The widespread family Vespertilionidae constitutes the largest family of bats with 533 described species. However, systematic relationships within this family remain unresolved for many clades among the pipistrelle-like bats of the tribes Vespertilionini and Pipistrellini. In this study, we focus on the recently proposed endemic African subtribe Laephotina (Vespertilionini) and African representatives of the Pipistrellini. Recent revisionary systematics utilizing mitochondrial, morphological, and morphometric data has clarified relationships and species limits in Laephotina (Laephotis, Neoromicia, Afronycteris, Pseudoromicia), correcting genus assignments and describing two new genera. However, genetic data from independent nuclear loci have been lacking to date. Using four independent nuclear introns to generate gene trees and species trees, we establish strong support for the monophyly of the four Laephotina genera and the sister relationship of Laephotis + Neoromicia. However, the relationships of Afronycteris and Pseudoromicia remain unresolved. Our results are consistent with mitochondrial, karyotypic, and bacular morphological data previously used to delimit Laephotina. We found strong support for Nycticeinops + Afropipistrellus as sister to Laephotina. Deep divergence between Nycticeinops and Afropipistrellus in nuclear introns adds to dental and bacular evidence for their recognition as separate genera.

Nectar-feeding bats of the genus Hsunycteris are endemic to the Neotropical region and currently include four recognized species: Hsunycteris thomasi, H. cadenai, H. pattoni, and H. dashe. Hsunycteris thomasi is considered a common nectar-feeding bat in Amazonia, where it is widely distributed, with presumed large subpopulations in Brazil. Based on five misidentified Hsunycteris specimens previously housed in scientific collections and recently surveyed specimens, we report eight new records that represent notable range extensions and provide the first Cytb sequence of Hsunycteris for the Atlantic Forest biome. These records include the first documentation of the genus in the Atlantic Forest biome, the Cerrado-Atlantic Forest transition zone, and the fourth record for the Cerrado biome. Among these, we present the first occurrence of the genus in the Brazilian states of Pernambuco, Alagoas, and Minas Gerais, the second occurrence in Mato Grosso, and the first record for the Cerrado of Maranhão state. Further field efforts in the northeastern Atlantic Forest allowed us to obtain tissue samples for genetic analysis, leading to the identification of a new lineage within the H. thomasi species complex in the Atlantic Forest. Phylogenetic analysis based on the Cytb gene reveals that Hsunycteris forms a monophyletic group comprising six clades. Hsunycteris dashe was recovered as a sister to a clade containing H. cadenai, H. pattoni, and three distinct lineages of H. thomasi. The H. thomasi lineages were recovered as paraphyletic, with lineage I diverging first within the clade, lineage II as a sister to H. pattoni, and lineage III as a sister to H. cadenai. Genetic distances among the H. thomasi lineages range from 7.4% to 8.6%. These results show that the specimens reported here are part of a newly recovered lineage, representing a putative new species, evincing that the diversity of the genus is higher than previously thought.

