Reproduction of Phylloderma stenops in captivity (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae)

Abstract

A reproductive colony of Phylloderma stenops was established in captivity. The bats were maintained in 1/2" wired screen cages sized 90 × 60 × 80 cm in a room with cycles of 13 hours of light and 11 hours of dark and with temperature and humidity ranging from 27 to 31 °C and 75 to 90% respectively. Bats were fed with a semi-liquid diet composed of chopped fruits, raw eggs, bovine meat, dog food, honey, dehydrated shrimp, salt and a vitamin and mineral complex offered daily. In the first two years of confinement the diet was complemented with laboratory-raised cockroaches, mealworms, young mice and seasonal fruits. Nine births occurred from three wild caught females 770-1050 days after capture and two captive-born females. Births occurred in September, February and November-December. The neonate measured 15.0 g of weight and present 34.1 mm of forearm length. Two captive-born females gave birth for the first time at 402-445 days of age. Phylloderma stenops species presents postpartum oestrus, gestation of 5.5 months, lactation of 3.3 months and sexual maturity at 8.0-8.5 months. Fetuses are palpable around two months before birth and females may present synchronisation of births.

Protocolo De Manejo De Morcegos Frugívoros Neotropicais Em Cativeiro

“…No Brasil, em centros de pesquisa, existem dados de cativeiro para Artibeus fimbriatus Gray, 1838, A. lituratus, Chirodermadoriae Thomas, 1891, C. perspicillata, Platyrrhinus lineatus (É. Geoffroy, 1810), Sturnira tildae De la Torre, 1959 e Vampyressa pusilla (Wagner, 1843) (CRUZ-NETO; GARLAND; ABE, 2001). Segundo Esbérard (2003), a RIOZOO é o único zoológico brasileiro que mantém morcegos frugívoros neotropicais em exposição e em laboratório, realizando esforços para capturar e adaptar ao cativeiro espécies menos conhecidas, como por exemplo, Pygoderma bilabiatum (Wagner, 1843).…”

“…A literatura relata diversos estudos que utilizaram tal técnica (ESBÉRARD; BERGALLO, 2004;SCHMIDT-FRENCH;GILLAM;FENTON, 2006;SNYDER et al, 2015). Já na RIOZOO os morcegos são mantidos em fotoperíodo invertido (ESBÉRARD, 2003), técnica bastante utilizada em laboratórios (AMMERSDORFER;GALINSKI;ESSER, 2012;FERNANDEZ et al, 2014). Mas para um recinto ao ar livre, a iluminação ambiente é a mais constante (RIEK; KÖRTNER; GEISER, 2010).…”

Reproductive biology of the bat Sturnira lilium (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil

“…On each night we set up from 10 to 16 mist nets (70 to 130 m), which remained open all through the night in most cases. For each individual we recorded the following parameters: age, distinguishing juveniles from adults through epiphysis ossification (Anthony, 1988); fur color; sex; and reproductive condition -males were classified as having scrotal or abdominal testes, and females were classified as sexually inactive, with palpable fetus or lactant (Zortéa, 2003;Esbérard, 2012). We classified the females that were simultaneously pregnant and post-lactating, with hairless swollen nipples, without milk secretion, and without a palpable fetus as being in the second reproductive cycle (Costa et al, 2007).…”

“…To estimate the beginning of the reproductive season in each year, we considered only the years that had a number of captures equal or larger than ten pregnant females. The beginning of the reproductive season was considered to be at 30 days before the capture of the first female with a palpable fetus, as fetuses are detectable by palpation only after the first month of pregnancy (Costa et al, 2007;Esbérard, 2012) and pregnancy in this species lasts from three to four months (Taddei, 1976). The end of the reproductive season was considered to be at 30 days after the capture of the last lactating female.…”

Mammalian Diversity and Matses Ethnomammalogy in Amazonian Peru Part 4: Bats

“…Most previously described roosts of Macrophyllum macrophyllum have been found in caves or IDENTIFICATION: Phylloderma is a monotypic genus that occurs from southern Mexico to southeastern Brazil Reid, 2009), but it seems to be rare (or infrequently captured) throughout its distribution (Medellin et al, 2000;Esbérard, 2012). Phylloderma stenops can be distinguished from other phyllostomines by the following traits: relatively large size (forearm 65-80 mm, greatest length of skull 29-32 mm); calcar equal or shorter than foot; tail extending to middle of uropatagium; face naked, with pinkish skin; horseshoe of noseleaf fused to upper lip below nostrils; wingtips whitish; rostrum shorter than braincase; two upper incisors; first lower incisor bifid; and three lower premolars, of which the second is minute (Goodwin, 1940;Barquez and Ojeda, 1979;Reid, 2009;Lopez-Baucells et al, 2018).…”