados y reconocer aquellos que no han sido apropiadamente estudiados, determinar el número de artículos que han sido publicados anualmente acerca de este tópico e identificar las regiones en Chile que han concentrado el mayor y menor número de estudios relacionados con patógenos virales y bacterianos. Para lograr esto, se seleccionó para revisión un total de 67 artículos científicos publicados en revistas evaluadas por pares desde 1951 al 2018. Los resultados indican que el número de publicaciones ha incrementado por década y hay años en los cuales no se publicaron artículos. La mayoría de los estudios se relacionan con Leptospira, rabia, hantavirus, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) y distémper. Rodentia, Carnivora, Chiroptera y Cetartiodactyla fueron los órdenes de mamíferos más estudiados. Información acerca de la presencia/ausencia de patógenos fue encontrada en 44 especies de mamíferos silvestres. La mayor parte de las investigaciones buscaron patógenos en Chile sur y central y los métodos de diagnóstico más empleados para el diagnóstico de patógenos fueron serología y técnicas moleculares. En general, la investigación en mamíferos silvestres ha sido dirigida a la evaluación de enfermedades zoonóticas, mientras que aquellas enfermedades transmitidas por vectores y enfermedades no zoonóticas han sido mayormente ignoradas por la comunidad científica.
Urotrema scabridum Braun 1900 and Urotrema macrotestis Mané-Garzón and Telias 1965 are reported from the small intestine of Eumops glaucinus (Wagner, 1843). The species were differentiated by the body width, the size and position of acetabulum, the size of testis, the caecal termination, and the distribution of vitellarium. The present study expands the distribution and the hosts of both species in Minas Gerais State and reports U. macrotestis parasitizing bats for the first time.
Baird et al. (2015) split Lasiurus into three distinct genera (Aeorestes, Dasypterus and Lasiurus) based on tree topology and divergence times for the tribe Lasiurini. This arrangement has not been widely adopted by the scientific community and was criticized by Ziegler et al. (2016). More recently, Baird et al. (2017) reinforced the taxonomic arrangement of Lasiurini comprised by three genera. Baird et al. (2015, 2017) provided the most comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of Lasiurus and offer important insights on the phylogeny and alpha-taxonomy of the group. However, we disagree with the taxonomic arrangement proposed at the genus level and explain our point below.
Previous studies on genetics of hoary bats produced differing conclusions on the timing of their colonization of the Hawaiian Islands and whether or not North American (Aeorestes cinereus) and Hawaiian (A. semotus) hoary bats are distinct species. One study, using mtDNA COI and nuclear Rag2 and CMA1, concluded that hoary bats colonized the Hawaiian Islands no more than 10,000 years ago based on indications of population expansion at that time using Extended Bayesian Skyline Plots. The other study, using 3 mtDNA and 1 Y-chromosome locus, concluded that the Hawaiian Islands were colonized about 1 million years ago. To address the marked inconsistencies between those studies, we examined DNA sequences from 4 mitochondrial and 2 nuclear loci in lasiurine bats to investigate the timing of colonization of the Hawaiian Islands by hoary bats, test the hypothesis that Hawaiian and North American hoary bats belong to different species, and further investigate the generic level taxonomy within the tribe. Phylogenetic analysis and dating of the nodes of mtDNA haplotypes and of nuclear CMA1 alleles show that A. semotus invaded the Hawaiian Islands approximately 1.35 Ma and that multiple arrivals of A. cinereus occurred much more recently. Extended Bayesian Skyline plots show population expansion at about 20,000 years ago in the Hawaiian Islands, which we conclude does not represent the timing of colonization of the Hawaiian Islands given the high degree of genetic differentiation among A. cinereus and A. semotus (4.2% divergence at mtDNA Cytb) and the high degree of genetic diversity within A. semotus. Rather, population expansion 20,000 years ago could have resulted from colonization of additional islands, expansion after a bottleneck, or other factors. New genetic data also support the recognition of A. semotus and A. cinereus as distinct species, a finding consistent with previous morphological and behavioral studies. The phylogenetic analysis of CMA1 alleles shows the presence of 2 clades that are primarily associated with A. semotus mtDNA haplotypes, and are unique to the Hawaiian Islands. There is evidence for low levels of hybridization between A. semotus and A. cinereus on the Hawaiian Islands, but it is not extensive (<15% of individuals are of hybrid origin), and clearly each species is able to maintain its own genetic distinctiveness. Both mtDNA and nuclear DNA sequences show deep divergence between the 3 groups (genera) of lasiurine bats that correspond to the previously recognized morphological differences between them. We show that the Tribe Lasiurini contains the genera Aeorestes (hoary bats), Lasiurus (red bats), and Dasypterus (yellow bats).
