Research Training Program

Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History

PROJECT SUMMARY
1996

Joseph H. Tien
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey
Charles O. Handley, Ph.D.
Supervising Scientist
Division of Mammals
"It was a pleasure to work at the Smithsonian and learn about a fascinating area which I had little prior exposure to. "

An Annotated Field Key to Bats of Amazonian Brazil

ABSTRACT
The bats, order Chiroptera, are an extremely large and diverse group. They fill a wide variety of ecological niches, with lifestyles ranging from frugivory and nectar-feeding to carnivory, and even bloodfeeding Because they fill so many niches, bats are very important in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. For many tropical plants, bats are the primary pollinators and agents of seed dispersal. Insectivorous bats are the primary predators of night-flying insects and help to keep these populations in check. With increasing deforestation taking place in the previously relatively undisturbed upper half of the Amazon basin, in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, numerous forest fragments are being formed. As part of the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project (BDFFP), Dr. Charles Handley and Dr. Elisabeth Kayo are investigating the effects of forest fragmentation on the diversity and stability of bat communities in Amazonian Brazil. The correct identification of the bats being studied is crucial. Misidentification is a problem with bats in the Amazon basin because the fauna is large (up to 150 species) and many species closely resemble one another and differ only in subtle ways. A field key to bats of Amazonian Brazil, easy for the inexperienced to use and including annotations such as which species are easily confused with one another, is being produced to help correct this problem. This project involved the production of descriptions and sketches for the key of 70 species of bats comprising the Stenodermatinae, Desmodontinae, Furipteridae, Thyropteridae, Vespertilionidae, and Molossidae. This was done by using both the dry skins and fluid collections to examine a number of characters useful for distinguishing different species of bats including forearm length, coat color and markings, ear characteristics, and dentition. For final compilation of the key, the descriptions need to be polished and field tested The anticipated date of publication of the key is approximately two years from now.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Award Number DBI-9531331.

Letter of Gratitude