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Morphometric analysis of the inner ear of mammals can provide information for cochlear frequency mapping, a species-specific designation of locations in the cochlea at which different sound frequencies are encoded. Morphometric variation occurs in the hair cells of the organ of Corti along the cochlea, with the base encoding the highest frequency sounds and the apex encoding the lowest frequencies. Changes in cell shape and spacing can yield additional information about the biophysical basis of cochlear tuning mechanisms. Here, we investigate how morphometric analysis of hair cells in mammals can be used to predict the relationship between frequency and cochlear location. We used linear and geometric morphometrics to analyze scanning electron micrographs of the hair cells of the cochleae in Parnell’s mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) and Wistar rat (Rattus norvegicus) and determined a relationship between cochlear morphometrics and their frequency map. Sixteen of twenty-two of the morphometric parameters analyzed showed a significant change along the cochlea, including the distance between the rows of hair cells, outer hair cell width, and gap width between hair cells. A multiple linear regression model revealed that nine of these parameters are responsible for 86.9 % of the variation in these morphometric data. Determining the most biologically relevant measurements related to frequency detection can give us a greater understanding of the essential biomechanical characteristics for frequency selectivity during sound transduction in a diversity of animals. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s10162-020-00764-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) is a mammalian model of cortical hemispheric asymmetry. In this species, complex social vocalizations are processed preferentially in the left Doppler-shifted constant frequency (DSCF) subregion of primary auditory cortex. Like hemispheric specializations for speech and music, this bat brain asymmetry differs between sexes (i.e., males&gt, females) and is linked to spectrotemporal processing based on selectivities to frequency modulations (FMs) with rapid rates (&gt, 0.5 kHz/ms). Analyzing responses to the long-duration (&gt, 10 ms), slow-rate (&lt, 0.5 kHz/ms) FMs to which most DSCF neurons respond may reveal additional neural substrates underlying this asymmetry. Here, we bilaterally recorded responses from 176 DSCF neurons in male and female bats that were elicited by upward and downward FMs fixed at 0.04 kHz/ms and presented at 0–90 dB SPL. In females, we found inter-hemispheric latency differences consistent with applying different temporal windows to precisely integrate spectrotemporal information. In males, we found a substrate for asymmetry less related to spectrotemporal processing than to acoustic energy (i.e., amplitude). These results suggest that in the DSCF area, (1) hemispheric differences in spectrotemporal processing manifest differently between sexes, and (2) cortical asymmetry for social communication is driven by spectrotemporal processing differences and neural selectivities for amplitude.

The synchronization of flight mechanics with respiration and echolocation call emission by bats, while economizing these behaviors, presumably puts compressive loads on the cartilaginous rings that hold open the respiratory tract. Previous work has shown that during postnatal development of Artibeus jamaicensis (Phyllostomidae), the onset of adult echolocation call emission rate coincides with calcification of the larynx, and the development of flight coincides with tracheal ring calcification. In the present study, I assessed the level of reinforcement of the respiratory system in 13 bat species representing six families that use stereotypical modes of echolocation (i.e. duty cycle % and intensity). Using computed tomography, the degree of mineralization or ossification of the tracheal rings, cricoid, thyroid and arytenoid cartilages were determined for non‐echolocators, tongue clicking, low‐duty cycle low‐intensity, low‐duty cycle high‐intensity, and high‐duty cycle high‐intensity echolocating bats. While all bats had evidence of cervical tracheal ring mineralization, about half the species had evidence of thoracic tracheal ring calcification. Larger bats (Phyllostomus hastatus and Pterpodidae sp.) exhibited more extensive tracheal ring mineralization, suggesting an underlying cause independent of laryngeal echolocation. Within most of the laryngeally echolocating species, the degree of mineralization or ossification of the larynx was dependent on the mode of echolocation system used. Low‐duty cycle low‐intensity bats had extensively mineralized cricoids, and zero to very minor mineralization of the thyroids and arytenoids. Low‐duty cycle high‐intensity bats had extensively mineralized cricoids, and patches of thyroid and arytenoid mineralization. The high‐duty cycle high‐intensity rhinolophids and hipposiderid had extensively ossified cricoids, large patches of ossification on the thyroids, and heavily ossified arytenoids. The high‐duty cycle high‐intensity echolocator, Pteronotus parnellii, had mineralization patterns and laryngeal morphology very similar to the other low‐duty cycle high‐intensity mormoopid species, perhaps suggesting relatively recent evolution of high‐duty cycle echolocation in P. parnellii compared with the Old World high‐duty cycle echolocators (Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae). All laryngeal echolocators exhibited mineralized or ossified lateral expansions of the cricoid for articulation with the inferior horn of the thyroid, these were most prominent in the high‐duty cycle high‐intensity rhinolophids and hipposiderid, and least prominent in the low‐duty cycle low‐intensity echolocators. The non‐laryngeal echolocators had extensively ossified cricoid and thyroid cartilages, and no evidence of mineralization/ossification of the arytenoids or lateral expansions of the cricoid. While the non‐echolocators had extensive ossification of the larynx, it was inconsistent with that seen in the laryngeal echolocators.