Bats are one of the least studied groups of vertebrates in Chile; however, in recent years the knowledge about them has advanced significantly due to the implementation of bioacoustics methods as well as by the recent inclusion of bats in environmental impact studies. Here we update the list of Chilean bats, raising to 13 the number of previously known species. In addition to updating the taxonomic status, incorporating a new species record for the country, also some ecological and behavioral information ispresented, including significant extensions of the geographic ranges of several species. Finally, we identify and propose some directions for future research to be developed in the country that will allow deepening the knowledge of this group of mammals.
Located over 3800 km from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Islands have previously been thought to support only one endemic land mammal, the extant Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus), a taxon that apparently initially dispersed from mainland North America between 10,000 and 7000 years ago. Some uncertainty exists regarding the status of this taxon (i.e., whether or not populations representing more recent invasions of L. cinereus from North America are exchanging genes with the older lineage, and whether or not semotus represents a distinct species), but all researchers agree that hoary bats are the only endemic land mammals extant in the islands today. However, fossil evidence indicates that the Hawaiian Islands once supported another quite different endemic bat species that is now extinct. Skeletal remains of a new genus and species of vespertilionid bat are herein described from various Late Pleistocene and Holocene/Recent deposits on the five largest Hawaiian Islands. The new taxon is diagnosed by a mosaic of features including dental formula, molar morphology, skull shape, and metacarpal formula. This new taxon, which is smaller than Hawaiian hoary bat, was apparently present in the Hawaiian Islands by 320,000 years b.p. and survived until at least 1100 years ago and possibly much later. Accordingly, two species of bats coexisted on the Hawaiian Islands for several thousand years. As with numerous extinct endemic bird species, the extinction of the new bat taxon described here may have resulted either directly or indirectly from human colonization of the islands and the invasive nonnative species that came with human explorers and settlers.
In order to clarify the distribution of bats of the genus Lasiurus in Colombia, we performed a morphological study of 49 specimens from four Colombian collections. Our review confirms the presence of three species in Colombia (L. blossevillii, L. cinereus, and L. ega) with distribution in all natural regions that include six of the nine biogeographic provinces. These species can be easily differentiated based on external and cranial characters. Lasiurus cinereus is the largest species (forearm length > 52 mm) and L. blossevillii is the smallest (forearm < 42 mm); L. ega has a distinctive skull shape with a developed sagittal crest. While previous literature make claims that L. egregius and L. castaneus occur in Colombia, our analysis found no support for this and even contradicts the evidence cited for their presence in the country. We demonstrate that one specimen attributed to L. egregius in literature corresponds to a misidentified L. blossevillii. Furthermore, we found that there are not any specimens of L. castaneus from the Department of Cundinamarca despite several reports in the literature. The status of subspecies in Colombia remains controversial and more specimens are needed to determine whether there are clear distinctions between forms in any geographical region. Most of the specimens examined were males and in some cases, were collected opportunistically from dead individuals found in cities in the Andean region.
This study reports the phylogenetic relationships of 13 species of lasiurine bats using 4 loci from mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA. Our results support a sister taxon relationship between the red and hoary bats, with the yellow bats being more distantly related. Several taxonomic revisions are suggested based on the results of this study. We support the recognition of 3 separate genera: Lasiurus (red bats), Dasypterus (yellow bats), and Aeorestes (hoary bats, including A. egregius which groups more closely to the hoary bats than its traditional placement with the red bats). We recognize L. frantzii as a distinct species and recognize L. blossevillii salinae as a subspecies rather than species. We elevate 3 previously recognized subspecies of A. cinereus to specific status. The phylogeography of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat is studied in detail, and hoary bats are found to have undergone multiple invasions of the Hawaiian Islands from North America over its evolutionary history. We also report the presence of 2 species of Aeorestes on the Hawaiian Islands where only one previously had been known.
