COMPOSITION, SEX RATIO AND REPRODUCTIVE PHENOLOGY OF A BAT ASSEMBLAGE FROM A FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPE IN THE HONDURAN HIGHLANDS

Abstract

Bat assemblages and breeding biology remain relatively poorly studied in northern Central America, especially in Honduras, which limits our abilities to make informed decisions regarding bat conservation. Here we provide information on species composition, sex ratio, and reproduction of a bat assemblage from an area relatively unstudied. During 43 nights of fieldwork, we studied an understory bat assemblage in the highlands of central Honduras for an annual cycle. We captured 594 individuals from 22 species representing two families—Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae—using mist nets located near ground level. Our captures include two species that are of global conservation concern and are considered rare in Honduras—Leptonycteris yerbabuenae and Choeronycteris mexicana. We estimate species richness of the Phyllostomidae to be 19 species in this fragmented landscape. In this family, we found nectarivorous species to breed earlier in the year, at the end of the dry season into the wet season, a result reported from other Neotropical areas characterized by pronounced wet and dry seasons. Sex equity was found for most species, except Desmodus rotundus, Sturnira parvidens, and Anoura geoffroyi. Compared to other studies from similar habitat and under similar effort, our results suggest that Honduran highlands host high phyllostomid bat biodiversity, including species of conservation interest, despite habitat fragmentation and anthropogenic land use.