Streblid flies parasitizing cave bats in Carajás, Amazonia, with a new record for Brazil / Moscas estréblidas parasitando morcegos cavernícolas em Carajás, Amazônia, com um novo registro para o Brasil

Streblid flies (Diptera: Streblidae) are hematophagous and highly specialized parasitic insects, found only on bats (Chiroptera). Caves are important roosts for bats but, despite harboring high bat richness, relatively few studies exist on the ecology and biology of streblid flies in cave environments, especially in Amazonia, the largest domain in northern Brazil, with >140 bat species and thousands of caves. To fill some of the gaps in the geographical distribution and interspecific relationships for streblid flies in the region, we sampled bats in six caves in Carajás National Forest, a protected area in Pará state (Brazil). Thirteen of the 14 streblid species found are new records for Carajás, with three new records for Pará state and two for the northern region of Brazil. Nycterophilia fairchildi was recorded for the first time in Brazil. Most streblids had host-specific behavior, however, N. fairchildi, Trichobius caecus, and T. johnsonae were less host-specific, parasitizing different Pteronotus bat species. The gregarious behavior of Pteronotus species and the spatial distribution of their colonies within the caves may be important factors in the flies' exchange among congener hosts and deserve special attention in future studies. Furthermore, studies on ecological interaction networks between bats and their ectoparasitic flies in caves will be useful for a broader understanding of how this relationship is structured over time and space, as well as its impact on both bats and flies.(AU)

Moscas estréblidas (Diptera: Streblidae) são insetos hematófagos e parasitas encontrados apenas sobre morcegos (Chiroptera). As cavernas são abrigos importantes para morcegos, mas, apesar de abrigarem alta riqueza desses mamíferos, são relativamente poucos os estudos focados na ecologia e biologia de moscas estréblidas em ambientes cavernícolas, especialmente na Amazônia, o maior domínio no norte do Brasil, com >140 espécies de morcegos e milhares de cavernas. Para preencher algumas das lacunas na distribuição geográfica e nas relações interespecíficas de moscas estréblidas na região, amostramos morcegos cavernícolas em seis cavernas na Floresta Nacional de Carajás, uma área protegida no estado do Pará. Treze das 14 espécies de moscas estréblidas encontradas são novos registros para Carajás, com três novos registros para o Pará e dois para a região norte do Brasil. Nycterophilia fairchildi foi registrada pela primeira vez no Brasil. A maioria das espécies de moscas foi hospedeiro-específica; entretanto, N. fairchildi, Trichobius caecus e T. johnsonae foram menos específicas, parasitando diferentes espécies de morcegos do gênero Pteronotus. O comportamento gregário das espécies de Pteronotus e a distribuição espacial de suas colônias dentro das cavernas podem ser fatores importantes na troca de moscas entre hospedeiros congêneres e merecem atenção especial em estudos futuros. Adicionalmente, estudos sobre redes de interação ecológica entre morcegos e suas moscas ectoparasitas em cavernas serão úteis para uma compreensão mais ampla de como essa relação se estrutura no tempo e no espaço, bem como sobre o seu impacto, tanto sobre os morcegos como sobre as moscas.(AU)

One size doesn't fit all: Singularities in bat species richness and activity patterns in wind-energy complexes in Brazil and implications for environmental assessment

Wind energy is an important electricity source. Even though it is cleaner than other energy sources in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, gathering energy from the wind has impact on organisms that fly, including bats. Understanding whether and how bat activity patterns are affected by environmental variables may be useful when trying to mitigate these impacts, for example bat mortality from collisions with wind turbines. Northeastern Brazil concentrates one of the world's largest wind potentials and has thousands of wind turbines in operation. In spite of this scenario, there is a lack of basic information, such as the presence of bat species and their activity patterns in those wind farms. We used passive acoustic monitoring to assess species richness and species composition and obtain data on activity patterns of insectivorous bats in four wind farm complexes in northeastern Brazil. We also investigated the possible correlation between environmental variables (wind speed and direction, air temperature and humidity, and percentage of moon illumination) and bat activity. The acoustic monitoring carried out for 30 nights produced approximately 120,000 bat passes of 29 sonotypes and four families. Environmental variables may influence bat activity, but in a site-specific way, i.e., although the environmental conditions of wind-energy complexes were similar, there was not an activity pattern common to all. Considering such specificities, we strongly recommend long-term specific on-site monitoring in each wind complex, avoiding generalizations for the environmental licensing of wind energy in Brazil.(AU)

