Occurrence of Diaemus youngi (Jentink 1893), Chiroptera, in the State of Rio de Janeiro

Authors

  • Luciana de Moraes Costa Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Animal
  • Débora Moraes de Oliveira Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Animal
  • Agata Freitas Prata Dias e Fernandes Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Animal
  • Carlos Eduardo Lustosa Esberard Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Animal

Keywords:

geographic distribution, white-winged vampire bats, bird attacks

Abstract

Diaemus youngi is a vampire bat that feeds preferentially on bird blood. This bat is considered as the least frequent among the three hematofagous species throughout its geographical distribution. From 2000 to 2006, surveys for vampire control were carried out in seven localities from the State of Rio de Janeiro where attacks to birds were reported by land owners. Bats were captured in mist nets opened during two or three nights in each locality, usually in the vicinity of attacked birds. A total of eight specimens of D. youngi were collected in the seven studied localities and two records from two other localities made by other researchers were confirmed for the State of Rio de Janeiro. Apparently, D. youngi prefers to prey on domestic and wild birds that rest on high perches. This bat species may present higher abundance and larger distribution range those described here, judging by the number of reports of attacks in commercial houses of ornamental birds that raise animals in semi-freedom in Southeastern Brazil.

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Published

2008-03-01

How to Cite

Costa, L. de M., Oliveira, D. M. de, Fernandes, A. F. P. D. e, & Esberard, C. E. L. (2008). Occurrence of Diaemus youngi (Jentink 1893), Chiroptera, in the State of Rio de Janeiro. Biota Neotropica, 8(1). Retrieved from //www.biotaneotropica.org.br/BN/article/view/380

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Section

Short Communications

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