Diet of Saccopteryx Leptura (chiroptera: emballonuridae) in an ex-urban area of the andean foothills
Abstract
It is estimated that more than 70% of the bat species are insect consumers, thus contributing to the control of insect populations, and some of those insects can be agricultural pests or disease vectors. Therefore, to study the diet of insectivorous bats in anthromes is the first step to determine their potential value for humans. Herein, we analyzed the diet of a colony of a Neotropical insectivorous bat, Saccopteryx leptura, which is tolerant to lowland urban environments. We collected 24 samples of feces from a colony of seven and nine individuals. Insect parts of the orders Hymenoptera (2 morph-species), Coleoptera (2 morph-species), Hemiptera (2 morph-species), Blattodea (1 morph-species), and Lepidoptera (1 morph-species) were founded. One Hymenoptera and the two Coleoptera comprised almost 80% of the prey in the bat’s diet and the last four orders have not been previously recorded in the S. leptura diet. Among the Coleoptera there were members of the family Curculionidae, and among the Hemiptera there were Cicadellidae; these families are frequently agricultural pests. Further studies should explore strategies to take advantage of this bat’s potential services.
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References
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