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Ecological Morphology of Neotropical Bat Wing Structures.

ABSTRACT: Morphology has a direct influence on animal fitness. Studies addressing the identification of patterns and variations across several guilds are fundamental in ecomorphological research. Wings are the core of ecological morphology in bats; nevertheless, individual bones and structures that support the wing, including metacarpals, phalanges and the length of digits, have rarely been the subject of comprehensive research when studying wing morphology. Here, I analyzed morphological variations of wing structures across 11 bat guilds and how individual bone structures are correlated to diet, foraging mode and habitat use. I obtained wing measurements from 1512 voucher specimens of 97 species. All the specimens analyzed came from the Mammalian Collection at the Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (MPUJ-MAMM) (Bogotá, Colombia). Positive correlations between size and the length of the third and fifth digit were detected. Bat guilds that capture their preys using aerial strategy in uncluttered habitats had longer third digits but short fifth digits compared to guilds that rely on gleaning strategy and forage in highly cluttered space. Although terminal phalanges were shown to be important structures for guild classification, metacarpals were strongly related to aerial foragers from uncluttered habitats because of their potential role in flight performance and ecological adaptations. Results show that habitat use, as well as foraging mode, are reflected in wing structures. Different wing traits to those evaluated in this study should be considered to better understand the ecological interactions, foraging strategy, wing adaptations, and flight performance in Neotropical bats.

SUBMITTER: Castillo-Figueroa D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8181164 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Tropical dry forests (TDFs) are highly endangered tropical ecosystems being replaced by a complex mosaic of patches of different successional stages, agricultural fields and pasturelands. In this context, it is urgent to understand how taxa playing critical ecosystem roles respond to habitat modification. Because Phyllostomid bats provide important ecosystem services (e.g. facilitate gene flow among plant populations and promote forest regeneration), in this study we aimed to identify potential patterns on their response to TDF transformation in sites representing four different successional stages (initial, early, intermediate and late) in three Neotropical regions: México, Venezuela and Brazil. We evaluated bat occurrence at the species, ensemble (abundance) and assemblage level (species richness and composition, guild composition). We also evaluated how bat occurrence was modulated by the marked seasonality of TDFs. In general, we found high seasonal and regional specificities in phyllostomid occurrence, driven by specificities at species and guild levels. For example, highest frugivore abundance occurred in the early stage of the moistest TDF, while highest nectarivore abundance occurred in the same stage of the driest TDF. The high regional specificity of phyllostomid responses could arise from: (1) the distinctive environmental conditions of each region, (2) the specific behavior and ecological requirements of the regional bat species, (3) the composition, structure and phenological patterns of plant assemblages in the different stages, and (4) the regional landscape composition and configuration. We conclude that, in tropical seasonal environments, it is imperative to perform long-term studies considering seasonal variations in environmental conditions and plant phenology, as well as the role of landscape attributes. This approach will allow us to identify potential patterns in bat responses to habitat modification, which constitute an invaluable tool for not only bat biodiversity conservation but also for the conservation of the key ecological processes they provide.

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Ecological Morphology of Neotropical Bat Wing Structures.

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