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Lonchophylla is a genus of currently 13 nectar-feeding bat species found throughout Central and South America, including Lonchophylla mordaxThomas, 1903, a species endemic to Brazil. Currently nationally categorized as 'Data Deficient', L. mordax has several knowledge gaps, including basic ones on its natural history. Here, we provide information on L. mordax's pattern of nocturnal activity, reproductive peak, sex and age ratios, its relationship with ectoparasites, as well as its distribution and taxonomy. Fieldwork was conducted in the Caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest) in north-eastern Brazil between 2012 and 2015, during which we captured 110 L. mordax individuals. Our results showed that there was no significant difference in body mass or forearm length between males and females, with a sex ratio of 1:1. We obtained four adult individuals for every subadult captured. Lonchophylla mordax individuals were active throughout the entire sample night period but with a significant peak in activity in the first 30 min after sunset. The number of captures was strongly negatively correlated with minutes after sunset. Pregnant females were captured between July and February, and subadults were captured mainly in July and August, suggesting that the peak of births occurred at the end of the dry period and the beginning of the rainy period in the study area. Additionally, almost 70% of L. mordax individuals were parasitized by streblid flies, with no significant difference in parasite load observed across seasons, sexes, and ages. However, the individuals' body condition index was negatively correlated with the parasite load. Natural history research, such as that described here, helps to fill knowledge gaps on L. mordax, including providing data for the decision-making in conservation plans. Moreover, we add information for a species-rich genus with closely related, but poorly-studied, species globally listed as threatened or near-threatened. Lonchophylla es un género de 13 especies de murciélagos que se alimentan de néctar y se encuentran en toda América Central y del Sur, incluyendo Lonchophylla mordaxThomas, 1903, una especie endémica de Brasil. Actualmente categorizada a nivel nacional como 'Datos Insuficientes', L. mordax presenta varios vacíos de conocimiento, incluyendo información básica sobre su historia natural. Aquí, proporcionamos información sobre el patrón de actividad nocturna de L. mordax, su pico reproductivo, relaciones de género y edad, su relación con los ectoparásitos, así como su distribución y taxonomía. El trabajo de campo se llevó a cabo en el bioma Caatinga (bosque tropical estacionalmente seco) en el noreste de Brasil entre 2012 y 2015, durante el cual capturamos 110 individuos de L. mordax. Nuestros resultados mostraron que no había una diferencia significativa en la masa corporal o la longitud del antebrazo entre machos y hembras, con una proporción de sexos de 1:1. Se obtuvo cuatro individuos adultos por cada subadulto capturado. Los individuos de L. mordax estuvieron activos durante todo el período de muestreo nocturno, pero con un pico significativo de actividad en los primeros 30 min después de la puesta del sol. El número de capturas se correlacionó negativamente de manera significativa con los minutos después del atardecer. Las hembras preñadas fueron capturadas entre julio y febrero, y los subadultos fueron capturados principalmente en julio y agosto, lo que sugiere que el pico de nacimientos ocurrió al final del período seco y al comienzo del período lluvioso en el área de estudio. Además, casi el 70% de los individuos de L. mordax estaban parasitados por moscas Streblidae, sin diferencia significativa en la carga parasitaria observada entre estaciones, sexos y edades. Sin embargo, el índice de condición corporal de los individuos se correlacionó negativamente con la carga parasitaria. La investigación de la historia natural, como la descrita aquí, ayuda a llenar los vacíos de conocimiento sobre L. mordax, lo que incluye proporcionar datos para la toma de decisiones en los planes de conservación. Además, agregamos información para un género rico en especies con especies estrechamente relacionadas, pero poco estudiadas, globalmente listadas como amenazadas o casi amenazadas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nycteribiids and streblids are obligate hematophagous flies restricted to bats. These flies are widely distributed throughout the Neotropical region, although little is known about their spatial distribution and patterns in parasitic associations in different environments. Studies assessing bat-fly interactions are mostly qualitative, but quantitative studies that allow testing and/or establishing more specific patterns for these interactions are still scarce. Here, we qualitatively and quantitatively assessed the bat-fly interactions in an environmental protection area in northeastern Brazil using prevalence, mean intensity of infestation, aggregation, and abundance indices. We captured 654 bats of 21 species and five families. Only 157 bats (24%) were parasitized by 351 flies of 19 species and eight genera. Among the most representative bat species (n ≥ 15), the host-parasite relationship between the white-lined broad-nosed bat (Platyrrhinus lineatus) and a streblid fly Trichobius angulatus had the highest prevalence (33.3%). The highest mean intensity of infestation recorded was for Trichobius joblingi on the Seba's short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) (2.05 flies per host). The fly with higher values of aggregation was Strebla guajiro (D = 0.98) on C. perspicillata. Ninety-five percent of the fly species were highly host-specific (monoxenous). Regarding the mean abundance of flies, we found no differences between dry and rainy periods. No noticeable pattern for northeastern Brazil was observed when comparing our results with previous studies, except for specificity that was consistently high throughout the region. Our study raises questions about the pattern of fly parasitism on bats and may guide future research on this subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caves are very important roosts for bats. Neotropical countries, like Brazil, harbor both high bat species richness and abundance of underground cavities. The Caatinga drylands in northeastern Brazil are a good example with potentially 100 bat species and a high number of caves. Among those caves, some harbor exceptionally large bat populations, but, even thus, they still remain poorly known and studied. Here we present a 48-months monitoring based on a non-invasive thermal detection system to estimate the abundance changes of a large colony in a bat cave in the Caatinga drylands of Brazil. That cave harbors ten bat species — two nationally endangered — and 70% of them are main cave users. We found a marked inter-month fluctuation in the total bat abundance, with no consistent pattern. Total bat abundance was neither related to precipitation nor to the reproductive seasonality. During certain moments, the bat population can reach up to 120,000 individuals, making this cave a priority site for bat conservation in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]