Species lists are sources of information for studies of both conservation and macroecology. It is, however, important to differentiate between relatively complete lists and extremely incomplete ones. The aim of this study was to evaluate how sampling effort typically used in inventories affects the number of bat species captured in areas of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. We also evaluated if the number of sampled sites, size of the sampled area, and sampling effort (net hours) affect species richness. We used previously reported data from studies in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais States, and our own data collected during 1989 and 2001. Nonlinear models fit well the data for Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais States and all states together, but not for São Paulo State. Genera richness showed a similar pattern to that of species richness. The model used to explain the relationship between species richness and size of the study area, number of sites, and sampling effort sampled was significant. The number of sites sampled explained a significant part of the variation observed; however, other variables contributed nothing to the model, suggesting that capturing beta diversity is the most important aspect of biodiversity surveys for bats, and that increasing net hours at a given location is much more inefficient than distributing net hours across locations. We suggest 1000 captures as the minimum necessary when sampling with mist nets to capture the majority of phyllostomid species for a given site (alpha diversity). In addition, we suggest that shifting the position of the mist nets between nights will increase the probability of capturing more species. RESUMO As listas de espécies são fontes de informações para estudos, tanto de conservação quanto de macroecologia. Entretanto, é importante diferenciar entre listas relativamente completas daquelas seriamente incompletas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar como o esforco amostral mínimo tipicamente usado em inventários afeta o número de especies de morcegos capturados em áreas de Mata Atlãntica do sudeste do Brasil. Nós também avaliamos se o número de pontos amostrados, o tamanho da área amostrada e o esforço de captura (hora‐rede) afetam a riqueza de espécies. Nós usamos dados disponíveis de estudos desenvolvidos nos estados do Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo e Minas Gerais, e os nossos próprios dados coletados de 1989 a 2001. Modelos não‐lineares se ajustaram para os estados do Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais e todos os estados juntos, mas não para o Estado de São Paulo. A riqueza de gȩneros mostrou o mesmo padrão da riqueza de espécies. O modelo usado para expliçãr a relacao entre riqueza de espécies e tamanho da área de estudo, número de pontos amostrados e esforço amostral foi significative. O número de pontos amostrados explicou uma parte significante da variação observada. Contudo, as outras variáveis não contribuiram para o modelo, sugerindo que capturar a diversidade Beta é o aspecto mais importante de inventários de biodiversidade para m...

Bats are the second most diverse mammal order and they provide vital ecosystem functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient flux in caves) and services (e.g., crop pest suppression). Bats are also important vectors of infectious diseases, harboring more than 100 different virus types. In the present study, we compiled information on bat communities from the Atlantic Forests of South America, a species-rich biome that is highly threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. The ATLANTIC BATS data set comprises 135 quantitative studies carried out in 205 sites, which cover most vegetation types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest: dense ombrophilous forest, mixed ombrophilous forest, semideciduous forest, deciduous forest, savanna, steppe, and open ombrophilous forest. The data set includes information on more than 90,000 captures of 98 bat species of eight families. Species richness averaged 12.1 per site, with a median value of 10 species (ranging from 1 to 53 species). Six species occurred in more than 50% of the communities: Artibeus lituratus, Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira lilium, Artibeus fimbriatus, Glossophaga soricina, and Platyrrhinus lineatus. The number of captures divided by sampling effort, a proxy for abundance, varied from 0.000001 to 0.77 individuals·h ·m (0.04 ± 0.007 individuals·h ·m ). Our data set reveals a hyper-dominance of eight species that together that comprise 80% of all captures: Platyrrhinus lineatus (2.3%), Molossus molossus (2.8%), Artibeus obscurus (3.4%), Artibeus planirostris (5.2%), Artibeus fimbriatus (7%), Sturnira lilium (14.5%), Carollia perspicillata (15.6%), and Artibeus lituratus (29.2%).

