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The aim of this scoping review was to describe the zoonotic bacterial pathogens already reported and their frequency in different bat species. Six databases were searched, without restriction on the year or location where the studies were carried out. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 146 studies that were published between 1964 and 2020 (most after 2005) were selected. In these studies, 102 zoonotic bacterial genera were described in different samples of fourteen bat families in 55 countries, suggesting the possible role of bats as hosts for these pathogens. The pathogens mainly identified in bats were Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp. and Staphylococcus spp. In conclusion, the information provided by this scoping review expands the knowledge about zoonotic bacterial pathogens already identified in bats, which can guide epidemiological surveillance policies for these pathogens in different countries., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The conversion of natural areas into agricultural landscapes results in different mosaics of land use types, modifying biodiversity and consequently altering the patterns of ecological interactions, such as between frugivorous bats and ectoparasites. Our objectives were to investigate whether variations in the configuration and composition of human-disturbed landscapes interfere with the prevalence and average intensity of ectoparasite infestation in the frugivorous bats Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818), Carollia perspicillata (Linnaeus, 1758), and Sturnira lilium (É Geoffroy, 1810), in a region of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We also evaluated whether there is a response in the parasite load associated with the ectoparasite group (mite or fly). We found six species of flies and three mites. The proportion of infested hosts was more affected by the landscape than the mean infestation values. Land cover diversity influenced seven of the interactions studied. Forest cover affected eight of the interactions and was associated with a reduction in the parasite load in seven of them. The increase in the proportion of edges per area of each fragment presented a different influence related to the host species. Variations in parasite load did not show any typical response related to the mite or fly group. Our study indicates that landscape configuration and composition interfere with bat-ectoparasite interactions, which may be related to interference in encounter rates between hosts (for mites and flies) and between hosts and their ectoparasites in roosts (for flies). The taxonomic identity of the interacting species suggests that the relationship with the landscape is context-dependent., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The Saguinus mystax group traditionally includes three species, S. mystax, S. labiatus, and S. imperator. The additional inclusion of S. inustus is argued on molecular grounds, which have an important impact on our comprehension of the phenotypical evolution and biogeography of the group. Here, we investigate the evolutionary events leading to the diversification of the S. mystax group, integrating phylogenetic, temporal, and geographic information with the current knowledge of the Amazonian paleogeographical history. The examination of 208 specimens of Saguinus resulted in 25 morphological characters, of which 13 were used for the first time in a phylogenetic analysis of the genus. Morphological characters were also combined with molecular data and analyzed using Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods. Trees resulting from morphological and combined data recovered a monophyletic S. mystax group, including S. inustus, whose inclusion was supported by two morphological synapomorphies. Molecular based age estimates place the origin of Saguinus in the middle Miocene (17.4-13 million years ago [mya]), whereas the S. mystax group originated in an interval between 12 and 6 mya. Our results also suggest that the ancestral area of Saguinus was western Amazon, from where they dispersed to their current distribution after the end of the Pebas lakes system. The diversification events in the S. mystax group are related to the Pliocene development of the modern Amazon river network associated to the uplift of Fitzcarrald Arch., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

While functional traits can facilitate or constrain interactions between pair of species in ecological communities, relative abundances regulate the probabilities of encounter among individuals. However, the relative importance of traits and relative abundances for the role species play in seed dispersion networks remains poorly explored. Here, we analyzed 20 Neotropical seed dispersal networks distributed from Mexico to southeastern Brazil to evaluate how relative abundance and functional traits influence bat species' roles in seed dispersal networks. We tested how bat relative abundance and traits relate to species contribution to between-module (c metric) and within-module connectivity (z metric) and their position and potential to mediate indirect effects between species (betweenness centrality). Our results indicate that relative abundance is the main determinant of the role bats play in the networks, while traits such as aspect ratio show modest yet statistically significant importance in predicting specific roles. Moreover, all seed dispersal networks presented two or three superabundant obligatory frugivore species that interacted with a high number of plants. The modest influence of the functional traits on species' roles is likely related to the low variation of morphological traits related to foraging ecology, which reduces the chances of morphological mismatching between consumers and resources in the system. In this scenario, abundant bats have higher chances of encountering resources and being capable of consuming them which leads such species to play critical roles in the community by acting as module hubs and network connectors.

