Noctilio leporinus

Abstract

Type species Noctilio albiventer [=albiventris] Spix. CONTEXT AND CONTENT. Order Chiroptera, Suborder Microchiroptera, Superfamily Phyllostomoidea, Family Noctilionidae. The genus Noctilio contains only two species; they may be distinguished on the basis of characters discussed in the account that follows.

Host characteristics do not affect community structure of ectoparasites on the fishing bat Noctilio leporinus (L., 1758) (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

“…The behavioral characteristics of the bat together with the host availability in the area could be responsible for such a pattern. According to Brooke (1997) N. leporinus roost in discrete groups (composed by 1-11 individuals) in hollow trees and caves, with colonies ranging in size from a few to a hundred bats (Hood & Jones 1984). This kind of spatial arrangement inside roosting areas plus movements between bat clusters should enhance host finding.…”

Diet of the fishing bat Noctilio leporinus (Linnaeus) (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in a mangrove area of southern Brazil

“…In adition Noctilio leporinus can be found together with other species of bats in the same shelter (HOOD & JONES JR. 1984, NOGUEIRA & POL 1998, RODRIGUEZ-DURAN 1998, resulting in sample failure since the feces of other species could be mixed together with that deposited by N. leporinus. The collection of feces directly from the captured bats carried out in Guaratuba Bay tried to obtain individual samples according to the sex and time of year, with the aim of obtaining more precise information about the diet of this species in its feeding location.…”

“…Studies do not exist to explain this difference. However, it is possible that since the insects are easy to capture, the females prefer to eat this item instead of fish so that they can return to their shelter more quickly to feed their offspring, since most of the females are lactating in the spring and summer (HOOD & JONES JR 1984, NOWAK 1994.…”

“…Provided with an extremely sensitive echolocation system, these bats detect their prey by means of the turbulence arising from shoals of fish at the water surface (SCHNITZLER et al 1994). This bats occurs from Mexico to northern Argentina, included the major river basins such as those of the Amazon and Paraná River in Brazil (DAVIS 1973) and frequently roost in dark caves or hollow trees near rivers, lakes or mangrove ecosystem (HOOD & JONES JR. 1984). Field works about his diet are not much in neotropic.…”

Lunar phobia in the greater fishing bat Noctilio leporinus (Chiroptera: Noctilionidae)

“…Noctilio leporinus is one of the few bats that depend on fish as a primary food source (Hood and Jones 1984). It possesses highly specialized body attributes for feeding extensively on fish, the most characteristic of which are highly modified feet with long, laterally flattened toes and sharply curved claws for gaffing fish (Fish 1991).…”