The reproductive patterns and feeding habits of three sympatric nectarivorous bats, Glossophaga soricina, Anoura caudifera, and A. geoffroyi were studied in the Pousada das Araras Natural Reserve, located in Central Brazil. The bats were captured with mist nets from August 2000 to July 2001. Reproductive condition was determined by external analyses of the specimens and feeding habits from fecal samples. Glossophaga soricina was the most abundant species (65%), followed by A. geoffroyi (30%) and A. caudifera (5%). Significant differences were observed in the sex-ratio of the two more abundant species. Anoura geoffroyi showed a monoestrous pattern; its reproductive peaks occurred between the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rain season. A seasonal bimodal pattern was recorded for G. soricina, with pregnant specimens showing one peak observed in the dry season and another in the middle of the rainy season. The reproductive pattern of A. caudifera could not be satisfactorily defined because of the small sample size. However, this species apparently has a reproductive cycle similar to that of G. soricina. The patterns observed in this study seem to be related with the climate in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado), with two well-defined seasons (dry and wet). By adjusting the parturition close to or in the rain season the three species could be favoring a greates survival rate for the offspring, since the critical lactation period would then occur in a time of maximum food availability. The three bat species showed a generalist diet, consuming fruits, pollennectar, and arthropods. Significant differences were observed in the diet of G. soricina: fruits and arthropods predominated in the dry season and pulp (fruits) in the rainy season. Males and females of this species ate the same items in similar proportions. Although A. geoffroyi has not showed a preference for a specific item, consumption of fruits and arthropods was generally greater than that of pollen.

The Cerrado is considered one of the 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world by conservation organizations. There are few studies on bat taxonomic groups for this biome. Herein we present a bat survey employing mist nets in the protected area of a private natural heritage reserve Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Pousada das Araras, located in the west-central Brazil. We investigate the hypothesis that the Cerrado habitat complexity plays a role on the diVerent structuring forces in bat ecological communities. Bats represent a diversity of trophic levels, and they occupy a wide range of available Cerrado habitats and microhabitats. The patterns and processes we discuss represent the factors inXuencing coexisting species of bats in diVerent habitats and their implications for conservation. We captured 758 individuals of 25 species belonging to four families. Phyllostomidae was the dominant family, represented by 20 species (80%). The average recapture rate was 6.2%, and the species with most proportional recapture was A. caudifer. Greater species richness was observed among bats with predominantly insectivore habits, followed by frugivores. Glossophaga soricina was a dominant species, with about 30% of the captures. There was seasonal variation relating to the number of bats captured, with greater bat frequency occurring during the wet season, although some species occurred at higher rates during the dry season, such as C. perspicillata and S. lilium. Sanguivore bats were abundant, reXecting the availability of shelters and food supply (livestock) in the surrounding area. Compared to other surveyed areas, Pousada das Araras may be considered of high species diversity, supplanting the majority of known Cerrado studied areas. Apparently Cerrado favours the occurrence of insectivore species, with emphasis on M. Zortéa (792 Biodivers Conserv (2008) 17:791-805 1 C the foliage-gleaning insectivores belong to the subfamily Phyllostominae. This study indicates that apparently the conservation of the Cerrado savanna fragments can support a considerable diversity of bat species.

Information about the consumption of leaves by Neotropical bats is scarce and incomplete. Greenhall (1957) mentions leaves of Fictis religiosa in the diet of Artibeus lituratus, Tuttle (1968) found remains of chewed leaves under the roosting places of Artibeus jamaicensis, and Wilson (1971) found leaves under night feeding roosts of Micronycteris hirsuta, which he believed had been chewed and swallowed accidentally while the bats fed on insects. Marshall (1985) reviews the occurrence of folivory amongst Old World phytophagous bats (Megachiroptera). In this note, we present the results of a study of folivory in Artibeus lituratus, a common Neotropical bat, whose frugivorous diet also includes insects, pollen and leaves (Gardner 1977). The study was carried out from August 1988 to August 1989 in the park of the Museu de Biologia Mello Leitao in Santa Teresa, Espirito Santo, eastern Brazil (19°50'S, 40°22'W). Following the Holdridge Life Zone System (Holdridge 1967), the region is dominated by Subtropical Lower Montane Moist Forest; the mean annual precipitation is about 1500 mm, with a wet season between October and March, and a mean monthly precipitation below 100 mm from April to September (Jackson 1978). The study area has mainly secondary arboreal vegetation mixed with shrubs and many introduced plants. We mapped all the night resting and feeding roosts of A. lituratus in an area of 4 ha. Every 15 days, feeding remains, composed of dry oral pellets, seeds, faeces and partially eaten foods, were collected in nylon nets which were stretched on the ground under the roosts in the evening and retrieved the following morning. Pellets of leaves and fruit were dried in an oven at 80°C for 24 h, and weighed separately. The night roosts were inspected frequently and only A. lituratus was observed. Voucher specimens of A. lituratus were deposited in the Museu de Biologia Mello Leitao (mammal collection, MBML 1686).