Molossidae is a large (roughly 100 species) pantropically distributed clade of swift aerially insectivorous bats for which the phylogeny remains relatively unknown and little studied compared with other speciose groups of bats. We investigated phylogenetic relationships among 62 species, representing all extant molossid genera and most of the subgenera, using 102 morphological characters from the skull, dentition, postcrania, external morphology, tongue, and penis, based on direct observation and literature reports. Both parsimony and Bayesian analyses were used in phylogenetic reconstruction. Our analysis supports two main clades of molossids, both of which mingle Old World and New World taxa. One clade is comprised of Mormopterus,Platymops, Sauromys, Neoplatymops, Molossops, Cynomops, Cheiromeles, Molossus, and Promops. The other clade includes Tadarida, Otomops, Nyctinomops, Eumops, Chaerephon, and Mops. The position of Myopterus with respect to these two groups is unclear. As in other recent analyses, we find that several genera do not appear to be monophyletic (e.g. Tadarida, Chaerephon, and Molossops sensu lato). We recommend that the subgenera of Molossops sensu lato and Austronomus be recognized at the generic level. We conclude that much more data are needed to investigate lower level problems (generic monophyly and relationships within genera) and to resolve the higher-level branching pattern of the family., (© The Willi Hennig Society 2015.)

The genus Eumops is the most diverse genera of molossid bats in the Neotropics. In Peru this genus is widely distributed and represented by nine species: E. auripendulus, E. delticus, E. hansae, E. maurus, E. nanus, E. patagonicus, E. perotis, E. trumbulli, and E. wilsoni. After several years of mammalian diversity surveys in the coastal desert and western slopes of southwestern Peru, a specimen of Eumops was collected whose unique set of traits allows us to assert that deserves to be described as a new species. Based on molecular and morphological evidence, the new species is related to medium-large sized species (i.e. E. glaucinus, E. auripendulus, and E. perotis). Cytochrome b genetic divergence between the new species and the other species of the genus was high (> 12%) and it is consistent with morphological divergence presented for this new species. This new species, endemic to Peru, increases the diversity of Eumops to 16 species.

A total of 71 bat flies belonging to families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae, and 37 mites were collected on 12 species of bats (Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae) from the Chapada do Abanador (Minas Gerais, Brazil), between July 2009 and April 2010. Two new occurrences of ectoparasites were recorded on Histiotus velatus (bat fly Basilia producta) and on Carollia perspicillata (mite Parichoronyssus bakeri). Five new occurrences were recorded for the state of Minas Gerais, increasing the range for bat flies Anatrichobius passosi, Paraeuctenodes similis, Basilia juquiensis, Basilia producta and for mite Periglischrus vargasi. Moreover, two new species of mites were recorded for Brazil (P. bakeri and Macronyssus aff. leislerianus). With regard to infracommunities, the most frequent association was between Anastrebla modestini and Exastinion clovisi on bat Anoura geoffroyi. This study contributed to characterize the fauna of bat ectoparasites in representative but poorly-sampled environments of the Atlantic Forest, the campos de altitude (high altitude grasslands) and cloud forests of southern Minas Gerais.

In this study, we review the taxonomy of Saguinus niger (É. Geoffroy) and revalidate Saguinus ursula Hoffmannsegg as a distinct species. The revalidation is based on pelage coloration, and the pattern of morphological divergence is corroborated by molecular data. Samples from the east bank of the Tocantins River (S. ursulus) were distinct from specimens of S. niger from the west bank in having mid-dorsal hair with an wide (5.0-55 mm) intermediary band of bright and golden buffy color; long (ca. 23-26 mm) dorsal hair at the inter-scapular region; and naked (not noticeably haired) face, hands and fingers. Saguinus ursulus and S. niger are allopatric, and Tocantins River is putatively acting as an effective barrier for gene flow. A lectotype to S. ursulus from syntypes was designated.