First study of the bat fossil record of the mid-Atlantic volcanic islands

GONZÁLEZ-DIONIS, Javier; Ruiz, Carolina Castillo; Cruzado‐Caballero, Penélope; CADAVID-MELERO, Elena; Crespo, Vicente D.

doi:10.1017/s1755691021000384

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 47 publications

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“…Faunal fossil remains from Canary Islands have been deeply analysed [10][11][12], its volcanic archipelago condition gives the fossil vertebrate fauna of Canary Archipelago a particular interest for the understanding of climatic change and insular effects in the evolution of the vertebrate faunas, with works concerning the lizard Gallotia or the chiropter faunas [13,14], among others. The studies about bird remains in the Fuerteventura Island, such Pecenescal or Hueso del Caballo [15,16], including remains from Islote de Lobos [17,18], can be highlighted in this context.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shearwater Eggs in Lobos 3, a Holocene Site of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)

et al. 2023

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Two eggs (L29 and N28) were recovered in the Holocene site of Lobos 3, (Islote de Lobos, north Fuerteventura, Canary Islands), the site has been interpreted as a purple dye workshop from the Early Roman Empire Epoch. For the first time, eggs from a Holocene deposit of the Canary Islands have been analyzed in terms of size, shape, and biomineral structure, and studied on the basis of several thin sections and SEM analysis. The analysis of the remains allowed the assignation of both eggs to Procellariidae birds, thanks to the relative proportion of the eggshell layers and the vesiculation patterns. The size of the eggs allowed the assignation of L29 to cf. Calonectris/Puffinus, and to cf. Puffinus for N28. The absence of more structural analysis on Procellariiformes eggshells prevent a more specific assignation. The accumulation pattern of the eggs is compatible with a seasonal occupation pattern of the Roman site.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shearwater Eggs in Lobos 3, a Holocene Site of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)

et al. 2023

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Dwarfism and gigantism drive human-mediated extinctions on islands

Rozzi

Lomolino

Geer

et al. 2023

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Islands have long been recognized as distinctive evolutionary arenas leading to morphologically divergent species, such as dwarfs and giants. We assessed how body size evolution in island mammals may have exacerbated their vulnerability, as well as how human arrival has contributed to their past and ongoing extinctions, by integrating data on 1231 extant and 350 extinct species from islands and paleo islands worldwide spanning the past 23 million years. We found that the likelihood of extinction and of endangerment are highest in the most extreme island dwarfs and giants. Extinction risk of insular mammals was compounded by the arrival of modern humans, which accelerated extinction rates more than 10-fold, resulting in an almost complete demise of these iconic marvels of island evolution.

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Insights into the habitat associations, phylogeny, and diet of Pipistrellus maderensis in Porto Santo, northeastern Macaronesia

et al. 2023

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Abstract. Around 60 % of all bat species occur in islands, and nearly one in four is an insular endemic. Bats are often the only native terrestrial mammals in oceanic islands, and despite increasing anthropogenic pressures, little is known about the distribution, natural history, and population status of most insular bat populations. The sub-tropical archipelago of Madeira is composed of the volcanic islands of Madeira, Porto Santo, and Desertas and is home to the Macaronesian endemic Pipistrellus maderensis, to the endemic subspecies Nyctalus leisleri verrucosus, and to Plecotus austriacus. Pipistrellus maderensis is known to both Madeira and Porto Santo, whereas the other two species have only been recorded in the former. However, no bats have been recorded in Porto Santo for over 15 years, raising fears that bats are probably extinct in the island. In July 2021, we conducted an island-wide acoustic survey using AudioMoth passive acoustic recorders, leading to the detection of Pipistrellus maderensis in 28 out of the 46 sampling sites (60 %). The species' activity was strongly associated with artificial water sources, and genetic samples from six captured individuals revealed that the populations of Pipistrellus maderensis in Porto Santo and Madeira have a close phylogenetic affinity. Furthermore, using DNA metabarcoding, we found that the species feeds on a wide variety of insects, including several economically important pest species and disease vectors. These findings emphasise the need to target more conservation and research efforts towards extant island bat populations and the potential ecosystem services they provide.

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First study of the bat fossil record of the mid-Atlantic volcanic islands

Cited by 3 publications

References 47 publications

Shearwater Eggs in Lobos 3, a Holocene Site of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)

Shearwater Eggs in Lobos 3, a Holocene Site of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands)

Dwarfism and gigantism drive human-mediated extinctions on islands

Insights into the habitat associations, phylogeny, and diet of Pipistrellus maderensis in Porto Santo, northeastern Macaronesia

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