ABSTRACT. Predation on bats by snakes is relatively infrequently reported in the literature, though it may actually not be an uncommon phenomenon, since bat colonies represent a potential concentration of food for many medium-sized or large snakes. Herein we describe four events of bat predation by snakes and present a review of predation records of snakes on bats in the Neotropics compiled from the literature. A total of 20 species of snakes have been recorded so far as predators of bats in the New World tropics, with boiids being represented by the greatest number of cases. Due to the semi-arboreal habits of most of its species, their large size and their usual preference for mammalian prey, the Boiidae are probably the main reptilian predators of bats in the Neotropics, though predation by colubrids may also be relatively frequent. Two types of predatory events can be pointed out: (1) on active bats outside refuges or exiting them, and (2) on animals (active or inactive) inside refuges. The former strategy is apparently used mainly by boiids, whereas the latter strategy appears to be the one most used by large colubrids.

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.

É difícil comparar os resultados obtidos em inventários de morcegos, pois os esforços de coleta empregados diferem grandemente, e há obviamente influência nos resultados. O objetivo deste trabalho é comparar três inventários de morcegos realizados em ambientes similares no sudeste do Brasil e comparar o esforço de coleta empregado para aferir a riqueza de espécies de morcegos. Duas metodologias e três diferentes esforços de coleta foram usados: I) coleta com redes de neblina por toda a noite; II) coleta com redes por até seis horas a cada noite e III) coleta com redes armadas por 12 horas por uma ou duas noites em cada local, combinada com a busca ativa por refúgios. Nós comparamos as metodologias e os três esforços de coleta usando três unidades distintas: noites de coleta, horas de coletas e número de capturas. As curvas de acumulação de espécies obtidas demonstraram que a adição de novas espécies mostra-se mais acelerada na combinação de coletas por 12 h por noite e busca ativa de refúgios. O número estimado de espécies pelo estimador de Chao variou de 25,5 a 38 espécies, correspondendo de 3,12 a nove espécies a mais para cada inventário. O total amostrado pelas três metodologias atingiu 92% das espécies registradas para o sul do estado do Rio de Janeiro e para cada inventário variou de 53,9 a 74,4% do total regional.

In Brazil, restingas are under severe human-induced impacts resulting in habitat degradation and loss and remain one of the less frequently studied ecosystems. The main objectives of the present study are to describe the bat community in a restinga in Paulo Cesar Vinha State Park, Guarapari municipality, state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Fieldwork was conducted twice a month from August 2004 to September 2005. A total sampling effort of 40,300 m 2 /h, represents the largest sampling effort for sampling bats in restingas to date. Bats were sampled in five different vegetational types in the area. Captured bats were processed recording information on species, sex, age, forearm length and weight. Shannon Diversity and Jaccard indexes were used to analyse diversity and similarity among habitats in the Park. A total of 554 captures belonging to 14 species and two families were obtained. Noctilio leporinus was recorded through direct observation and an ultra-sound detector also registered the presence of individuals from the family Molossidae, without being possible to distinguish it at specific level. Frugivores were the most representative guild. Richness was higher in Clusia shrubs (11 species) and Caraís lagoon (10 species). Shannon diversity index was estimated at H' = 1.43 for the overall sample, with Caraís lagoon representing the most diverse habitat (H' = 1.60). The greater similarity (J = 0.714) was observed for the two areas under high human influence.

A biologia de Tonatia bidens (Spix, 1823) foi estudada no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil. Um total de 76 morcegos foi capturado usando redes de neblina e redes manuais para insetos em refúgios diurnos. Algumas observações dos morcegos em cativeiro foram incluídas. Machos compreenderam 47% das capturas. Fêmeas prenhas foram observadas em novembro e maio, e fêmeas lactantes em janeiro, abril e maio. Animais subadultos foram registrados em dezembro, fevereiro, maio e julho. Os restos de presas observadas em refúgios de alimentação demonstram a dieta insetívora e carnívora deste morcego. O comportamento alimentar é similar a de outras espécies carnívoras de morcegos Phyllostomidae.

Host specificity is a characteristic property of parasite-host associations and often is high among those involving obligate or permanent parasites. While many parasites are highly host-specific under natural conditions, specificity may break down in the absence of dispersal barriers. We tested the host specificity of obligate and permanent blood-feeding bat parasites (Hemiptera: Polyctenidae) under experimental conditions where parasite dispersal barriers had been removed. Under these conditions, parasites not only readily accepted a secondary host species but also remained there when a primary host was immediately available. Experiments with bat bugs and observations of streblid bat flies suggest that specificity may at least temporarily break down when dispersal barriers are removed. To affect long-term coevolutionary patterns, such transfers would necessarily entail the establishment of viable parasite populations on secondary host species.