Species composition, habitat preference and relative occurrence of Chiroptera populations in South Gujarat with comparison of two major biomes.

Abstract

Species of bat were grouped under 3 main habitats of occurrence: rocky, forest and human settlement. Thirteen species (3 fruit eating, 10 insectivorous belonging to 2 suborders and 6 families were collected. Vespertilionidae among families and Rhinopoma microphyllum kinneari and Pipistrellus dormeri among species were predominant groups Cynopterus sphinx and Taphozous melanopogon roosted exclusively in the forest habitat, while R. hardwickei and Hipposideros speoris were found only in rocky habitat. Rousettus leschenaulti (a fruit eating bat), T. kachhensis, T. longimanus and P. dormeri were found in all 3 main habitats. The remaining 5 species occurred in various combinations of 2 habitats in varying relative densities. There was a direct relationship between diversification and composition of insect fauna and bat species composition in all 3 main habitats. Distribution of fruit tree plants determined distribution of 3 fruit bat species. A comparison was made between the northern districts' biome (low rainfall, greater temperature fluctuations, lesser wind speed and dry deciduous forest) and the southern districts' biome (high rainfall, deciduous forest). Both biomes shared 10 species. However, R. hardwickei, P.mimus and H. speoris occurred exclusively in the northern while C. sphinx, Megaderma lyra and T. melanopogon were found only in the southern biome. Relative percent occurrence of Pteropus giganteus, R. leschenaulti, R. m. kinneari, T. kachhensis and Scotophilus heathi reduced, whereas that of T. longimanus and P. dormeri increased from north to south. This distribution pattern of bats is discussed in the light of morphological, ecological and behavioural adaptations.-from Author