Objective. To report the infection with Leptospira in the kidneys of bats from Campeche and Yucatán, Mexico, through the amplification by PCR of two different 16S RNA ribosomal gene fragments. Materials and methods. Bat captures were made at one site in Campeche and two sites in Yucatán. Euthanasia was applied to the captured bats and a necropsy was performed to collect a renal tissue sample that was used in the total DNA extraction. Two different conventional PCR were performed for the amplification of the 16S RNA ribosomal gene fragments. Some sequences from positive products were obtained and analyzed with bioinformatics tools to identify the infectious species of Leptospira. Results. Sixty-nine bats belonging to four families and eight different species were captured. The family with the greatest diversity was Phyllostomidae, with five species. The most captured species was Artibeus jamaicensis (41, 59.4%). Both PCR showed a global infection frequency of 21.7%. The infected species were A. jamaicensis, Pteronotus parnellii, and Chiroderma villosum. The bioinformatic analysis of the positive products yielded a 99.0% identity for Leptospira noguchii, Leptospira borgpetersenii, and Leptospira santarosai. Conclusions. Some bat species of Yucatán and Campeche, Mexico, are renal carriers of pathogenic Leptospira, therefore participating in the transmission cycle in the region. The frequency of infection found in the renal tissue of the captured bats is higher than the one obtained from other reservoirs captured in Yucatán and Campeche. New species of bats are reported as renal Leptospira carriers in Mexico., Objetivo. Reportar la infección con Leptospira en riñones de murciélagos de Campeche y Yucatán, México, a través de la amplificación por PCR de dos fragmentos distintos del gen 16S RNA ribosomal. Materiales y métodos. Se realizaron capturas en un sitio de Campeche y dos de Yucatán. A los murciélagos capturados se les aplicó la eutanasia y se les realizó una necropsia para recolectar tejido renal que se usó en la extracción de ADN total. Se realizaron dos PCR convencionales para la amplificación de los fragmentos de 16S RNA ribosomal. Se obtuvieron las secuencias de algunos productos positivos y se analizaron con herramientas bioinformáticas para identificar la especie infectante de Leptospira. Resultados. Se capturaron 69 murciélagos pertenecientes a cuatro familias y a ocho especies distintas. La familia con mayor diversidad fue Phyllostomidae con cinco especies. La especie con mayor frecuencia de captura fue Artibeus jamaicensis (41, 59.4%). Las PCR arrojaron una frecuencia de infección global de 21.7%. Las especies infectadas fueron A. jamaicensis, Pteronotus parnellii y Chiroderma villosum. El análisis bioinformático arrojó un 99.0% de identidad para Leptospira noguchii, Leptospira borgpetersenii y Leptospira santarosai. Conclusiones. Algunas especies de murciélagos de Yucatán y Campeche son portadores renales de leptospiras patógenas, por lo que podrían participar en el ciclo silvestre de transmisión en la región. La frecuencia de infección encontrada en los riñones de los murciélagos utilizados es mayor en comparación con aquellas obtenidas en otros reservorios de Yucatán y Campeche. Nuevas especies de murciélagos son reportadas como portadores de Leptospira para México.

Studies on helminths of chiropterans are relatively uncommon compared to those of other animals, and seasonal changes in helminth load have been rarely examined. We characterized the gastro-intestinal helminth load of 3 bats species to test for the existence of seasonal changes in response to known seasonal environmental and bat prey fluctuations. We did not find seasonal variation in most of the cases. However, the prevalence of 4 endoparasite species was significantly higher during one of the seasons. The highest richness was registered in Pteronotus parnellii during the wet season. The effective number of species was higher during the dry season in the 3 species of Pteronotus . Diet seems to be an important driver of helminth infracommunity structure, but we found heterogeneous patterns in the relationship between diversity and load of helminths and seasonal patterns of bat’s diets and abundance of potential intermediate hosts.