Context
Disentangling the relative effects of forest loss versus fragmentation on species distribution and abundance is crucial for adopting efficient biodiversity conservation actions, which could change with the nature of the landscape matrix.
Objectives
We tested the moderating effect of landscape matrix on insectivorous bats response to forest loss and fragmentation.
Methods
We conducted acoustic surveys at forest patches surrounded by either an agricultural-dominated matrix or a pine-dominated matrix. We related bat activity to forest amount and the number of forest patches at multiple spatial scales, and compared their effects between landscape matrices.
Results
Bat activity was associated with both predictors, however their effects varied with the matrix type. In agricultural landscapes, as the amount of forest increased, the activity of Histiotus montanus, Lasiurus cinereus and Tadarida brasiliensis increased, while activity of Myotis chiloensis decreased. Similarly, as fragmentation increased, the activity of Lasiurus varius and M. chiloensis increased, while activity of H. montanus decreased. In production-forest landscapes, only H. montanus decreased its activity with increasing forest amount. In contrast, activity of L. cinereus, M. chiloensis and T. brasiliensis increased with increasing fragmentation. Forest amount was a stronger predictor for agricultural landscapes than for production-forest landscapes, suggesting that low contrast matrices can mitigate the effects of forest loss.
Conclusions
Fragmented landscapes with native forest patches surrounded by a low contrast matrix may support a higher activity of insectivorous bats. Management efforts in fragmented landscapes should aim to decrease the patch-matrix contrast, which will mitigate the effects of forest loss on bats.
Although the Chiroptera represents a significant proportion (c.20%) of the mammalian fauna and South America has the highest diversity of bat species, only about a third of the known species in this region have had helminth parasites reported from them. This work represents the first comprehensive checklist of the helminth parasites (nematodes, acanthocepha-lans, trematodes and cestodes) of South American bats. The data were extracted from more than 120 references and are presented as a key to each group of parasites down to the generic level, with an indication of how the bats become infected, accompanied by a list of the species recorded for each genus. This is followed, in tabular form, by parasite-host and host-parasite checklists. The parasite-host list also includes their geographical distribution in South America (at the country level) and site data, plus the references in which the parasite records occur. The host-parasite list is arranged according to the classification of the hosts. In all, c.370 host-parasite associations are recorded, involving 114 nominal species of hel-minths from 92 named chiropteran taxa.
The situation of rabies in America is complex: rabies in dogs has decreased dramatically, but bats are increasingly recognized as natural reservoirs of other rabies variants. Here, bat species known to be rabies-positive with different antigenic variants, are summarized in relation to bat conservation status across Latin America. Rabies virus is widespread in Latin American bat species, 22.5%75 of bat species have been confirmed as rabies-positive. Most bat species found rabies positive are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as "Least Concern". According to diet type, insectivorous bats had the most species known as rabies reservoirs, while in proportion hematophagous bats were the most important. Research at coarse spatial scales must strive to understand rabies ecology; basic information on distribution and population dynamics of many Latin American and Caribbean bat species is needed; and detailed information on effects of landscape change in driving bat-borne rabies outbreaks remains unassessed. Finally, integrated approaches including public health, ecology, and conservation biology are needed to understand and prevent emergent diseases in bats.
Four morphologically similar species of insectivorous bats in the genus Lasiurus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) regularly occur in the American Southern Cone. Three of them (Lasiurus cinereus, L. blossevillii and L. ega) are sympatric over many regions, whereas the remaining species (L. varius, closely related to L. blossevillii) is allopatric, occurring in the Patagonian Temperate Rainforest. A multivariate analysis of 14 craniodental variables for 99 specimens from the four species confirmed size separating two small species from two large ones, and revealed morphofunctional aspects of mastication segregating the two large species on the basis of differences in temporal muscle function (coronoid process height and length of rostrum). We predict ecological (trophic) differences among these lasiurines consistent with their segregation in the morphofunctional space and in combination with the sympatric vs. allopatric condition of species pairs or triads.
