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.     

扁颅蝠的扩散行为研究

我们于2002 ～ 2007 年在广西龙州县和宁明县采用标记重捕法对扁颅蝠的扩散行为进行研究, 共标记669 只(成体316 只,亚成体353 只;雌雄分别为293 只和376 只),重捕到139 只(重捕率20. 8% )。结果表明,大部分扁颅蝠雌雄后代在性成熟前发生扩散,其亚成体扩散率无性别差异(雄
性82.2% ,雌性66.7% ;P > 0.05)。对成年雌雄两性扩散率(雄性76.5% ,雌性58.5% )的分析亦未见性别差异(P > 0.05),但亚成体和成体合并结果显示雄蝠扩散率(80.7% )高于雌蝠(62.3% ,P < 0.01)。此外,我们还测量了扩散的距离,雄性后代的扩散距离(787. 5 ± 26.980 m,n = 37)比雌
性(517.4 ± 25.308 m,n = 24)远(P < 0. 01);在出现扩散的61 只后代中,仅有一只(0. 7% )雄性亚成体扩散到其它的竹林,其余个体均在出生竹林内的不同竹筒之间进行扩散。     

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。     

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     

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。     

拇指大小的蝙蝠

扁颅蝠是继凹脸蝠之后的世界第二小蝙蝠，褐扁颅蝠与扁颅蝠同在一个属，扁颅蝠属就只有这两个种，世界最小的凹脸蝠体重仅为2克左右，扁颅蝠也下过3.5克左右。褐扁颅蝠也就4．3克左右，虽然打开翼膜后看起来比较大，但是它们的身体并不比我们成年人的拇指大。     

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。     

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。     

印度假吸血蝠捕食鼠耳蝠

2004年12月10日,在广西南宁地区马山县金伦洞捕到2只雄性印度假吸血蝠(Megaderma lyra:Megadermatidae,Chiroptera),分析其中的胃容物,发现有蝙蝠的残遗物,包括牙齿、后足、骨骼、毛发(棕黄色);未发现昆虫残遗物。通过对残遗物中牙齿(上颌齿式:2.1.3.3)的鉴定,与蝙蝠科鼠耳蝠属(Myotis)的齿式一致,因此确定印度假吸血蝠捕食了鼠耳蝠属的蝙蝠。     

Roosting associations of flat-headed bats, Tylonycteris species (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Malaysia

Roosting associations of Tylonycteris pachypus and T. robustula were studied in West Malaysia. Both species roosted within the internodes of one species of bamboo, but were only once found together at roost. Roosting groups, which formed before entry in the morning, were not limited in size by the dimensions of the roost site. In both species the sexes exhibited different roosting behaviour, the males tending to be solitary and the females gregarious. Seasonal variations in associations occurred correlated with the reproductive cycle. Banding demonstrated that the populations were highly mobile, that the bats frequently changed roost sites, and that the roosting associations were of an ephemeral nature.     

Roost-site selection among flat-haded bats (Tylonycteris spp.)

During six years, 1962–68, the biology of the bats Tylonycteris pachypus and T. robustula has been studied at the University of malaya Field Studies Centre, Ulu Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. Both species were often found roosting within internodes of the bamboo Gigantochloa scortechinii , entering and leaving through narrow vertical slits caused by the beetle Lasiochila goryi . In this paper the roost sites are described and evidence is presented that each species of bat actively selected roosts of a different range of dimensions. The ecological implications of the separation of the species by this factor are discussed.     

Roosting Requirements of Two Frugivorous Bats (Sturnira lilium and Arbiteus intermedius) in Fragmented Neotropical Forest1

As tropical forest fragmentation accelerates, scientists are concerned with the loss of species, particularly those that play important ecological roles. Because bats play a vital role as the primary seed dispersers in cleared areas, maintaining healthy bat populations is critical to natural forest regeneration. Observations of foraging bats suggest that many Neotropical fruit‐eating species have fairly general habitat requirements and can forage in many different kinds of disturbed vegetation; however, their roosting requirements may be quite different. To test whether or not general foraging requirements are matched by equally broad roosting requirements, we used radiotelemetry to locate roost sites of two common frugivorous bat species (Sturnira lilium and Artibeus intermedius) in a fragmented forest in southeastern Mexico. Sturnira lilium roosted inside tree cavities and selected large‐diameter roost trees in remnant patches of mature forest. Fewer than 2 percent of trees surveyed had a mean diameter equal to or greater than roost trees used by . S. lilium, Artibeus intermedius roosted externally on branches and vines and under palm leaves and selected roost trees of much smaller diameter. Compared to random trees, roost trees chosen by A. intermedius were closer to neighboring taller trees and also closer in height to these trees. Such trees likely provide cryptic roosts beneath multiple overlapping crowns, with sufficient shelter from predators and the elements. While males of A. intermedius generally roosted alone in small trees within secondary forest, females roosted in small groups in larger trees within mature forest and commuted more than three times farther than males to reach their roost sites. Loss of mature forest could impair the ability of frugivorous bats to locate suitable roost sites. This could have a negative impact on bat populations, which in turn could decrease forest regeneration in impacted areas.     