Habitat use and movements of Glossophaga soricina and Lonchophylla dekeyseri (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in a Neotropical savannah

The greatest current threat to terrestrial fauna is continuous and severe landscape modification that destroys and degrades animal habitats. This rapid and severe modification has threatened species, local biological communities, and the ecological services that they provide, such as seed dispersal, insect predation, and pollination. Bats are important pollinators of the Cerrado (woodland savanna) because of their role in the life cycles of many plant species. However, there is little information about how these bat species are being affected by habitat loss and fragmentation. We used radio-tracking to estimate the home ranges of Glossophaga soricina (Pallas, 1776) and Lonchophylla dekeyseri Taddei, Vizotto & Sazima, 1983. The home range of G. soricina varies from 430 to 890 ha. They combine shortrange flights of up to 500 m to nearby areas with longer flights of 2 to 3 km that take them away from their core areas. The maximum flight distance tracked for L. dekeyseri was 3.8 km, and its home range varies from 564 to 640 ha. The average distance travelled by this species was 1.3 km. Our data suggest that G. soricina and L. dekeyseri are able to explore the fragmented landscape of the Central Brazilian Cerrado and that they are likely to survive in the short- to medium-term. The natural dispersal ability of these two species may enable them to compensate for continued human disturbance in the region.

Habitat use and movements of Glossophaga soricina and Lonchophylla dekeyseri (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in a Neotropical savannah

The greatest current threat to terrestrial fauna is continuous and severe landscape modification that destroys and degrades animal habitats. This rapid and severe modification has threatened species, local biological communities, and the ecological services that they provide, such as seed dispersal, insect predation, and pollination. Bats are important pollinators of the Cerrado (woodland savanna) because of their role in the life cycles of many plant species. However, there is little information about how these bat species are being affected by habitat loss and fragmentation. We used radio-tracking to estimate the home ranges of Glossophaga soricina (Pallas, 1776) and Lonchophylla dekeyseri Taddei, Vizotto & Sazima, 1983. The home range of G. soricina varies from 430 to 890 ha. They combine shortrange flights of up to 500 m to nearby areas with longer flights of 2 to 3 km that take them away from their core areas. The maximum flight distance tracked for L. dekeyseri was 3.8 km, and its home range varies from 564 to 640 ha. The average distance travelled by this species was 1.3 km. Our data suggest that G. soricina and L. dekeyseri are able to explore the fragmented landscape of the Central Brazilian Cerrado and that they are likely to survive in the short- to medium-term. The natural dispersal ability of these two species may enable them to compensate for continued human disturbance in the region.(AU)

Filling data gaps on the diversity and distribution of Amazonian bats (Chiroptera): the case of Amapá, easternmost Brazil

Brazil is the second most bat species-rich country in the world, but the information on its species diversity, occurrence and distribution is still heterogeneous and fragmented. None of the Brazilian biomes are well surveyed for bats, but this situation is more critical in Amazonia, an area covering nearly 2/3 of the country. Here we provide updated information on the bats of Amapá, once a data gap in the diversity and distribution of bats in the easternmost Amazonia, and the Guiana Shield as well. Rapid biological assessments (5,551 mistnet.hours) were conducted in conservation units and areas of concern, resulting in 1,695 captures, 59 species, 36 genera and six families for the State. New records for the state and for the Guiana Shield area are reported. With our records, 82 species of bats are currently known in Amapá, filling a gap in the knowledge of bat fauna in the Amazon River's delta region.