Forestry plantations represent about 4 % of the global land cover and demand for wood is steadily increasing worldwide. Impacts of forest plantations on biodiversity are controversial; forest plantations could positively influence biodiversity by producing a buffer zone between native forests and agriculture, while replacement of native forests with plantations could reduce biodiversity. Chile is one of the main producers of wood worldwide, and production is largely based on intensively managed monocultures of exotic tree species. Only a few studies have looked at the effects of forestry plantations on biodiversity in Chile, mainly focusing on pine plantations. The aim of this study was to characterize habitat use and richness of bats between native forests, eucalyptus plantations and grasslands in a biodiversity hotspot in southern Chile to determine how land use affects an important mammalian taxa. We found no difference in use or richness of bats in eucalyptus plantations versus native forests. Regional context within the larger Valdivian watershed (Andes, central valley, coastal range) had a stronger influence on bat activityand richness than land use type (native forest, plantation, grassland), with the Andean region being the most diverse and where most bat activity is concentrated. Our results suggest that the composition and structure of the surrounding landscape mosaic may be fundamental to determine the impacts of forestry and human land use on biodiversity.
The reproductive benefits of maintaining a high body temperature (Tb) are well understood, but costs may be prohibitively high. Many small mammals raise offspring in insulated nests, burrows, or roosts, and may form communal maternity colonies, all of which are behaviors that reduce the costs of maintaining Tb. However, some temperate-zone bats are solitary and raise young in exposed roosts. Little is known about how these species maintain energy balance in the face of high thermoregulatory costs, and whether they stay warm invariably for reproductive benefits, or use a more adaptive thermoregulatory strategy. We studied Tb patterns in response to foraging conditions, weather, and pup age in free-ranging adult and juvenile hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus). Lactating females regularly entered torpor, although its use was most extensive following poor foraging conditions, during inclement weather, and when pups were young. Juvenile L. cinereus appeared capable of staying warm from 3 days of age, but used torpor throughout development, gradually decreasing its use as they grew. Our results indicate that for this species, torpor is important throughout lactation, and torpor use changes in response to individually specific trade-offs between energetic cost and developmental benefit. We suggest that the costs of active thermoregulation during early development of L. cinereus pups outweigh the benefits of staying warm, and an extended growing season (as a result of their migratory nature) is more conducive to using torpor. Finally, we suggest that torpor use during lactation is dynamic and adaptive. Fine-scale changes within reproductive stages need to be considered, rather than broadly assessing thermoregulatory behavior among stages.
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Partitioning of food resources is one of the main drivers of bat community organization. We investigated the trophic structure of the Patagonian bat ensemble which comprises eight insectivorous species classified in the families Vespertilionidae and Molossidae. Natural history studies, particularly those of diet and resource use, are scarce for these species and for bats of harsh environments generally. Here, we report the analysis of 140 dietary records from the eight Patagonian species sampled in 23 Western Central Patagonian localities in Chubut Province, Argentina. We estimated the dietary composition, both as percentage volume and as frequency of occurrence, of each dietary item, which was identified to the level of order. Trophic-niche breadth and average prey hardness were calculated for each bat species. We applied a principal components analysis for volume dietary data and correspondence analysis for frequency data. We recorded six insect orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Trichoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, and Hemiptera) in different proportions across species. The latter also diverged in average prey hardness and trophic-niche breadth. This study provides the first quantitative picture of trophic organization in bats from Patagonian habitats. While Myotis species mainly consumed Coleoptera, followed by Lepidoptera and Diptera, Lasiurus species took chiefly Lepidoptera; Histiotus predominantly hunted for Coleoptera, and T. brasiliensis captured chiefly Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Diptera. These different dietary combinations indicate resource partitioning among three vespertilionid and one molossid genera, as well as a degree of niche organization in Patagonian bats, which help to understand their ecosystem role as insect predators.
