New reports of morphological anomalies in leaf-nosed bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from Colombia

Morphological abnormalities in bats are rarely reported and, particularly, ocular problems are relatively scarce in the literature. We present a review of the records of ocular alterations in bats of the American continent and document for the first time a case of ocular alteration in the species Saccopteryx bilineata in northern Colombia. In this study we found cases of corneal opacity (5/19 individuals), lesions and trauma, microphthalmia (4/19 individuals), anophthalmia (4/19 individuals) and adnexal diseases (2/19 individuals). We encourage researchers to report their observations of bats with ocular anomalies, as this information could be useful for estimating occurrence rates and addressing questions associated with the social behaviour of the species and on their effects on natural populations.

Review of ocular alterations in bats in America and notes on a new case for Saccopteryx bilineata (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae)

Herazo-Callejas,

Parejo-Tovar,

Chacón-Pacheco

2024

Observations of a greater sac-winged bat pup (Saccopteryx bilineata) with a chromatic disorder

Fernandez,

Tietge,

Ripperger

2024

Chromatic disorders in bats are typically documented by brief, incidental observations of individuals at day roosts or by accidental captures during mist-netting. Such descriptions usually lack observations on social behaviour including interactions between bats with aberrant pigmentation and other individuals. Here, we report the first observation of leucism in the greater sac-winged bat Saccopteryx bilineata. Over the course of six weeks, we were able to follow the development of a wild pup with a conspicuous aberrant pigmentation, by observing it in its day roost. Our observations indicate that the vocal and behavioural development of the pup was entirely normal, as well as the integration into its social group. After six weeks, when the pup was already foraging individually, it did not return to its colony in the morning, indicating that it may have been preyed on.

Pigmentation anomalies and lesions in bats from Oaxaca, Mexico

Hernández-Aguilar,

Lorenzo,

Santos-Moreno

2024

Pigmentation anomalies and lesions are aspects of wild bat populations that have been rarely addressed and scarcely documented. We captured a total of 4,118 bats belonging to 30 species during 2020, 2021, and 2022 in the municipalities of Santa Maria Huatulco and San Miguel Lachiguiri, Oaxaca, southeastern Mexico. Of these, 9 individuals (0.21 %) showed piebaldism (6 females and 3 males), and 11 individuals (0.26 %) had skin and hair lesions (7 females and 4 males). The highest number of piebaldism and lesions was observed in Natalus mexicanus (6 of the 20 individuals), followed by Mormoops megalophylla (n = 4), Pteronotus mesoamericanus (n = 3), Pteronotus fulvus (n = 3), Glossophaga mutica (n = 2), and Artibeus lituratus (n = 2). The months with the highest number of bats with piebaldism and lesions were October (n = 6) and July 2021. Seventeen records occurred in caves, two in the medium sub-evergreen forest, and one in a human settlement. To date, it has not been confirmed that skin depigmentation in bats affects the social life and reproductive activity of bats, but they could be more susceptible to predation events. Furthermore, lesions could negatively affect flight performance and, consequently, foraging efficiency.