扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠的集群结构

2001—2002年在广西宁明县和龙州县利用直接观察、捕捉测量(共捕到197群蝙蝠,全捕180群)和标记重捕法(标记了31群的101只扁颅蝠,重捕到36只)比较研究了扁颅蝠(tylonycteris pachypusa)与褐扁颅蝠(T．robustula)的集群结构。结果发现：扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠主要栖宿在刺竹(Bambusa stenostachya)的竹筒内,通过竹筒上的裂缝进出。扁颅蝠栖宿的竹筒长平均为27．7cm,外围直径平均为23．6cm;褐扁颅蝠的分别为28．3cm和23．8cm。扁颅蝠栖宿群大小为1—24只,褐扁颅蝠栖宿群大小为1—13只;2种蝙蝠的栖宿群中皆为独居所占比例最大(扁颅蝠为22．30％,褐扁颅蝠为40．63％),2只所占比例次之(分别为14．87％和18．75％),其它大小类型呈不规则变化。扁颅蝠栖宿群的性别组成,以雌雄混居最常见(占54．72％),其次为独居雄性(占20．95％),而褐扁颅蝠栖宿群雌雄混居群与独居雄性所占比例相当(均为40．63％)。2种蝙蝠的雄性趋向于独居,而雌性趋向于群居。扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠可以栖宿在同一片竹林内,并且可以在不同时间轮流使用同一个栖宿竹筒,但2种蝙蝠从未共栖于同一个竹筒内。另外,标记重捕扁颅蝠发现：扁颅蝠经常变换栖宿竹筒(栖宿竹筒不固定);同时栖宿群之间经常发生个体交换[动物学报50(3)：326—333．2004]。     

广西扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠的食物选择

2002年3～10日在广西南宁地区的宁明县和龙州县,用超声波监测和网捕法确定扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠的捕食区,在捕食区内用粘捕法调查潜在的食物量;用粪便分析法确定食物组成。在宁明县和龙州县扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠的潜在食物量都是以双翅目昆虫为主(45．93％以上),其次为鞘翅目(12．59％以上)和膜翅目(7．47％以上);但双翅目、膜翅目在两地差异显著。宁明县扁颅蝠的食物组成以双翅目(40．33％)和膜翅目(38．46％)为主,鞘翅目(16．07％)次之;龙州县扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠食物组成中以膜翅目(63．37％,62．34％)为主,其次为双翅目(21．57％,29．62％)、鞘翅目(11．59％,5．96％);对比两地扁颅蝠的食物组成发现,膜翅目和双翅目差异极显著。对比食物组成与潜在食物量发现,两种蝙蝠对膜翅目为正选择,对其他目负选择或无选择,均为选择性捕食者。     

扁颅蝠(Tylonycteris pachypus)和褐扁颅蝠(T.robustula)理毛行为比较及其与体表寄生虫的关系

理毛行为是动物防御寄生虫感染有效的行为策略之一。通过室内行为观察,对扁颅蝠(Tylonycteris pachypus)和褐扁颅蝠(T.robustula)的理毛行为进行了研究,分析理毛行为的种间差异,以及体表寄生虫负荷量对理毛行为的影响。结果发现,扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠理毛行为主要可分为舔拭及抓挠,两种蝙蝠舔拭行为的频次和持续时长均大于抓挠行为。舔拭和抓挠行为的频次具有种间差异,扁颅蝠舔拭行为的频次高于褐扁颅蝠,但是其抓挠行为频次则低于后者;而舔拭行为和抓挠行为的持续时长无种间差异。两种蝙蝠体表寄生虫负荷量与理毛行为的总时长和总频次均无相关性。这些结果表明,扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠的理毛行为可能受到中枢神经调控及外部刺激的共同作用。     

扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠体表寄生革螨的宿主选择

该文通过野外调查和室内行为实验,研究了扁颅蝠(Tylonycteris pachypus)和褐扁颅蝠(T.robustula)与其体表寄生革螨(雷氏巨刺螨(Macronyssus radovskyi)及拟雷氏巨刺螨(M.pararadovskyi))之间的关系.在野外自然条件下,雌性扁颅蝠的体表寄生革螨负荷量与宿主健康指数呈正相关(Spearman:rs=0.55,P＜0.01,n=24),而在雄性扁颅蝠以及雌、雄褐扁颅蝠中则无相关性(P＞0.05).室内原宿主感染实验发现,扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠体表寄生革螨均明显倾向于选择各自的雄性宿主,扁颅蝠雌、雄性感染率分别为(42±12)％和(58±12)％(t=-3.6,df=31,P＜0.01);褐扁颅蝠雌、雄性感染率分别为(37±11)％和(63±11)％(t=-6.1,df=26,P＜0.001).用扁颅蝠体表寄生革螨(拟雷氏巨刺螨)对扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠交叉感染后发现,寄生革螨明显选择其原宿主扁颅蝠,扁颅蝠与褐扁颅蝠感染率分别为(71±13)％和(29±13)％(t=9.1,df=29,P＜0.001).以上结果表明,扁颅蝠和褐扁颅蝠的体表寄生革螨负荷量与宿主身体状态无明显相关性,而对宿主性别表现不同偏好;扁颅蝠的体表寄生革螨对宿主表现明显的专一性.     

扁颅蝠的栖息地及最北分布

扁颅蝠(Tylonycteris pachypus)被列入《中国濒危动物红皮书》,是我国最小的蝙蝠之一。因其栖息于竹子中的特殊习性而备受人们关注。研究显示,扁颅蝠选择有虫蚀的粉单竹(Lingnania chungin)竹林栖息(洞口平均为43.79 mm×11.94 mm)。1997年8月在四川南充市金城山(N30°40′,E106°18′)发现的扁颅蝠,为其地理上最北分布。     

两种扁颅蝠回声定位叫声的比较

对扁颅蝠 (Tylonycterispachypusa)和褐扁颅蝠 (T robustula)在飞行状态下的回声定位叫声进行了比较研究。结果表明 ,2种扁颅蝠的回声定位叫声的声谱图均呈调频 (FM)型 ,且波形相似 ;但叫声的最低频率、最高频率和主频率差异极显著 (P <0 0 1)。扁颅蝠的频率范围较高 ,为 6 2 4～ 91 6kHz ,主频率为 (76 5± 2 1)kHz ;褐扁颅蝠的频率范围较低 ,为 4 2 7～ 72 4kHz ,主频率为 (49 2± 1 8)kHz ;而 2种蝙蝠的声脉冲时程、声脉冲间隔和声脉冲重复率差异不显著 (P >0 0 5 )。回声定位叫声差异与其体型、所处的生境有关     

广州越秀公园内濒危动物扁颅蝠栖息环境的保护

为探讨建立小型保护区(围栏)以及人工竹洞对广州市越秀公园内扁颅蝠及其栖息地的保护作用,2009年于园内竹林区建立了约2000m2的铁丝网围栏小型保护区,并且参考扁颅蝠自然竹洞的形态和大小,在保护区围栏内外各开凿20个人工竹洞供其选择栖息。经对该种蝙蝠种群数量及选择各类竹洞居住状况等调查发现,无论保护区内外,还是自然与人工的竹洞,扁颅蝠均会选择利用,说明开凿人工竹洞能为扁颅蝠提供更多的栖息选择。同时,观察数据显示保护区围栏内扁颅蝠栖息竹洞的毁坏程度低于保护区外。鉴于近年来公园内人为活动增加、竹林环境频遭改变破坏等因素出现,因此建立人为干扰更少的扁颅蝠围栏保护区以及打造人工竹洞等保护措施,有利于园内扁颅蝠种群的栖息繁衍。     

