Hábitos alimentares e uso de abrigos por Chrotopterus auritus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae)

WITT, A.A.; FABIÁN, M.E. 2010. Hábitos alimentares e uso de abrigos por Chrotopterus auritus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae). Mastozoología Neotropical 17(2):353-360.

Abstract. Food habits and use of roosts by Chrotopterus auritus (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae). Chrotopterus auritus (Peters, 1856) (Phyllostomidae, Chiroptera) is the only species of carnivorous bat recorded in Rio Grande do Sul state. In this work we identified the diet items and observed their spatial distribution within roosting sites at daytime. We monitored seven caves, every fifteen days, from may/2002 to april/2003, in Machadinho and Barracão counties, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. The diet was inferred from fecal samples (n=67) and food remains (n=63). Mammals, birds and arthropods, composed the diet of the C. auritus. C. auritus did not show preference by food items, such as mammals, birds or arthropods, because there were no significant differences among them in fecal samples. The result was similar when comparing the presence of these items between seasons. Rodents, Passeriformes and Coleopterans were the prevailing items in the diet of the C. auritus. Fruits were consumed occasionally, about 5.9% of the total of the samples. C. auritus was, during the whole study period, present in the studied caves, varying in number of individuals and shelters. Cohabitation with Desmodus rotundus and Myotis nigricans was observed.