Phyllostomid bat wings from Atlantic Forest bat ensembles: an ecomorphological study
Tavares, Valéria da C
Under the assumption that wing shape predicts bat species flight performance, I analyzed wing shape data of phylostomid bats from Rio Doce State Park (PERD), located in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Correlations between size-related variables in phyllostomid species were positive as expected, with the exception of those between mass and aspect ratio. Wing loadings varied from low to very high, and increased with body mass less than expected. Aspect ratios were homogeneously low, and wingtips were more variable in length than in area. Most phyllostomids had tip shape indexes close to or larger than 1, with the exceptions of Chiroderma and Tonatia. The foraging guilds matrix incorporating three fruit bats ensembles amplified the number of potential, suitable niche categories for bats from PERD: (1) understorey frugivores that consume Piperaceae and have broad wing surfaces, developed interfemoral membranes, low wing loadings (WL) aspect ratios (AR), and high tip shape indexes (TSI); (2) canopy frugivores that consume Cecropiaceae and Moraceae, have high WL, variable AR tending to low, and pointed wingtips with large areas; and (3) frugivores that consume plants distributed both in open and forest habitats, with broad dietary spectrum, high WL, intermediate AR, and TSI close to 1. I hypothesize that the ecology of the bat species from PERD is constrained by flight modes correlated with species-specific flightrelated characters, which consequently constraints habitat and microhabitat selection by those bats, and has implications for food choice.(AU)