Open-space bats are abundant and common in agricultural landscapes, and widely recognized for their effectiveness as natural suppressors of pest insects. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive studies on the diets and diet partitioning of these bats, particularly in terms of ingested pest prey species. Here, we explored the diet and diet partitioning of open-space foraging bats using DNA metabarcoding. We hypothesized that open-space bats residing near intensive agricultural areas would primarily feed on pest insects. Additionally, considering their shared guild and foraging habitats, we anticipated the occurrence of diet partitioning as a mechanism of reducing competition. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of DNA metabarcoding in bat diet analysis, revealing a high diet diversity and enabling prey species identification. The outcomes exposed 1,557 OTUs and at least 36 agricultural pest species were found in the diet of these aerial insectivorous bats, including Nilaparvata lugens, Nysius graminicola, Piezodorus hybneri, Mythimna impura, Sesamia inferens, and Spodoptera frugiperda, among others. This finding underscores the crucial role of the studied bat species in pest control across a variety of crops such as sugarcane, rice, and corn, among others. We also observed evidence of diet partitioning. Mops plicatus primarily preyed on Hemiptera (Pentatomidae and Delphacidae). Taphozous theobaldi predominantly fed on Lepidoptera (Noctuidae and Erebidae). Taphozous melanopogon primarily fed on Lepidoptera (Noctuidae, Erebidae, Crambidae, Pyralidae, Geometridae). Scotophilus heathii focused on Coleoptera (Hydrophilidae and Tenebrionidae). Niche overlap was high between T. theobaldi and T. melanopogon, while T. theobaldi also moderately overlapped with M. plicatus. Mops plicatus had lower degress of overlap with T. melanopogon and S. heathii. The lowest degrees of overlap were observed between S. heathii and T. melanopogon, as well as between S. heathii and T. theobaldi. Thus, these bats exhibited niche diet partitioning at the family level. Our study highlights the occurrence of diet overlap and partitioning among open-space bats, underscoring their crucial role as effective pest suppressors in Asian agricultural regions. Their widespread presence, sizable population, and consumption of key pests, including migratory species, emphasize their significance in pest suppression. Protecting these bats is essential for suppressing pest insects and aiding farmers in protecting their crop yields across the region.

Bats play a vital role in maintaining ecosystem balance and are carriers of a diverse range of microorganisms, including a rich mycobiota. This study aimed to analyze the composition of the genera of filamentous fungi associated with bats in an Atlantic Forest remnant in Southern Brazil. Bats with various feeding habits were captured and identified, and fungal samples were collected from their rostral region. The macro-microculture technique was used to identify the fungal genera. A total of 93 bat individuals representing four families (Phyllostomidae, Vespertilionidae, Molossidae, and Thyropteridae), 16 species, and five feeding habits (nectarivorous, small and lager frugivorous, hematophagous, carnivorous, and insectivorous) were collected. Eleven genera of filamentous fungi were associated with the bat species studied, with the most common being Penicillium (n = 23 isolates), Aspergillus (n = 16), Cladosporium (n = 5), and Acremonium (n = 4). The highest fungal richness was recorded in frugivorous bats, such as Carollia perspicillata (n = 21 isolates), Sturnira lilium (n = 21), and Artibeus fimbriatus (n = 20). The high similarity in mycobiota diversity between hematophagous and carnivorous bats, as well as between frugivorous and insectivorous bats, suggests that feeding habits of bats can influence mycobiota composition. These findings are important, as data on the mycobiota associated with bats across different feeding habits are still scarce. Furthermore, understanding the interactions between bats and mycobiota is essential, particularly in Brazilian biomes, as it sheds light on the ecological roles of bats and their associated microorganisms, a topic that remains largely underexplored.

The Caatinga dry forest is endemic to northeastern Brazil. It presents extreme climatic conditions with semiarid characteristics and unique precipitation regimes, directly influencing plant phenology and faunal population dynamics. Bats in Caatinga exhibit behavioral responses to cope with limited resources, such as seasonality in their reproductive cycles. This is an adaptation to synchronize reproduction with food abundance peaks to meet the large energy demands of the copula, parturition, lactation, and growth of pups. Caves are an important roost for bats in the Caatinga of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) state in northeastern Brazil. Thus, we monitored nine caves in the Caatinga of RN to describe and analyze the reproduction patterns of cave-roosting bats at the assemblage, sex, species, and trophic guild level. In 60 sampling days, we recorded 16 bat species from 1915 captured individuals (946 females and 969 males). Despite the lack of statistical differences between seasons, the assemblages tended to be reproductively active in the rainy season, with more juveniles and pregnant and lactating females than in the dry season. We found patterns related to trophic guilds and sex at the species level. Females of insectivores, frugivores, and animalivores were active in the rainy season, while males were active in both seasons. Nectarivores, omnivores, and sanguinivores exhibited an aseasonal reproduction. Patterns suggest that, depending on the trophic guild and species, their reproduction occurs in moments of peak food abundance, whether that resource is seasonal or available year-round, depending on their preferred food item. Our results provide important data for the conservation strategies of cave-roosting bats in RN, including vulnerable species (e.g., Lonchorhina aurita and Furipterus horrens), and novel insights into bat reproductive patterns as an important behavioral adaptation to the harsh conditions of the Caatinga dry forest.

