Species richness, new reports and inventory update of bat assemblage of the Gorgona National Natural Park, Colombia. The information resulting from inventories is crucial for tracking the effects of habitat alteration and climate change on biodiversity, and for determining conservation priorities. Bats provide several ecosystem services and reflect the status of the populations they interact with. However, the inventory of bats in Gorgona National Natural Park can be incomplete since relatively few intensive surveys have been done. Using mist nets in areas with different forest cover, 670 bats representing 10 species and three families (Emballonuridae, Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae) were captured. Frugivorous species were more abundant in the survey, but a higher number of insectivorous species were registered. A model that incorporates detectability suggests that 33 bat species occur (95% credible interval= [26,39]) and that frugivorous species have a higher detectability than other trophic guilds. To the 13 bat species reported for Gorgona, we added two: Peropteryx macrotis and Mimon crenulatum. in conclusion, our results add two new records of bats to Gorgona, and suggest that the inventory of bats in Gorgona is incomplete, and aerial insectivorous bats have been underrepresented because of the exclusive use of mist nets. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 407-417. Epub 2014 February 01.

Morphological evidence of hybridization between Ramphocelus flammigerus subspecies (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) in Colombia. Habitat modifications such as deforestation and the increase of agricultural activities, have led to uncommon faunal interactions. In Colombia, this condition have caused the secondary contact of subspecies of Ramphocelus flammigerus populations from Cauca valley and the Pacific coast; and some specimens with rumps of intermediate colors of the subspecies have been found and are thought as hybrids. The objective of this study was to assess the presence of morphological evidence that may suggest hybridization and may explain the origin of individuals with intermediate coloration. We predict that if subspecies hybridize, they will be more similar in morphology when coexisting than when separated. Alternatively, coexisting subspecies might diverge in sympatry, because of selection to reduce competition for resources (character displacement). For this, a survey in 15 localities was undertaken: 10 allopatric areas (five for each subspecies), and five sympatric areas. Mist nets were used to capture individuals and a total of seven morphological characters were measured. To identify the patterns of morphological variation, we compared morphology of subspecies, sympatric and allopatric populations and individuals of intermediate colors. Consequently, we performed discriminant analysis and test for differences between groups by using 95% confidence intervals for log-ratio tests. A total of 112 individuals were captured (46 intermediate-colored individuals, 20 R. f. flammigerus, and 46 R. f. icteronotus. Discriminant analyses showed that subspecies were well differentiated, and intermediate individuals overlapped with them. Log-ratio test, based on Mahalanobis distances, showed that intermediate individuals were morphologically more similar to both subspecies than subspecies themselves. In addition, log-ratio tests showed that subspecies sympatric populations were similar but allopatric ones were different, and that individuals of intermediate colors were more similar to sympatric than to allopatric populations of the two subspecies. Therefore, morphological evidence supports the predictions of a hybridization hypothesis among the subspecies of R. flammigerus. In conclusion, the analysis of morphological variation in R. flammigerus suggests that hybridization between subspecies is occurring and that a process of genetic introgression is probably in progress. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (1): 75-85. Epub 2012 March 01.