Characterization of Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810) (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) shelters in the Municipality of São Pedro - SP

Abstract

Surveillance of hematophagous bats is an important public health measure for the prevention and control of rabies epidemics in domestic herbivorous animals. The aim of this study was to locate and georeference D.rotundus shelters in the Municipality of São Pedro -SP, Brazil, and verify their nature (artificial or natural), surrounding landscape and distance from main rivers. To do this, two samples were taken of populations in shelters, with an interval of six months between them, capturing all the bats existent in shelters with fewer than 20 individuals and approximately 20% of the bats present in shelters with over 20 individuals in order to quantify their gender and age distribution. The majority of D. rotundus (67%) were verified to be artificial and the remainder (33%) natural. Of the six artificial shelters found, five were located in abandoned houses and one in a rain water drainage channel. There were no signs of D. rotundus in other rural buildings and viaducts located in the proximities of pastures. In spite of the majority of D. rotundus shelters being artificial, the three most populated shelters were maternity colonies, two being located in grottos and only one in an artificial shelter (rain water drainage channel). The remaining shelters were occupied by only male individuals. With the exception of one shelter, all the other shelters were at a distance of less than 3 km from the main bodies of water in the study area, corroborating studies that have reported that the main rivers in the State of São Paulo are the main geographic features related to the presence of D. rotundus. It was also verified that 67% of the shelters were inhabited by only male individuals, which confirms other studies conducted in the State of São Paulo, in which over 60% of the groups of Desmodus contain only male individuals.Keywords: hematophagous bats, population, shelters. Caracterização de Abrigos de Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810, Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) no Município de São Pedro -SP ResumoA vigilância de morcegos hematófagos é uma importante medida de saúde pública para a prevenção e controle de epidemias de raiva nos herbívoros domésticos. O presente estudo teve como objetivos localizar e georreferenciar abrigos de D.rotundus no Município de São Pedro -SP e verificar sua natureza (artificial ou natural), paisagem de entorno e distância dos principais rios. Para isso, foram realizadas duas amostragens das populações nos abrigos, com intervalo de seis meses, capturando todos os morcegos existentes nos abrigos com menos de 20 indivíduos e aproximadamente 20% dos morcegos presentes nos abrigos com numero superior a 20 indivíduos a fim de quantificar sua distribuição sexual e etária. Verificou-se que a maioria dos abrigos de D. rotundus (67%) era artificial e os restantes (33%) naturais. Dos seis abrigos artificiais encontrados, cinco estavam localizados em casas abandonadas e um numa galeria de água pluvial, não havendo sinais de D. rotundus em outras construções rurais e viadutos localizados nas proximi...

Vampire Bat Desmodus Rotundus Shelters in the Central Region of São Paulo State, Brazil

“…All shelters were within a distance of up to 2 km from rivers and streams, corroborating other studies in São Paulo state (13,14) where areas near major rivers generally favor the existence of more shelters.…”

“…It was recorded the type of the shelter (natural or artificial), utilization (male shelters, maternity wards, digestion), and population. The estimate of the bat population in the shelters was made visually, by calculating the number of bats in one square meter and then multiplying by the total area occupied by them, besides the number of fresh feces existing in the (13). place For the elaboration of the thematic map with the shelters' location and their distance from the water, the data were grouped in a Geographic Information System (GIS).…”

Bats and Buildings: The Conservation of Synanthropic Bats

“…Although this species feeds primarily on livestock animals, e.g., cattle (Delpietro et al 1992;Voigt and Kelm 2006), vampire bats may feed on sleeping humans not protected inside buildings (Schneider et al 2001;Carvalho-Costa et al 2012). Though vampire bats are not known to inhabit occupied buildings, in some areas of South America, these bats inhabit abandoned buildings next to occupied houses (Mialhe 2013). Besides the potential of contracting rabies via a bite, humans can suffer from inflammation, secondary infections, and blood loss.…”

Análise quantitativa da receptividade a presença de abrigos de morcegos hematófagos Desmodus rotundus no Município de São Pedro-SP

“…A ausência de sinais de D. rotundus em construções rurais e pontes localizadas nas proximidades dos pastos é um achado incomum, pois estes abrigos são amplamente utilizados por esses morcegos. A intensa movimentação de pessoas, animais e veículos nas proximidades dessas construções poderiam perturbar a permanência de D. rotundus nesses locais, preferindo colonizar locais mais protegidos (23).…”