El bosque seco de la Caatinga es endémico del noreste de Brasil. Presenta condiciones climáticas extremas con características semiáridas y regímenes de precipitación únicos, influyendo directamente en la fenología vegetal y la dinámica poblacional de su fauna. Los murciélagos en la Caatinga exhiben respuestas conductuales para hacer frente a recursos limitados, uno de ellos es la estacionalidad en sus ciclos reproductivos. Se trata de una adaptación para sincronizar la reproducción con picos de abundancia de alimento para satisfacer las grandes demandas energéticas de la cópula, el parto, la lactancia y el crecimiento de las crías. Las cuevas son un refugio importante para los murciélagos en la Caatinga del estado de Rio Grande do Norte (RN), en el noreste de Brasil. Por lo tanto, monitoreamos nueve cuevas en la Caatinga de RN para describir y analizar los patrones de reproducción de los murciélagos que habitan estas cuevas a nivel de ensamblaje, sexo, especie y gremio trófico. En 60 días de muestreo, registramos 16 especies de murciélagos de 1915 individuos capturados (946 hembras y 969 machos). A pesar de la falta de diferencias estadísticas entre las estaciones, los ensamblajes tendieron a ser reproductivamente activos en la estación lluviosa, con más juveniles y hembras preñadas y lactantes que en la estación seca. Sin embargo, encontramos diferencias en los gremios tróficos y en los sexos a nivel de especie. Las hembras de insectívoros, frugívoros y animalívoros estuvieron activas en la estación lluviosa mientras que los machos lo estuvieron en ambas estaciones. Nectarívoros, omnívoros y sanguinívoros presentaron una reproducción no estacional. Los patrones sugieren que, dependiendo del gremio trófico y de la especie, su reproducción ocurre en momentos de máxima abundancia de alimentos, ya sea que ese recurso sea estacional o esté disponible durante todo el año, dependiendo de su principal alimento. Nuestros resultados proporcionan datos importantes para las estrategias de conservación de los murciélagos que habitan en cuevas en RN, incluyendo de especies vulnerables de extinción (ej., Lonchorhina aurita y Furipterus horrens), además de datos inéditos sobre los patrones reproductivos de los murciélagos como una adaptación conductual a las duras condiciones de la Caatinga.

The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is a sanguinivore species widely distributed in the Neotropics. Information on this species prey is scarce, but recent studies provide information on this using camera traps. Despite that, our understanding of how, where, and when vampire bats locate their native wild prey is limited. Based on camera trap data from Amazonian remnant habitats in northern Brazil, we recorded 13 interactions comprising five native mammal species as potential prey, and describe the approach behavior of D. rotundus to these species. Most interactions with vampire bat have been with the giant armadillo, Priodontes maximus. We hypothesized that the high frequency of records in our sampling is likely associated with the increased presence of large mammals foraging beneath fruiting trees. This suggests that foraging dynamics of D. rotundus in natural ecosystems may be linked to fruiting cycles of plants that are typical in the diet of other native mammals.

We studied the foraging behavior of 29 radio-tagged individuals of the nectar-feeding phyllostomid bat Leptonycteris yerbabuenae using a short-range ATLAS tracking system as they fed at hummingbird feeders at three sites in Tucson, Arizona. We tested two hypotheses: (1) a spatiotemporal consistency hypothesis which predicts that bats will be consistent in their use of the feeders where they were captured for extended periods of time and (2) a temporal association hypothesis which predicts that bats captured together will continue to forage together on subsequent nights for extended periods of time. Our data supports hypothesis (1) but not hypothesis (2). Most of the tagged bats continued to visit the site where they were captured on most nights for up to 30 days, but pairs captured together did not continue to visit these sites together more often than expected by chance. From this, we infer that groups of bats that visit feeders do not do so as socially cohesive units.

