Population dynamics, roost selection and reproductive patterns of some cave bats from Western of Mexico. Almost half of bat species that occur in Mexico use caves as permanent or temporal roosts. However, the ecological studies about cave bat communities are scarce. In this work we studied the population dynamics, roost selection and reproductive patterns of some bats present in El Salitre Cave, Colima, Mexico. We carried out monthly samplings between August 2003-March 2005 using a harp trap for bats capture, we took their biological data and marked some of them with plastic rings. We also explored the cave to locate bat colonies and register microclimatic conditions in each cave section. We captured a total of 16 409 bats of which 31% were Mormoops megalophylla, 24.5% Pteronotus personatus, 23% P. davyi, 8.2% P. parnellii, 5.8% Natalus mexicanus and 5.3% Glossophaga soricina. Macrotus waterhousii, G. morenoi, Desmodus rotundus, Balantiopteryx plicata, and Glyphonycteris sylvestris represented only 2.2% of the captures. Some bat species used the cave as a permanent day roost while others as a seasonal one, and their population size varied markedly along the year and between rainy and dry seasons. Most bat population peaks were linked with their reproductive periods. The Pteronotus species and N. mexicanus exhibited sexual segregation during the breeding season. The mormoopids and N. mexicanus occupied deeper parts of the cave with temperatures >25.8°C and relative humidity >99%. The phyllostomids occupied intermediate sections where the ambient was less hot and humid, with temperatures of 23.2-28.3°C and humidity of 74-89.9%. Some individuals of B. plicata and G. sylvestris were seen occasionally occupying one chamber near the entrance two, where temperature and humidity were of 23.2°C and 84.2%, respectively. The mormoopids and N. mexicanus showed a pattern of seasonal monoestry, synchronized with rainy season. Glossophaga soricina had a pattern of bimodal seasonal poliestry, with one reproductive peak to early of dry season and another to last of this season. Macrotus waterhousii did not exhibit a seasonal pattern, with parturitions occurring throughout the year. Our results indicate a seasonal replacement between several species as well as seasonal movements to other caves. The data indicate that the carrying capacity of the cave is mainly determined by the availability of roosting sites. The selection of roosting sites is linked to the close relationship between microclimatic conditions and the species physiological characteristics. The reproduction of mormoopids and N. mexicanus was mostly influenced by rainfall which determinates food availability. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (3): 1369-1389. Epub 2012 September 01.

Natalus mexicanus Miller, 1902 is the smallest species of Natalus and is commonly called the Mexican greater funnel-eared bat. This insectivorous bat is the most widely distributed species of Natalidae, occurring from northern Mexico to Panama, inhabiting mainly deciduous and semideciduous tropical forests, generally at elevations below 300 m. N. mexicanus, a cave-dwelling bat, is considered as a “Least Concern” species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, and some data indicate moderate population sizes in several caves, although the population status at other sites is currently unknown.

Torres-Flores, J.W. & R. López-Wilchis. 2010. Condiciones microclimáticas, hábitos de percha y especies asociadas a los refugios de Natalus stramineus en México. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n.s.), 26(1): 191-213. RESUMEN. Natalus stramineus es un murciélago cavernícola ampliamente extendido en México del que poco se sabe sobre su historia natural. En el presente trabajo, se reportan los refugios y las especies asociadas a este murciélago en México. Además se reporta la variación mensual de la temperatura ambiente y humedad relativa en una cueva donde se alberga, localizada en Colima, México, donde también se observaron sus hábitos de percha. Este murciélago ha sido encontrado en 108 refugios que en su gran mayoría son cuevas y minas, los cuales se localizaron en un amplio intervalo de altitud, tipos de vegetación y climas; sin embargo, la mayoría se encuentran a alturas menores a los 400 msnm, en selva baja caducifolia y con clima cálido-subhúmedo. En algunos sitios donde se había reportado su presencia no pudo ser encontrado durante los muestreos realizados. En la cueva El Salitre, la temperatura y humedad en sus sitios de percha permanecieron estables a lo largo del año. La primera variable osciló de 25.8 a 26.9°C y la segunda de 92.1 a 100%. Los individuos usualmente se cuelgan en las partes bajas de las paredes y en techos inclinados, utilizando también cavidades de disolución y ocasionalmente grietas. Perchan individualmente sin estar en contacto directo uno con otro, manteniendo una distancia de 5-50 cm. Se registraron 45 especies de murciélagos asociadas a N. stramineus, pero con mayor frecuencia a Pteronotus parnellii, Mormoops megalophylla, Glossophaga soricina y Desmodus rotundus. N. stramineus prefiere ocupar secciones cálidas y muy húmedas de los refugios, siendo estas condiciones ideales para conservar el calor corporal y mantener en buen estado sus alas. Su gran tendencia a asociarse con mormópidos y algunos filostómidos se explica, en parte, por requerir condiciones microclimáticas similares en sus refugios, así como por los beneficios termoregulatorios que tiene el agrupamiento en colonias. Este murciélago depende mucho de cuevas de calor para su supervivencia y ocupa de manera oportunista minas con características microclimáticas similares. Palabras clave: Natalus stramineus, condiciones microclimáticas, hábitos de percha, México.

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