Moonlight intensity influences the activity patterns of bats. Some bat species reduce their activity levels during brighter nights, a phenomenon known as “lunar phobia.” While lunar phobia of bats has been extensively studied in tropical regions, the same is not the case of bats in temperate regions. By using acoustic detectors, we examined differences in the activity of insectivorous bats on nights with different moonlight intensity in an agricultural landscape of central Chile. We also examined the hourly activity patterns throughout the night and how these varied between full and new moon nights. All bat species modified their activity based on the moonlight intensity; however, their effects were species-specific. The activity of Lasiurus varius, L. villosissimus, Myotis chiloensis, and Histiotus montanus was lower during bright nights, while Tadarida brasiliensis was the only species whose activity was higher during bright nights. Hourly activity throughout the night differed between full moon nights and new moon nights in most bat species. During full moon, bats concentrated their activities in the early hours of the nights; a more homogeneous activity pattern was exhibited during new moon night. Our study demonstrates that moonlight affects the activity of bats in Chile, a factor that should be considered when studying bats.
Vespertilionid species are widely distributed in South America. They are highly diverse, with physiological and behavioral adaptations which allow them to extend their distributions into temperate areas. In Patagonia, this family is represented by seven species in three genera ( Histiotus , Lasiurus and Myotis ). In this study, we analyzed the distribution of two vespertilionid species, Lasiurus villosissimus and Myotis dinellii , including new southernmost records, and their relationship with environmental variables. Two different spatial scales were analyzed: a continental approach for species distribution analyses (South America), and local trapping of bats in northwestern Chubut province, Argentina. We present new southern limits for L. villosissimus and M. dinellii , and included new records for Patagonian bats. The big hoary bat L. villosissimus was recorded as the largest bat inhabiting Patagonia, relating it as a bat mainly inhabiting low, humid and temperate/warm areas. The little yellow bat M. dinellii , instead, is the smallest mammal and the smallest bat recorded in Patagonia to date, related mainly with dry, mid-altitude and temperate/warm areas.
Landscape composition and heterogeneity are considered important factors for enhancing biodiversity and their associated ecosystem services in human-modified landscapes. Despite their roles in pest suppression in agricultural areas, insectivorous bats have been poorly represented in studies assessing the effects of landscape structural changes, particularly in the Neotropics. We evaluated how the composition and heterogeneity of the landscape, at several spatial scales, influenced the diversity and activity of aerial insectivorous bats in organic vineyards. Bat activity was quantified using acoustic surveys at 16 vineyards distributed across the central zone of Chile, where landscape composition and heterogeneity were determined by spatial analysis (GIS). Data were analyzed using partial least square regressions (PLS). The diversity and activity of aerial insectivorous bats in vineyards increased with the compositional and configurational heterogeneity of the landscape. Bat diversity and species richness in vineyards increased as the area covered by native vegetation increased, and urban areas decreased. Total bat activity, feeding activity and the activity of the dominant species T. brasiliensis increased with the diversity of cover types in the landscape, and also as the area covered by annual crops and rural areas increased. This study highlights the importance of agricultural landscape composition and heterogeneity for aerial insectivorous bats in organic vineyards. Effective conservation efforts and management strategies in this crop should aim to increase cover diversification at the landscape scale. In addition, retaining native forest remnants around or within vineyards may promote bat conservation and their role as suppressors of crop pests in these production landscapes.
Agricultural intensification is one of the major causes for the global loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. As an alternative to conventional farming, organic management is considered a way to mitigate some of the negative impacts on biodiversity in agricultural landscapes; however, their benefits for bats are not very conclusive. We investigated the hypothesis that organic farming benefits bats in vineyards by improving conditions for foraging through increased availability of prey. We also hypothesized that bat activity would vary between edges and the interior of vineyards in response to prey availability that in turn would be influenced by agricultural management. Bat activity was quantified along edge and the interior of each vineyard type by using acoustic surveys. In addition, we sampled nocturnal flying insects at each site using light traps. Species richness and overall bat activity were significantly higher in organic than conventional vineyards, with organic edges concentrating the highest bat activity. Our results suggest negative effects of agricultural intensification on insectivorous bats. The high bat activity along edges compared to the interior of vineyards suggest that these structural features of the landscape are important components for bat populations in vineyards, and therefore should be considered within agricultural management in order to promote bat abundance and their role as pest suppressors.