江西省蝙蝠新纪录——褐扁颅蝠及其核型报道

2013年8月在江西井冈山采集到1只体型很小的雌性蝙蝠,其主要特征为:体重仅为4.7 g,前臂长25.21 mm;大拇指基部和足掌具肉垫;头颅骨扁平,颅高约为颅宽的1/2。经鉴定为褐扁颅蝠Tylonycteris robustula,是江西省首次采集、记录到该种蝙蝠,属该省翼手目新纪录,并在国内首次报道其核型:2n=32,FN=52。     

海南、贵州和四川三省翼手类新纪录——褐扁颅蝠

上世纪90年代之后国内对翼手目动物的调查和研究取得较为突出的成就,发现3种蝙蝠新种(Zhang et al., 2007; Feng et al., 2008; Wu et al., 2008),5种中国新纪录(何晓瑞和杨白仑,1991;赵辉华等,2002; 吴毅等,2004;张礼标等,2004,2005;张劲硕等,2005;冯庆等,2006),以及10种省级新纪录(胡锦矗和吴毅,1993;吴毅和李操1997;吴毅等,1999;吴毅等,2001;刘颖等,2005;罗键和高红英,2006;江廷磊等,2007).     

中华山蝠繁殖生态的研究

借助了Mini-2型超声波接收器,采用标志重捕法,结合录音、录像、拍照等方法,对四川师范学院校舍的中华山蝠繁殖生态进行了研究。结果表明：中华山蝠集群繁殖,产仔育幼期雌蝠与雄蝠分离,形成母子群,4月中下旬开始受乳孕,5月下旬到6月下旬产仔多是一胎两仔,极个别一胎一仔。初生仔性比为1.1:1(♀/♂）,幼蝠不选择母体,母蝠则只哺育自己的幼仔,幼蝠5周龄后开始飞翔,独立生活前辈的成活率约为72.20%,3个半月性成熟。当年仔参与交配,幼仔独立生活后,逐渐与母蝠分离,9月中旬到10月上旬交配,交配后绝大部分迁移。     

Morphology, echolocation and foraging behaviour in two sympatric sibling species of bat (Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula) (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

We studied the wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed of Tylonycteris pachypus and Tylonycteris robustula in Longzhou County, South China during the summer (June–August) of 2005. The wingspan, wing loading and aspect ratio of the two species were relatively low, and those of T. pachypus were lower compared with T. robustula . The echolocation calls of T. pachypus and T. robustula consist of a broadband frequency modulated (FM) sweep followed by a short narrowband FM sweep. The dominant frequency of calls of T. pachypus was 65.1 kHz, whereas that of T. robustula was 57.7 kHz. The call frequencies (including highest frequency of the call, lowest frequency of the call and frequency of the call that contained most energy) of T. pachypus were higher than those of T. robustula , and the pulse duration of the former was longer than that of the latter. The inter-pulse interval and bandwidth of the calls were not significantly different between the two species. Tylonycteris pachypus foraged in more complex environments than T. robustula , although the two species were both netted in edge habitats (around trees or houses), along pathways and in the tops of trees. Tylonycteris pachypus flew slower (straight level flight speed, 4.3 m s⁻¹) than T. robustula (straight level flight speed, 4.8 m s⁻¹). We discuss the relationship between wing morphology, echolocation calls, foraging behaviour and flight speed, and demonstrate resource partitioning between these two species in terms of morphological and behavioural factors.     