Filling data gaps on the diversity and distribution of Amazonian bats (Chiroptera): the case of Amapá, easternmost Brazil

Brazil is the second most bat species-rich country in the world, but the information on its species diversity, occurrence and distribution is still heterogeneous and fragmented. None of the Brazilian biomes are well surveyed for bats, but this situation is more critical in Amazonia, an area covering nearly 2/3 of the country. Here we provide updated information on the bats of Amapá, once a data gap in the diversity and distribution of bats in the easternmost Amazonia, and the Guiana Shield as well. Rapid biological assessments (5,551 mistnet.hours) were conducted in conservation units and areas of concern, resulting in 1,695 captures, 59 species, 36 genera and six families for the State. New records for the state and for the Guiana Shield area are reported. With our records, 82 species of bats are currently known in Amapá, filling a gap in the knowledge of bat fauna in the Amazon River's delta region.

Filling data gaps on the diversity and distribution of Amazonian bats (Chiroptera): the case of Amapá, easternmost Brazil

Brazil is the second most bat species-rich country in the world, but the information on its species diversity, occurrence and distribution is still heterogeneous and fragmented. None of the Brazilian biomes are well surveyed for bats, but this situation is more critical in Amazonia, an area covering nearly 2/3 of the country. Here we provide updated information on the bats of Amapá, once a data gap in the diversity and distribution of bats in the easternmost Amazonia, and the Guiana Shield as well. Rapid biological assessments (5,551 mistnet.hours) were conducted in conservation units and areas of concern, resulting in 1,695 captures, 59 species, 36 genera and six families for the State. New records for the state and for the Guiana Shield area are reported. With our records, 82 species of bats are currently known in Amapá, filling a gap in the knowledge of bat fauna in the Amazon River's delta region.

Seed load of Piper marginatum, a bat-dispersed species in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil

Bats are good seed dispersers and hundreds of plants depend on them for reproduction. Estimating the volume of seeds dispersed by bats is a scientific challenge, but necessary to better define the role and magnitude of those animals as ecological agents and providers of environmental services. Here, we investigated the seed load of Piper marginatum Jacq., a bat-dispersed species in the northeastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We were guided by a central question: On average, how many seeds are transported when a bat removes one fruit from a plant? Between July 2011 and January 2012, 590 fruits were monitored for 27 weeks, taking 13 weeks for their maturation, and 11 weeks from complete removal. Correlations and regressions based on fruit length, diameter, weight, and number of total and ripe seeds indicated that a single 14.2 cm ripe fruit contains, on average, 848 seeds (800 ripe). Based on a sample of 149 ripe fruit monitored weekly, we observed that, on average, 16 fruits are removed per week, resulting in the transportation of nearly 12,800 ripe seed. Our data allows a better estimation on the volume of seeds dispersed by bats, emphasizing the ecological services they provide.(AU)

Seed load of Piper marginatum, a bat-dispersed species in the Atlantic Forest of Northeastern Brazil

Bats are good seed dispersers and hundreds of plants depend on them for reproduction. Estimating the volume of seeds dispersed by bats is a scientific challenge, but necessary to better define the role and magnitude of those animals as ecological agents and providers of environmental services. Here, we investigated the seed load of Piper marginatum Jacq., a bat-dispersed species in the northeastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil. We were guided by a central question: On average, how many seeds are transported when a bat removes one fruit from a plant? Between July 2011 and January 2012, 590 fruits were monitored for 27 weeks, taking 13 weeks for their maturation, and 11 weeks from complete removal. Correlations and regressions based on fruit length, diameter, weight, and number of total and ripe seeds indicated that a single 14.2 cm ripe fruit contains, on average, 848 seeds (800 ripe). Based on a sample of 149 ripe fruit monitored weekly, we observed that, on average, 16 fruits are removed per week, resulting in the transportation of nearly 12,800 ripe seed. Our data allows a better estimation on the volume of seeds dispersed by bats, emphasizing the ecological services they provide.