Patagonian bats are represented by only insectivorous species, five vespertilionids and one molossid species. They constitute an interesting assemblage of temperate species that remains poorly studied. Here we uncover ecomorphological patterns of Patagonian bats using craniodental morphology, aerodynamic measurements, and external bodily characters. Multivariate analysis was applied to characterize morphometric variation of each dataset separately and in combination. We explored the segregation of species in morphospace, and the importance of phylogeny in the assemblage organization. We used a phylogenetic comparative method to evaluate historical effects on the morphofunctional structure. Our results indicated that the species of the Patagonian assemblage segregate in dimensions of morphospace by size and morphology, which would be related to prey selection (trophic differences) and habitat use (different styles of flight). We also demonstrated the impact of different cladogenetic events of the evolutionary history of species on the structuring of the Patagonian assemblage, with the successive addition of non-overlapping, well-defined morphofunctional types imported from other South American regions, and whit speciation events that resulted in species-level endemisms (Myotis chiloensis, Histiotus magellanicus, and Lasiurus varius).
The estimated volume of food (feces and stomach contents combined) from I 1 red bats, Lasiurus (borealis) brachyotis, from the Galapagos Islands consisted of 86.8% Lepidoptera and included six different prey items. The diet of three hoary bats, L. cinereus villosissimus, consisted of 76.8% Lepidoptera and contained at least eight identifiable food taxa. Two species of ectoparasites were found on both bat species, a batfly Basilia ferruginia (Nycteribiidae), and a labidocarpid mite Olabidocarpus americanus. The macronyssid mite Steatonyssus furmani was found only on L. (b.) brachyotis, whereas two myobiid mites, Acanthophthirius lasiurus and Pteracarus completus, were found only on L. cinereus. None of the parasites had recognizably diverged from their mainland counterparts.
Bats are often thought to have poor temperature regulation, to feed on insects, and to enter hibernation. This combination of characteristics is typical only of temperate species. In the last two decades intensive work in the tropics, especially in the New World, has shown the great ecological diversity existing among bats, which in turn permits us to place temperate species in their appropriate ecological and evolutionary perspective and to examine some of the physiological and ecological alternatives available to bats when living in a physically benign environment.
Distributional records of hoary bats, Lasiurus cinereus Peale and Beauvois, were assembled and mapped for each month. In North America females are seen to migrate northward somewhat earlier than males and to occupy an eastern summering ground where young are born, while males are concentrated in western North America. Fall migration begins in August. Spring and fall migratory waves have been noted, some segregated as to sex. Some South American hoary bats migrate, while others may be non-migratory.
Studies of published records and of about 36,900 specimens of native mammals from Bolivia reveal that at least 327 species occur there. Probably more than 20 other species, either new to science or new to Bolivia, remain to be discovered. In addition to these species names, some 44 additional subspecies names are used. Most of the subspecies names reflect taxonomic history more than detailed knowledge of geographic variation. In this report, the taxonomic status of each taxon within Bolivia is noted. Scientific names that have been used for Bolivian specimens are given for each species and subspecies, and all known publications that have specifically referred to Bolivian specimens are cited, along with a few other works selected for special reasons. Specimens are listed, and localities are mapped, including the prediction of the probable distribution of each species within Bolivia. Illustrated keys are based primarily on external, cranial, and dental characters and include 10 domestic and introduced species in addition to native species. The number of species present in most local areas ranges from about 50 to 180. Analysis indicates four major faunal areas: lowland tropics, lowland temperate zone (including the chacoan area), forested yungas, and highlands (altiplano). The highland and lowland faunas are almost mutually exclusive; the break between temperate and tropical is indistinct.