Trophic structure in a large assemblage of phyllostomid bats in Panama

Abstract

Bats of the family Phyllostomidae are fundamental components of Neotropical mammalian diversity and display the greatest dietary diversity seen in any mammalian family. We studied trophic structure in a species-rich local assemblage of phyllostomids for which dietary data were collected during 10 years on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Correspondence analysis of > 3800 dietary records from 30 syntopic species showed a structure supporting traditional divisions of animalivorous and phytophagous phyllostomids. Putatively omnivorous species actually grouped among the latter. Phytophagous phyllostomids separated into Pi>er-specialists. Ficusspecialists, and eclectic plant eaters which in turn were the main consumers of flower products. Discrete dietary groups were compatible with several clades of the two current phylogenetic hypotheses of phyllostomids. We show that the trophic structure of the local contemporary assemblage is largely conservative with respect to traceable ancestral habits, strongly suggesting that overall trophic structure was likely determined historically. Assemblages of Neotropical rainforest bats show general patterns of species composition and rank abundance. Local assemblages studied so far are dominated by phyllostomids -leaf-nosed bats of the New World family Phyllostomidae (Brosset and Charles-Dominique N. P. Giannini, Dept of

Frugivoria por morcegos filostomídeos (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) em dois remanescentes urbanos de cerrado em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul

“…Essa relação é determinada em grande parte pelo predomínio de espécies de Piper na alimentação de Carollia spp. na Região Neotropical (Aguirre et al, 2003;Giannini & Kalko, 2004), ressaltado também no Brasil em diversos estudos (e.g. Pinto & Ortêncio-Filho, 2006;Aguiar & Marinho-Filho, 2007;Sato et al, 2008;Brito et al, 2010;Munin et al, 2012).…”

Efectos de la estructura del paisaje y de la vegetación en la diversidad de murciélagos filostómidos (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) de Oaxaca, México

“…Se ha documentado que murciélagos nectarívoros y frugívoros especialistas de Piper prefieren forrajear en el sotobosque (Bernard 2001;João et al 2010), donde el alimento es más abundante (Fleming & Heithaus 1986;MarinhoFilho 1991;Thies & Kalko 2004) y disminuye el riesgo de depredación (Kalko & Handley 2001). Lo contrario sucede con murciélagos FF que están asociados al dosel, donde el alimento se encuentra en mayor cantidad y calidad (Kalko & Handley 2001;Bernard 2001;Giannini & Kalko 2004;Vargas-Contreras et al 2009). …”

“…Todos los ejemplares adultos fueron marcados con collares de nylon numerados (Gannon 1994, García-García et al 2010, para no ser contados más de una ocasión. Los gremios tróficos fueron determinados a partir de la literatura (Freeman 1998;Wetterer et al 2000;Nogueira & Peracchi 2003;Giannini & Kalko 2004;Tschapka 2004;Kalka & Kalko 2006;da Silva et al 2008) (Apéndice 2).…”

Finite‐element analysis of biting behavior and bone stress in the facial skeletons of bats

“…We selected these species because of their convergence in ecological niche and body size. Although Artibeus and Cynopterus are relatively small, on average 42 and 44 g, respectively, both frequently include figs and other hard fruits in their diets (Fleming, 1988;Tan et al, 1998;Gianini and Kalko, 2004). They face similar mechanical challenges during feeding, but Artibeus and Cynopterus routinely employ significantly different biting styles (Table 1).…”