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.     

Tests of hypotheses for group formation in the subtropical leaf‐dwelling bat,Kerivoula furva

Investigating factors that promote group living in animals can help us to understand the evolution of sociality. The dark woolly bat, Kerivoula furva, forms small groups and uses furled leaves of banana (Musa formosana) as day roosts in subtropical Taiwan. In this study, we reported on the roosting ecology and social organization of K. furva. We examined whether ecological constraints, demographic traits, and physiological demands contributed to its sociality. From July 2014 to May 2016, we investigated the daily roost occupation rate, group size, and composition of each roost, and we calculated association indices in pairs. The results showed K. furva lived in groups throughout the year, and the average daily roost occupation rate was approximately 6.7% of all furled leaves that were suitable for roosting. The size of roosting groups of adults in each roost varied between 1 and 13; group size was independent of air temperature during both reproductive and nonreproductive seasons. The vast majority of roosting groups was composed of females and their young, and males frequently roosted solitarily or in a bachelor group. Forty adult bats were captured ≥4 times during the study period. The association indices in pairs of these 40 bats ranged between 0 and 0.83 with an average of 0.05 ± 0.14 (n = 780). The average association index of female–female pairs was significantly higher than that of female–male pairs and male–male pairs. Based on the association indices, the 40 bats were divided into seven social groups with social group sizes that varied between 2 and 10. Despite changing day roosts frequently, the relatively stable social bonds were maintained year‐round. Our results that groups of K. furva were formed by active aggregation of multiple generation members supported the demographic traits hypothesis.     

Roost preferences and foraging ranges of the eastern forest bat Vespadelus pumilus under two disturbance histories in northern New South Wales,Australia

Little is known about the habitat requirements of Australian bats; however, this information is needed to make better‐informed decisions when systems are disturbed. This study contrasts the roosting and foraging ecology of the eastern forest bat Vespadelus pumilus (Vespertilionidae), one of Australia’s smallest bats, between two sites of differing disturbance history on the mid‐north coast of New South Wales. Lorne Flora Reserve (182 ha) is primarily old‐growth forest surrounded by regrowth forest and eucalypt plantations, while Swans Crossing is dominated by regrowth and eucalypt plantations established on part of an old dairy farm. A total of 38 bats were tracked during the maternity and mating seasons at the two sites. Roost preferences were determined by comparing trees used as roosts with those randomly available, while foraging bats were triangulated from fixed stations at night. Bats tracked at Lorne Flora Reserve typically roosted in hollows within large, mature trees and showed a strong preference for roosting and foraging (females only) within the Reserve. Lactating females at Swans Crossing roosted in hollows of remnant rainforest trees within a gully and dead eucalypts, while males often roosted in understorey trees (such as Acacia). Dead trees were frequently used as roosts at both sites. Under both disturbance histories, the mean distance of female maternity roosts from creeks was 20 m, indicating that riparian zones provide important roosting habitat for V. pumilus. However, roosts shifted to the mid‐slope prior to winter when bats mate. Retention of mature trees in a variety of topographic locations may allow behavioural adjustments with the seasons. Bats caught in the regrowth forest also foraged there, with foraging ranges averaging just 5.3 ha (n = 10), indicating that regrowth is used by this bat for both foraging and roosting.     

