ABSTRACT. Cave bats from the Distrito Federal area in Mid-Western Brazil (Mammalia, Chiroptera), Between 1989 and 1995, twenty caves in the Distrito Federal area in mid-western Brazil were assessed for bat species richness, frequency, spatiaJ distribution, behavior, reproduction and inter-speciftc cohabitation. The general state oI' conservation oI' the caves was also assessed. OI' the 20 caves studied, 12 were less than 100 m long, ftve between 100 m and 300 m, and three were longer than 300 m. Twenty-two species oI' six different families were observed: 16 species belonged to Phyllostomidae, two to Vespertilionidae and Mormoopidae and one to Furipteridae and Emballonutidae. In this study, 17 species were characterized as Distrito Federal cave dwellers. The most prevalent were Desmodus rotul1dus, Glossophaga soricina and Carol/ia perspicillala. The least prevalent were Lonchorhina aurita, Pleronolus gynmonolus and Phyl/oderma slenops. Since some Anoura caudifer, Plalyrrhinus linealus, Myolis nigrical1s, Microl1ycleris minula, and Eptesicus brasiliensis individuais were captured only while going into the caves early in the night, they were not considered cave dwellers. Even though, they probably use the caves as a daytime roosting place. Surprisingly, Lonchophyl/a dekeyseri, considered to be the only endemic bat species in the Cerrado ecosystem, was observed in three 01' the surveyed caves. Further biological studies are necessary to detemline the biology oI' L. dekeyseri and the necessity 01' its conservation. The bat colonies observed were usually oI' a small size. Few colonies 01'0. rolundus and Anoura geo.ffroyi contained more than 300 individuais ofboth sexes. Only a male group 01' L. aurita was observed in the Distrito Federal area. Twelve oI' the surveyed caves were hard to access and theretore well protected. Four ofthe caves received some public visitation, two were located near limestone mines, one was located near an urban area, and one had both public visitation and deforestation near its entrance. In this latler cave, no bats were observed afier novem bel' 1994, probably due to the urbanization processo Special atlention should be given to eight oI' the surveyed caves in any plan made for the conservation 01' cave bats in the Distrito Federal area, These caves host a high bat diversiiy (six OI' more species) and also shelter two rare and one endemic bat species.
