Bats community (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in Refúgio de Vida Silvestre Mata do Junco, Sergipe, northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The order Chiroptera is the second in mammal species richness in Brazil and the Atlantic Forest is the biome with the best knowledge status for this group. In Sergipe, studies focused on bats are still scarce, being necessary to increase the research on such important taxon. This work aimed to conduct a bat inventory in the Refúgio de Vida Silvestre Mata do Junco (RVSMJ), which is the second largest reserve of Atlantic Forest in the state of Sergipe. Samples were obtained during two nights per month from February 2011 to February 2012, except in June. With a sampling effort of 21,168 m².h, we recorded 189 individuals of two families and 14 species. Among these, Artibeus planirostris, Chiroderma doriae, Myotis nigricans, Phyllostomus discolor, Trachops cirrhosus and Trinycteris nicefori are new occurrences for the location, being T. nicefori also new record for the state. Phyllostomidae was the richest and most abundant family, and A. lituratus (N = 67), Carollia perspicillata (N = 45), and Dermanura cinerea (N = 45) were the most abundant species. These three species accounted for 83.0% of all captured individuals, and were characterized as generalists in habitat use and diet. With respect to feeding guilds, most of the captured species are frugivores (57.1%), probably due to the methodology and existence of agricultural areas present in RVSMJ. The new records here assigned, along with the parameters obtained for richness, abundance and feeding guild, will increase our knowledge on the bats of Sergipe and can be used as a basis for conservation strategies and management at the studied site location.