Limited use of bat boxes in a rural landscape: implications for offsetting the clearing of hollow‐bearing trees

Bat boxes frequently form part of hollow‐bearing tree offsets; however, their effectiveness is poorly documented. We investigated the effectiveness of a bat box program designed to partially offset tree hollow loss from clearing for a coal mine. During the first year of monitoring, we detected bats in 5% of 1,308 box checks. Only 3 of 13 local tree cavity‐roosting bat species/species groups used boxes and occupancy was not strongly associated with modeled box and site attributes. In the second year, we tested two hypotheses that may explain the relatively low box use: (1) solar exposure of boxes was inadequate for heterothermic bats and (2) available box designs were of low suitability. Relocating boxes to increase solar exposure did not increase use, or enhance the temperature profiles of relocated boxes. Introduction of a new box design led to 11 times higher use compared with existing designs for Nyctophilus spp. (long‐eared bat). Overall, our data suggest that the bat box program was ineffective due to few bat species using boxes, infrequent box use by three species, and rarity of maternity roosting. The knowledge gap of species‐specific box designs and roosting ecology limits the effectiveness of boxes to offset cleared hollow‐bearing trees. Lack of knowledge and the widespread use of bat boxes to offset lost tree hollows highlights the need to (1) rigorously protect hollow‐bearing trees and (2) advance our understanding of species‐specific roost ecology, box design preferences and mechanical hollow creation into trees, before artificial hollows can be considered a meaningful offset measure.     

Bats relocate maternity colony after the natural loss of roost trees

Understanding the ephemerality of trees used as roosts by wildlife, and the number of roost trees needed to sustain their populations, is important for forest management and wildlife conservation. Several studies indicate that roosts are limiting to bats, but few studies have monitored longevity of roost trees used by bats over several years. From 2004–2007 in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Saskatchewan, Canada, several big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) from a maternity group roosted in cavities in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) trees approximately 7 km southeast away from their original known roosting area (RA1). Using a long-term data set of the roost trees used by bats in this area from 2000–2007, we evaluated whether the movement of bats to the new roosting area (RA4) corresponded with annual and cumulative losses of roost trees. We also determined whether longevity of the roosts from the time we discovered bats first using them differed between the 2 roosting areas based on Kaplan-Meier estimates. Bats began using RA4 in addition to RA1 in 2004, when the cumulative loss of roost trees in RA1 over 3 consecutive years reached 18%. Most bats exclusively roosted in RA4 in 2007, when the cumulative loss of roost trees over 6 consecutive years had reached 46% in RA1. Annual survival for roost trees, from when we first discovered bats using them, was generally lower in RA1 than in RA4. Our results suggest that the movement of bats to the new roosting area corresponded with high losses of roost trees in RA1. This provides additional evidence that to maintain high densities of suitable roost trees for bats in northern temperature forests over several decades, management plans need to recruit live and dead trees in multiple age classes and stages of decay that will be suitable for the formation of new cavities. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.     

Social calls used by a leaf-roosting bat to signal location

Social calls in bats have many functions, including mate attraction and maintaining contact during flight. Research suggests that social calls may also be used to transfer information about roosts, but no studies have yet demonstrated that calls are used to actively attract conspecifics to roosting locations. We document the social calls used by Spix''s disc-winged bat (Thyroptera tricolor) to actively recruit group members to roosts. In acoustic trials, we recorded two sets of calls; one from flying individuals termed ‘inquiry calls’, and another from roosting bats termed ‘response calls’. Inquiry calls were emitted by flying bats immediately upon release, and quickly (i.e. 178 ms) elicited production of response calls from roosting individuals. Most flying bats entered the roost when roosting individuals responded, while few bats entered the roost in the absence of a response. We argue that information transfer concerning roost location may facilitate sociality in T. tricolor, given the ephemeral nature of roosting structures used by this species.     

Parasitization of bats by bat flies (Streblidae) in fragmented habitats

Parasites represent a large fraction of the world's biodiversity. They control host population sizes and contribute to ecosystem functioning. However, surveys on species diversity rarely include parasitic species. Bats often present traits favoring parasite diversity, such as large home ranges, long life spans, and large colonies. The most conspicuous bat parasites are the highly host-specific, blood-sucking bat flies (Diptera: Streblidae, Nycteribiidae). Recent studies have found a direct effect of habitat alteration on the abundance of bat species. We expected, therefore, that changes in the host community in response to anthropogenic habitat modification will also result in changes in the associated parasite community. We captured bats in three different habitats in Central Panama between 2013 and 2015. We recorded information on prevalence and intensity of bat fly parasitization of the seven most commonly captured bat species. Prevalence and intensity were both significantly influenced by roost type, abundance, and host sex and age. We found that habitat variables and matrix type significantly influenced the prevalence and intensity of parasitization, while the direction of the responses was host species- and parasite species-specific. In general, roosting conditions and behavior of host bats appear to be fundamental in explaining changes in prevalence and intensity of parasitization between different habitat types, as bat flies are bound to the roost during their reproductive cycle. Habitat alterations affect next to the host community composition also the availability of possible roost structures as well as microclimatic conditions, which all three reflect in parasitization.