The majority (90%) of native terrestrial mammal species living in the Dominican Republic are bats, and two-thirds of these species are endemic to the Caribbean. However, recent molecular studies using DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene have suggested at least a 25% underestimation of biodiversity in bats throughout the world. A recent survey of bats in the Dominican Republic documented 15 of the 18 known species on the island of Hispaniola. Phylogenetic analysis of 132 individuals resulted in well-supported monophyletic species-level clades (maximal bootstrap values) with intraspecific variation ranging from 0% to 4.7% and interspecific variation ranging from 14.1% to 32.5%. A phylogeographic pattern separating the northern and southern Dominican Republic was recovered in 3 species of bats (Macrotus waterhousii, Pteronotus parnellii, and Pteronotus quadridens). The inclusion of broader geographic sampling across the Neotropics indicated that 3 widely distributed species (Eptesicus fuscus, Molossus molossus, and Monophyllus redmani) have high sequence divergence among insular or between insular and continental populations. Further systematic study is needed to identify morphologically cryptic species and their implications for conservation priorities in the Caribbean.

It is commonly assumed that aerial insectivorous bats in the tropics respond to moonlight intensity by decreasing their foraging activity during bright nights due either to an increase in predation risk, or to a reduction in insect availability. The effect of moonlight on bat activity can be measured both between nights and within a single night. However, few studies have simultaneously used both approaches, and most authors generally compare bat activity with lunar phases. Our main aim was to evaluate how moonlight influences aerial insectivorous bat activity at different time scales: between nights and within the same night. Activity of five bat species was measured using autonomous ultrasound recording stations and moonlight intensity percentages retrieved from the Moontool program nightly throughout a 53-day sampling period. Only one species (Myotis riparius) responded negatively to moonlight, while two species (Pteronotus parnellii and Saccopteryx leptura) increased their foraging activity in moonlight. For Cormura brevirostris and S. bilineata, moonlight intensity did not affect activity level. Bat activity was greater for all species at the beginning of the night, independent of the presence of the moon, indicating that foraging just after the sunset is adaptive. Thus, bat response to the effect of moonlight intensity is more apparent between nights than within a single night and may depend on species-specific traits, such as flight speed, flexibility in habitat use and body size.

Roosts are a key part of bat species' life stories. Information on roost use enables us to understand the biological processes underlying bat ecology and is crucial with regard to the natural-roost loss and environmental pressures related to habitat destruction that has been considered as a threat affecting bat conservation. The aim of this study was to collect new data on the diurnal artificial-roost use by bats in a landscape from the southern Amazon. We observed bat species roosting at an abandoned house in a highly fragmented ecotone between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. We observed one Trachops cirrhosus individual roosting in physical contact with one Phyllostomus hastatus. One year later, we noticed a compositional change at this roost, in which we found a large colony of Pteronotus parnellii. These findings may shed light on the potential flexibility of the roosting requirements of these species in such landscapes. Moreover, this is one of the first records of the use of human constructions by P. parnelli in such fragmented landscapes, a bat species that until recently was thought of as being associated only with well-preserved natural roosts.

Species richness and parasitic prevalence of bat flies in a bat cave community in Oaxaca are reported. Between 2016 and 2018, a total of 732 bats were captured and inspected for streblids. We recorded 15 bat species from 3 families and obtained 1,317 streblid specimens corresponding to 24 species and 8 genera, including 19 species that are new records for the state: Nycterophilia fairchildi Wenzel, 1966, Nycterophilia parnelli Wenzel, 1966, Metelasmus pseudopterus Coquillett, 1907, Strebla guajiro (Garcia & Casal, 1965), Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856, Aspidoptera phyllostomatis (Perty, 1833), Megistopoda aranea (Coquillett, 1899), Megistopoda proxima (Seguy, 1926), Paratrichobius longicrus (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1907), Trichobius brennani Wenzel, 1966, Trichobius diphyllae Wenzel, 1966, Trichobius galei Wenzel, 1966, Trichobius hoffmannae Guerrero & Morales-Malacara, 1996, Trichobius johnsonae Wenzel, 1966, Trichobius leionotus Wenzel, 1966, Trichobius sparsus Kessel, 1925, Trichobius sphaeronotus Jobling, 1939, Trichobius uniformis Curran, 1935, and Trichobius yunkeri Wenzel, 1966. Bat species with the highest parasite prevalence were Pteronotus parnellii (Gray, 1843), Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810), and Artibeus jamaicensis Leach, 1821 with 88.1, 77.5, and 62.3%, respectively. After this study, the number of bat fly species known for the state of Oaxaca increases from 9 to 27, corresponding to 49% of the total Mexican streblid species richness.

10. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat Pteronotus parnellii French: Ptéronote de Parnell / German: Parnell-Schnurrbartfledermaus / Spanish: Pteronotus de Parnell Other common names: Parnell's Mustached Bat Taxonomy. Phyllodia parnellii J. E. Gray, 1843, Jamaica. J.D. Smith in 1972 recognized seven extant subspecies of P. parnelli: P. p. parnellii, Pp. pusillus, P. p. portoricensis, P. p. mexicanus, P. p. mesoamericanus, P. p. fuscus, and P. p. rubiginosus. Several studies based on molecular, morphometric, and acoustic data have shown that P. parnellii represents a species complex, supporting elevation of these subspecies to distinct species. Accordingly, P. parnellii sensu stricto is currently known exclusively from Jamaica; it has been proposed that the population in Cuba belongs to the same lineage of theJamaican population, although its phylogenetic status has not yet been assessed. There are fossil records of Pteronotus cf. parnellii from Florida, several islands in the Bahamas, and Greater and Lesser Antilles, whose taxonomic status needs to be reevaluated. Monotypic. Distribution. Cuba and Jamaica. Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢. 59 mm, tail 18-22 mm, ear 20-22 mm, hindfoot 13 mm, forearm 50-54 mm; weight 10-5-16 g. Parnell’s Common Mustached Batis the largest species of mormoopid in the Greater Antilles. Dorsal fur is generally tricolored, although color bands are not obviously discernible; hairs are dark brown on bases and tips, grading to paler central zone. Ventral fur is bicolored; hairs are dark brown with whitish tips. Rostrum is relatively long and delicate. Condylo-basal lengths are 18-4-19-5 mm. Many external and cranial features of Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat also apply to the other species within this complex, which are currently recognized in subgenus Phyllodia: ears pointed, with lanceolated part broad; tragus simple and lanceolated, with small secondary fold; ears connected by two low, inconspicuous ridges that fuse on top of muzzle forming prominent rostral tubercle; skull flat in profile, with rostrum of equal length as braincase; braincase oval and broad; tympanic rings relatively small, covering about one-third of auditory bullae; basioccipital region narrow, constricted between two large bullae; upper incisors robust and markedlybifurcated; and outer lower incisors bilobed. Habitat. Highly cluttered habitats varying from gallery forests at sea level to forests, croplands, and plantations with high densities of vegetation at elevations up to ¢. 1300 m. Food and Feeding. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bats feed on a high diversity of lepidopterans, but its diet also includes dipterans, coleopterans, cockroaches, termites, and hemipterans. It captures and eats various sizes of insects from fruit flies to moths with 7cm wingspan. Several groups oflepidopterans and coleopterans are avoided, which suggests they are selective relative to prey. Breeding. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat is monoestrous and uniparous. Reproductive season seems to start in March in Jamaica, with several reports of pregnant females in March—May. Females give birth in April-July, and lactating females are observed until September. In Cuba, mating season starts in January or February and pregnant females are found from March to July. Births occur mostly in July and juveniles are observed until September. A large maternity colony was reported from the middle ofJuly to the end of August on the southern coast of Cuba. Activity patterns. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat is more active in the first part of the night, usually emerging after dark. In Cuba, it is reported to be crepuscular, becoming active up to 35 minutes after sunset. It flies slower and lower compared with smaller sympatric mormoopids. Despite overlapping in activity time with other mormoopids, larger overall size and unique foraging strategy of Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat probably reduce competition for prey. It can fly at least 2-3 hours without landing. Echolocation calls during search phase consist of long CF-FM pulses of more than 20 milliseconds and contain three harmonics. The CF segment of second harmonic contains the frequency of maximum energy, at c.60 kHz. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Parnell’s Common Mustached Bat prefers to roost in hot and humid chambers of large caves but is also found in cooler roosts like small chambers and along cave walls. It is found in association with other bat species, particularly mormoopids. It flies at a variety of heights when foraging. There is sexual segregation during the breeding season, causing movements of individuals among distinct roosts. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Parnell’s Common Mustached Batis very common and widespread in Jamaica, but it is the least common species of mormoopid in Cuba. Bibliography. Clare et al. (2013), Davalos (2006), Emrich et al. (2014), Genoways et al. (2005), Goldman & Henson (1977), Macias et al. (2006), Mancina et al. (2012), Morgan (2001), Pavan & Marroig (2016), Smith (1972), Simmons & Conway (2001), Silva-Taboada (1979), de Thoisy et al. (2014), Vater et al. (2003)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2019, Mormoopidae, pp. 424-443 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 9 Bats, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 440-441, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6419781

