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In Mexico and Central America, little is known about the interactions between Vanilla planifolia and its dispersers. Using mist nets, we captured frugivorous bats to obtain fecal samples and extracted DNA from them. By using molecular biology, we compared the sequences obtained with those available in the GenBank. We captured 459 bats, of which one individual of Carollia perspicillata, Sturnira hondurensis and S. parvidens, respectively, had consumed V. planifolia, all of which were females with no evidence of reproductive activity. This is the first molecular evidence of V. planifolia consumption by bats and confirms that this orchid–bat interaction not only exists but also occurs in three species of bats. This interaction could be occurring by consuming the fruits when they become dehiscent, once the bats are attracted by the aroma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether trees and palms scattered in pastures contribute to the maintenance of bat assemblages in landscapes highly fragmented by livestock farming activities, we evaluated the bat assemblages and foraging guilds between wooded pastures and riparian vegetation. Using mist nets, we captured 1013 bats from 29 species and four taxonomic families. We found that the abundance, richness, and composition of bat species were not significantly different between vegetation types. Frugivores were the most abundant guild, and their abundance did not differ between vegetation types, indicating that wood-pastures allow the presence of these bats in the landscape. On the other hand, insectivores were more abundant in riparian vegetation and, interestingly, nectarivores were more abundant in pastures, likely due to the great plasticity of species of the genus Glossophaga. Our results are encouraging, since they demonstrate that a rustic pasture management that promoting the presence of scattered trees and palms along with belts of riparian vegetation, allows the maintenance of bat assemblages in a highly fragmented landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]