Bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) of an urban park in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Some bat species are able to adapt to urban areas, where they find food and roosts. Despite the high number of parks in Brazilian cities, they did not yet raise the interest of most zoologists, except for some surveys of birds and butterflies. The objectives of the present study were: (i) to inventory the bat species of Quinta da Boa Vista (QBV), a large (25 ha) urban park centrally located in densely populated Rio de Janeiro, which is Brazil's second largest metropolis; (ii) to compare the species richness observed in roosts with the richness recorded through mist netting in flight routes and near fruiting fig trees; and (iii) to analyze recaptures of bats marked in this park and recaptured in other sites and vice-versa. Sampling totaled 104 sampling nights resulting in 3,256 captures (including 133 recaptures) between April 1989 and December 2004. We also sampled roosts and received some specimens from park visitors and city workers. We documented 21 bat species, predominantly large frugivores. The number of expected species for this park was 24.0 ± 4.6, and the total sampled represented 87.5% of the expected. The recapture of bats marked in surrounding forest fragments and in QBV shows the importance of urban parks for the maintenance of bat diversity. Inspection of roosts produced two species that had not been captured with other methods. Sampling near fruiting fig trees did not differ in terms of richness from sampling carried out far from these trees or during their non-fruiting periods.KEYWORDS. Diversity, long-term, samples, urban area.RESUMO. Morcegos (Chiroptera) de um parque urbano na região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil. Algumas espécies de morcegos são capazes de se adaptar às áreas urbanas, onde encontram alimento e abrigo. Apesar do elevado número de parques nas cidades brasileiras estas ainda não despertaram o interesse dos zoólogos, exceção feita a inventários de aves e borboletas. Os objetivos do presente estudo foram: (i) inventariar as espécies de morcegos da Quinta da Boa Vista (QBV), um grande (25 ha) parque urbano centralmente localizado na povoada cidade do Rio de Janeiro, a segunda maior metrópole do Brasil; (ii) comparar a riqueza de espécies observadas em refúgios com a riqueza registrada através de redes de neblina abertas em rotas de voo e perto de figueiras em frutificação; e (iii) analisar as recapturas de morcegos marcados neste parque e recapturados em outras localidades, e vice-versa. A amostragem totalizou 104 noites, resultando em 3.256 capturas (incluindo 133 recapturas) entre abril de 1989 e dezembro de 2004. Nós também amostramos abrigos e recebemos alguns exemplares de visitantes do parque e dos cidadãos. No total, nós documentamos 21 espécies de morcegos, com a predominância de grandes frugívoros. O número de espécies esperadas para este parque foi de 24,0 ± 4,6, e o total amostrado representado foi de 87,5% do esperado. As recapturas de morcegos marcados em torno dos fragmentos florestais e em QBV mostram a importância de parques urbanos pa...

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