Hierarchical polygyny in multiparous lesser flat-headed bats

How males gain access to mates and the potential for female choice will determine whether polygyny can operate at several levels, from within litters and groups to the wider population. Female lesser flat-headed bats (Tylonycteris pachypus) form maternity groups in bamboo stems. Unusually for bats, they are multiparous, providing the opportunity to test whether multi-level polygyny differs among males depending on whether they roost with females, with males or are solitary. We genotyped 662 individuals from 54 internodes and analysed parentage of 165 litters. Our results revealed 170 sets of paternal twins/triplets, of which 96 were full-sibs and 74 were half-sibs. We found that males captured roosting with females typically sired more offspring overall than did other males and also showed a greater tendency to monopolize paternity within both litters and roosting groups. In comparison, males that sired fewer full-sibs were assigned more maternal half-sibs. These latter individuals, which included solitary males and those from all-male groups, might gain copulations either via roaming with furtive mating or during visits by females. Indeed, female lesser flat-headed bats store sperm, so could benefit from multiple mating to reduce genetic incompatibilities. At the same time, however, we found no evidence of outbreeding. Finally, relatedness and mtDNA analyses revealed that polygyny also operated within matrilineal kin, suggesting a system that might promote social cohesiveness. Future studies of individual movements will help to determine the extent to which mixed paternities in litters, matrilines and groups are driven by male or female behaviour.     

Parasitoid Mark-Release-Recapture Techniques-- II. Development and Application of a Protein Marking Technique for Eretmocerus spp., Parasitoids of Bemisia argentifolii

In this study, we validate and apply techniques for marking and capturing small parasitoids of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring [ = B. tabaci (Gennadius), strain B] for mark-release-recapture (MRR) studies. The marker is the purified protein, rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), which was applied externally by topical spray or internally by feeding. Marked parasitoids were then assayed using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of the protein marker using an antibody specific to rabbit IgG. Virtually all of the externally marked Eretmocerus sp. (Ethiopia, M96076) (98.0%) contained enough rabbit IgG to be easily distinguished from unmarked parasitoids, regardless of the amount of protein applied or the post-marking interval. A field MRR study was then conducted to examine the dispersal characteristics of E. emiratus Zolnerowich & Rose. Parasitoids marked externally and internally with protein were released on three separate trial dates into the center of a cotton field bordered by cantaloupe and okra. Overall, a total of 1388, 637, and 397 marked and unmarked wasps were captured in suction traps during each trial, respectively with the majority of parasitoids captured between 0600 and 0800 h. Furthermore, even though we released an equal proportion of males to females, our traps consistently contained more males. Our results suggest that there are gender-specific differences in the dispersal behavior of E. emiratus . Almost 40% of the captured parasitoids collected during the three release trials were positively identified for the presence of the protein marker. The distribution of the marked parasitoids revealed two distinct patterns. First, almost all of the marked parasitoids recaptured in the cotton plot were in suction traps at or adjacent to the     

Balancing population size and genetic information in parentage analysis studies

In parentage analysis studies, the parameters of interest typically are not the parent assignments themselves, but population parameters such as variance in fertility, self-pollination rate, or average dispersal distances. The precision of parameter estimates is affected by two factors: the number of offspring under consideration, and the precision with which the offspring can be assigned to parents. When assignment of parents is based on genetic information, the confidence in assignments is affected by the number and polymorphism of the loci considered, and by the number of potential parents in the population. Studying larger populations may yield higher numbers of offspring, but since larger populations contain more potential parents, more (or more highly polymorphic) loci are necessary to attain a given level of confidence in the parent assignments. This article addresses how to relate the size of the population and the number of loci when designing a study. It is shown that the number of loci needed to assign all offspring unambiguously is proportional to the logarithm of the population size. In some cases, the constant of proportionality can be determined, eliminating the need for simulation-based projections. Population-wide measures of uncertainty in parent assignments are also introduced, and it is shown that holding uncertainty "steady" as the population size increases also requires increasing the number of loci proportional to the logarithm of the population size. Data from a study of self-pollination are used to illustrate the techniques suggested.     

Differences in male-female interaction betweenLemur fulvus andL. macaco

Interspecific differences were found betweenLemur fulvus andLemur macaco in heterosexual pair-tests.L. fulvus showed more mutual grooming and were more active in exploration thanL. macaco. The absence of a naked anal region inL. macaco females causes a virtual absence of foreheadmarking on this region by males.L. macaco males have a stronger tendency to mark the body of the female with their anogenital region after a nose-anogenital contact thanL. fulvus, indicating that the behaviour is more ritualized inL. macaco males.