ABSTRACT. Bat flies (Diptera, Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) in a Cerrado area of state of Goiás, Brazil. A survey of bat flies was carried out in the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) in the Goiás state, Brazil. We collected 227 specimens of seventeen species belonging to nine genera of Streblidae and seven specimens of four species of Basilia Miranda-Ribeiro, 1903 (Nycteribiidae). Except for Paratrichobius longicrus (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1907) (Streblidae), all species are new recorded in Goiás.

ABSTRACT. Assessing the composition of an area's bat fauna is typically accomplished by using captures or by monitoring echo location calls with bat detectors. The two methods may not provide the same data regarding species composi tion. Mist nets and harp traps may be biased towards samp ling low flying spec ies, and bat detectors biased towards detecting high intensity echo locators. A comparison of the bat fauna of Fazenda Intervales, southeastern Brazil, as revealed by mist nets and harp trap captures, checking roosts and by monitoring echolocation calls offlying bats illustrates this point. A total of 17 species of bats was sampled. F0U11een bat species were captured and the echolocation calls of 12 species were recorded, three of them not revealed by mist nets or harp traps. The different sampling methods provided dilTerent pictures of the bat fauna. Phyllostomid bats dominated the catches in mist nets, but in the field their echolocation calls were never detected. No single sampling approach provided a complete assessment of the bat fauna in the study area. In general, bats producing low intensity echolocation calls, such as phyllostomids, are more easily assessed by netting, and bats producing high intensity echolocation calls are better surveyed by bat detectors. The results demonstrate that a combined and varied approach to sampling is required for a complete assessment of the bat fauna of an area.

Albinism is a pigmentation anomaly present in all of the main vertebrate groups, including about 4% of bat species. In this article, we described a new case in a Neotropical bat

A radio-collared Chaetomys subspinosus was studied in a reserve of montane Atlantic forest in Santa Teresa, Espirito Santo, south-eastern Brazil. The animal was followed during three sampling nights, totalling 17 hours of observation. It was possible to collect data on activity pattern and habitat use through the use of scan sampling at -minute intervals. C. subspinosus exhibited an arboreal and strictly nocturnal habit, starting activity around dusk and retiring to a sleeping tree before the sunrise. Overall, it is a lethargic and slow-moving animal, spending most of the night time resting (68 % of scans). Feeding was associated with moving, and these activities occurred in 18 % and 11 % of the scans, respectively. Auto-grooming was observed in the remaining observation time (3 % of scans). C. subspinosus was observed eating only tree leaves, and leaf fragments were the only material found in its faeces as well. These observations suggest that Chaetomys is an nocturnal, arboreal folivore, exhibiting great similarity in habit and habitat use with true erethizontids such as Sphiggurus and Coendou. Although rarely seen, Chaetomys seems to adapt to disturbed habitats throughout its range and its conservation status may be better than previously thought. Resume. -Uh specimen de Chaetomys subspinosus a etc etudie par radio-pistage dans une reserve montagneuse de foret atlantique ä Santa Teresa (Espirito Santo, sud-est Bresil). L'animal a ete suivi pendant trois nuits, soit 17 heures au total. Des donnees sur son mode d'activite et sur son utilisation de l'habitat ont pu etre collectees par pointages toutes les 10 minutes. C. subspinosus a montre une activite arboricole et strictement nocturne, debutant au crepuscule et se terminant par le choix d'un arbre-dortoir avant Taube. De fagon general'e, c'est un animal lethargique et lent, passant la majorite de son temps ä se reposer (68 % des pointages). L'activite d'alimentation est associee au mouvement, et ces activites ont ete enregistrees lors de 18 % et 11 % des pointages, respectivement. Le toilettage a ete observe lors des autres pointages (3 %). C. subspinosus a ete observe mangeant seulement des feuilles d'arbres, et des fragments de feuilles ont egalement ete les seuls restes trouves dans ses feces. Ces observations suggerent que C. subspinosus est un folivore arboricole, montrant de grandes similarites dans le mode de vie et Tutilisation de Phabitat avec les Erethizontidae comme Sphiggurus et Coendou. Bien que rarement observe, Chaetomys semble pouvoir s'adapter aux habitats perturbes sur Pensemble de son aire de distribution, et son Statut vis-ä-vis de la conservation pourrait etre meilleur qu'on ne le pensait.

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