We analyzed the patterns of habitat use by insectivorous bats in Mexico City, one of the largest and most populated cities of the world. We tested the hypotheses that richer patches of food, expected in more vegetated areas, have higher bat activity levels, and that fast-flying species benefit most from urbanization. We compared activity of insectivorous species and relative abundance of insects in 5 habitats (large parks, small parks, illuminated open areas, residential areas, and natural forest). Sampling of bat activity and insects was conducted every 2 weeks in 12 sites per habitat during summer 2002. Measures of bat activity were based on 3,600 oneminute sequences of sound that were recorded and analyzed. The average number of taxa per site was significantly higher in the natural forest than in urban habitats, but overall bat activity was significantly higher in large parks and illuminated open areas than in small parks, residential areas and natural forest. Vespertilionid bats (Eptesicus fuscus, Myotis, and an unidentified species), along with Eumops perotis, occurred almost exclusively in extensive green areas (large parks or natural forest). The molossid Nyctinomops macrotis made the broadest use of the urban‐natural mosaic, whereas Tadarida brasiliensis used urban sites (illuminated areas and large parks) more intensively. Insect abundance was higher in large parks and natural forest, and it was significantly correlated with overall bat activity and with the number of taxa recorded per site. The observed patterns of habitat use and foraging can be explained by considering the flight and echolocation performance of species. Although some species successfully exploited highly urbanized sites, large areas with vegetation are needed to maintain the most diverse insectivorous bat fauna in Mexico City.

Use of spatial features by foraging insectivorous bats in a large urban landscape

Molecular epidemiological studies have linked many cryptic human rabies cases in the United States with exposure to rabies virus (RV) variants associated with insectivorous bats. In Colorado, bats accounted for 98% of all reported animal rabies cases between 1977 and 1996. The genetic divergence of RV was investigated in bat and terrestrial animal specimens that were submitted for rabies diagnosis to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Colorado, USA. RV isolates from animal specimens across the United States were also included in the analysis. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on partial nucleoprotein (N) gene sequences, which revealed seven principal clades. RV associated with the colonial big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus, an bats of the genus Myotis were found to segregate into two distinct clades (I and IV). Clade I was harbored by E. fuscus and Myotis species, but was also identified in terrestrial animals such as domestic cats and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Clade IV was divided into subclades IVA, IVB, and IVC; IVA was identified in E. fuscus, and Myotis species bats, and also in a fox; subclades IVB and IVC circulated predominantly in E. fuscus. Clade II was formed by big free-tailed bat (Nyctinomops macrotis) and striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) samples. Clade III included RVs that are maintained by generally solitary, migratory bats such as the silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and bats of the genus Lasiurus. Big brown bats were found to harbor this RV variant. None of the Colorado specimens segregated with clades V and VII that harbor RVs associated with terrestrial animals. Different species of bats had the same RV variant, indicating active inter-species rabies transmission. In Colorado, animal rabies occurs principally in bats, and the identification of bat RVs in cat, gray fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and striped skunks demonstrated the importance of rabies spillover from bats to domestic and terrestrial wildlife species.

Genetic divergence of rabies viruses from bat species of Colorado, USA.

Nested patterns of community composition exist when species at depauperate sites are subsets of those occurring at sites with more species. Nested subset analysis provides a framework for analyzing species occurrences to determine non-random patterns in community composition and potentially identify mechanisms that may shape faunal assemblages. We examined nested subset structure of desert bat assemblages on 20 islands in the southern Gulf of California and at 27 sites along the Baja California peninsula coast, the presumable source pool for the insular faunas. Nested structure was analyzed using a conservative null model that accounts for expected variation in species richness and species incidence across sites (fixed row and column totals). Associations of nestedness and island traits, such as size and isolation, as well as species traits related to mobility, were assessed to determine the potential role of differential extinction and immigration abilities as mechanisms of nestedness. Bat faunas were significantly nested in both the insular and terrestrial landscape and island size was significantly correlated with nested structure, such that species on smaller islands tended to be subsets of species on larger islands, suggesting that differential extinction vulnerabilities may be important in shaping insular bat faunas. The role of species mobility and immigration abilities is less clearly associated with nestedness in this system. Nestedness in the terrestrial landscape is likely due to stochastic processes related to random placement of individuals and this may also influence nested patterns on islands, but additional data on abundances will be necessary to distinguish among these potential mechanisms.

Nestedness of desert bat assemblages: species composition patterns in insular and terrestrial landscapes.

Ninety-eight Mexican free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana, collected from 4 locations in Mexico between November 1996 and June 1998, were examined for metazoan parasites. Twenty-one parasitic taxa belonging to 3 phyla (Plathyhelminthes, Nematoda, and Arthropoda) were recovered including 5 helminth taxa (3 digenean, 1 cestode, and 1 nematode) and 16 arthropod taxa (12 mite, 2 tick, and 2 insect). The digenean Ochoterenatrema labda was the most prevalent and abundant helminth in collections from the states of Puebla, Zacatecas, and Durango. Urotrema scabridum and Dicrocoelium rileyi reached the highest values of prevalence and mean abundance of infection in Nuevo Leon state. Among arthropod taxa recovered, Chiroptonyssus robustipes was the most prevalent and abundant parasite in all 4 localities, and its nymphal stage was the most abundant form recovered. In total, 10 new host and 43 locality records are presented.

https://bioone.org/journals/comparative-parasitology/volume-70/issue-1/1525-2647(2003)070[0011:POTBMC]2.0.CO;2/Parasites-of-Tadarida-brasiliensis-mexicana-Chiroptera--Molossidae-from-Arid/10.1654/1525-2647(2003)070[0011:POTBMC]2.0.CO;2.pdf

Parasites of Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from arid regions of Mexico

We examined 56 fecal pellets from under a maternity colony of big free-tailed bats (Nyctinomops macrotis) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico. The most important food items, listed in order of decreasing percent volume, were Cicadellidae, leafhoppers (26.7% volume, 58.9% frequency); Ichneumonidae, Ichneumon wasps (19.3% volume, 35.7% frequency); and Lepidoptera, moths (17.2% volume, 82.1% frequency). Overall, the most important orders as prey consumed, listed by decreasing percent volume, were Homoptera (27.6% volume, 62.5% frequency), Hymenoptera (19.5% volume, 37.5% frequency), Lepidoptera (17.2% volume, 82.1% frequency), Hemiptera (11.7% volume, 37.5% frequency), and Diptera (10.6% volume, 50.0% frequency). Our study documents an unusually varied diet, as previous studies indicated that these bats fed almost exclusively on moths.

Food habits of nyctinomops macrotis at a maternity roost in new mexico, as indicated by analysis of guano

This datasheet on Nyctinomops macrotis covers Identity, Distribution.

Nyctinomops macrotis

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Nyctinomops macrotis