This study investigates the acoustic adaptations of Nyctinomops laticaudatus and Molossus molossus, two members of the Molossidae family, to varying levels of environmental clutter, with a focus on the clutter rejection hypothesis. This hypothesis suggests that bats adjust echolocation parameters — such as reducing pulse duration and interpulse intervals — in complex environments to minimize signal overlap and optimize navigation. Field recordings conducted in urban environments captured echolocation calls from individuals under different conditions, including release, zipline, and colony settings. The results showed significant differences in pulse metrics across treatments, with pulse duration being longer during releases compared to zipline conditions and frequencies generally higher in zipline recordings. Both species displayed increased call frequencies and decreased call durations and interpulse intervals in cluttered environments, demonstrating flexibility in echolocation to adapt to environmental challenges. These findings reveal that despite being adapted to forage in open spaces, N. laticaudatus and M. molossus possess a high degree of acoustic plasticity, enabling them to modify echolocation strategies in response to cluttered environments. This highlights the complexity of their navigation tools and underscores the importance of studying these patterns across additional species and ecological guilds to deepen our understanding of echolocation dynamics in diverse habitats.

Este estudio investiga las adaptaciones acústicas de Nyctinomops laticaudatus y Molossus molossus, dos miembros de la familia Molossidae, a diferentes niveles de complejidad ambiental, con un enfoque en la hipótesis de rechazo de obstáculos (clutter rejection hypothesis). Esta hipótesis plantea que los murciélagos ajustan los parámetros de ecolocalización, como la reducción de la duración de los pulsos y los intervalos interpulso, en ambientes complejos para minimizar la superposición de señales y optimizar la navegación. Grabaciones de campo realizadas en entornos urbanos capturaron llamadas de ecolocalización de individuos bajo diferentes condiciones, incluyendo liberación, tirolesa y colonias. Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas en las métricas de los pulsos entre los tratamientos, con una mayor duración de los pulsos durante las liberaciones en comparación con las condiciones de tirolesa y frecuencias generalmente más altas en las grabaciones de tirolesa. Ambas especies mostraron un aumento en las frecuencias de las llamadas y una disminución en la duración de los pulsos y los intervalos interpulso en ambientes con obstáculos, lo que demuestra una flexibilidad en la ecolocalización para adaptarse a desafíos ambientales. Estos hallazgos revelan que, a pesar de estar adaptados para forrajear en espacios abiertos, N. laticaudatus y M. molossus poseen un alto grado de plasticidad acústica, lo que les permite modificar estrategias de ecolocalización en respuesta a ambientes complejos. Esto resalta la complejidad de sus herramientas de navegación y subraya la importancia de estudiar estos patrones en otras especies y gremios ecológicos para profundizar nuestro entendimiento de la dinámica de la ecolocalización en hábitats diversos.

Bat activity during winter is perhaps the least documented aspect of their annual behaviour, with few observations of bats leaving their hibernation sites. In this study, we report on bat activity outside hibernacula in a peri-urban forest in France over a period of 52 nights in 2023. We considered 13 climatic variables encompassing temperature, wind, rain, and natural light variations during the night. Five bat species were detected using automatic recorders and identified manually: Myotis brandtii, Nyctalus noctula, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, P. kuhlii, and Plecotus auritus. The most active species was P. pipistrellus, accounting for 95.6% of the total number of contacts, and was therefore the sole species analyzed in detail. The main peaks of activity were observed on warmer nights; however, bat calls were also recorded during colder nights, with activity detected at a minimum temperature of -3.4°C and a mean of -1.9°C. Temperature emerged as the most significant climatic variable positively influencing bat activity, while rain had a notably negative impact. Other variables, such as wind and luminosity, appeared to have minimal or no effect. We also compared our climatic data (temperature and precipitation) with historical records from 1991–2020. This comparison revealed an increase in extreme temperature events and fluctuations, which are known to negatively impact bat populations. Nevertheless, P. pipistrellus in northern France may be less affected by these changes due to its tolerance of climate variability and its use of diverse roosting sites. Further research across different locations and time periods would help validate and refine these findings, providing a clearer understanding of the effects of global warming on bat ecology and populations.

Bats spend a significant portion of their time roosting inside caves, where they can enter daily torpor or hibernation as an energy-saving strategy. Between torpor bouts, bats may awaken and emerge to rehydrate, forage, or switch roosts. Such activities are closely linked to species-specific responses that are triggered by changes in surface-level temperatures. Climate warming can, thus, alter bat emergence behaviors, with potentially more pronounced effects in regions like the central Himalayas, where climate warming exceeds the global average. However, emergence patterns from cave systems in this region are understudied, with limited information available to monitor future changes in such behaviors. To address this gap, we examined an elevational gradient across three different seasonal phases to quantify variations in cave emergence activity in the central Himalayas. A total of 23 caves were surveyed using acoustic monitors along an elevational gradient (400–2700 m) during mid-winter, late winter, and early spring. Overall, bat emergence activity was significantly greater in late winter and early spring compared to mid-winter. During mid-winter, activity was only observed in caves in the lower elevation. In late winter and early spring, emergence activity increased across all elevations, although activity levels varied between species. These findings provide a baseline for long-term monitoring of bat emergence activity in the central Himalayas as winters continue to warm due to climate change.

We report the results of two expeditions (2019 and 2022) to the Mbam Minkom Massif (Centre Region, Cameroon), focused on an assessment of the montane area's bat fauna. We describe bat species' richness and highlight the incredible diversity and ecological importance of this highly threatened ecosystem. Across both years, we captured a total of 36 bat species representing 21 genera and six families on Mbam Minkom Massif and in the surrounding lowland forest. Our findings include two new species records for Cameroon, and two additional records of the recently described bat, Pseudoromicia mbamminkom. We provide accounts for all captured species, including new locality records, detailed capture locations, and notable taxonomic and distributional observations, as well as echolocation call data. Sampling curves suggest adequate sampling coverage, yet also the potential non-detection of several bat species, highlighting the need for further fieldwork to develop a comprehensive species checklist. Conservation strategies are urgently needed to protect this vital ecosystem and mitigate both the loss of forest cover and consequent species loss. Our findings illustrate the importance of the Mbam Minkom Massif and the need to better understand and conserve inselberg ecosystems within rainforests that are facing intense anthropogenic pressures.

Globally, insectivorous bats are vital for maintaining ecosystem function. Sixty-five of the 69 documented South African bat species are insectivorous and are integral to most, if not all, southern African ecosystems. Grasslands cover ca. 29% of South Africa's land area, yet the associated bat biodiversity is understudied. Telperion Nature Reserve (TNR) is a grassland-dominated reserve straddling the border between the Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces of South Africa, and the grassland and savanna biomes. Using data collected by physical capture and acoustic sampling, an insectivorous bat species inventory for TNR was compiled and a regional echolocation call library was developed. Sixteen sites on the reserve were acoustically sampled for two consecutive nights seasonally (128 sampling nights). Physical capture devices including mist nets, harp traps, and hand nets were used to capture bats. This combination of techniques resulted in the expansion of the insectivorous bat species list for TNR from 13 to 22 species (representing seven families). One hundred and sixty-seven bats from 11 formally recognised species were physically captured. Passive acoustic sampling using full spectrum ultrasonic detectors facilitated the identification of 21 species. Species accumulation curves from acoustic data reached saturation after ca. 40 detector nights. Release recordings from captured individuals were used for the development of the regional call library. This study provides a valuable resource for future bat studies in the grassland biome of South Africa. Furthermore, it expands on previous findings of geographic- and intersex variation in echolocation call parameters of South African rhinolophoid and vespertilionid species, respectively. This study demonstrates and quantifies the minimum effort required to evaluate the bat assemblage composition in southern African grasslands upon which to base regional call libraries. Additionally, it highlights the importance of treating sexes separately when conducting acoustic analysis of bat vocalisations.