The ectoparasitic mite genus Cameronieta (Acari: Mesostigmata: Spinturnicidae) is endemic to the New World and associated exclusively with bats of the family Mormoopidae. The genus consists of 7 species, 4 broadly distributed through the Caribbean and mainland of North and South America, and 3 species limited to the Greater Antilles archipelago. We present a brief review of the taxonomic history, redefine the genus, and consider some questions that remain concerning the biology and systematics of the group. A new species, Cameronieta almaensis n. sp., is described from the wings of Pteronotus parnellii collected from the Serra das Almas Reserve, in the northeastern state of Ceara, Brazil. This is the first record of Cameronieta from Brazil.

Several studies have observed that bat species respond differently to landscape changes and that individuals tend to expand their home range when the habitat is not optimal. Tropical dry forest in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, shows a high habitat loss and fragmentation by anthropogenic causes. However, how bats use this fragmented landscape is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the temporal and spatial movements of bats fitted with radio transmitters in a fragmented region of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. In July 2011, six bats belonging to three species were captured: an adult female of Artibeus lituratus , a juvenile female of A . jamaicensis , an adult male of Leptonycteris yerbabuenae (Family Phyllostomidae), and three adult females of Pteronotus parnellii (Family Mormoopidae) were fitted with a radio transmitter. Bats were monitored during night (18:00 to 06:00 h) from fixed stations for 17 days. The activity was obtained by quantifying the frequency of bearings in intervals of one hour. Simultaneous bearings were triangulated for locations, which were exported to a vector map where type of land use and vegetation was determined. The home range was calculated using two techniques: minimum convex polygon and fixed Kernel. A total of 75 bearings corresponding to an adult female of A. lituratus ( n = 36, 48.0 %), three adults females of P. parnellii ( n = 30, 40.0 %), and an adult male of L. yerbabuenae ( n = 8; 10.6 %) were obtained. A juvenile female of A. jamaicensis was located on one occasion (1.3 %). Female of A. lituratus showed activity between 19:00 and 23:00 h and between 24:00 and 05:00 h, with a peak between 03:00 y 04:00 h. This bat widely used the area with preference to riparian vegetation. Based on their locations, a home range (Kernel 95 %) of 8,394 hectares and a minimum convex polygon of 2,587 hectares were estimated. The male of L . yerbabuenae showed activity only between 22:00 and 02:00 h and their locations were on agriculture land ( n = 2). The observed activity of P. parnellii began at 20:00 h, it was increased to at 22:00 h (one activity peak between 01:00 and 3:00 h) and gradually declined until 06:00 h. The three females of P. parnellii were located in agricultural land ( n = 4) and cultivated pasture ( n = 1). The home range of A. lituratus observed in the present study is the largest reported for phyllostomid bats, possibly in response to landscape condition. Activity and locations of three females of P. parnellii and a male of L. yerbabuenae suggest that they occasionally use the study area in their way to more productive areas.

Determining the processes responsible for phenotypic variation is one of the central tasks of evolutionary biology. While the importance of acoustic traits for foraging and communication in echolocating mammals suggests adaptation, the seldom-tested null hypothesis to explain trait divergence is genetic drift. Here we derive F ST values from multi-locus coalescent isolation-with-migration models, and couple them with estimates of quantitative trait divergence, or P ST , to test drift as the evolutionary process responsible for phenotypic divergence in island populations of the Pteronotus parnellii species complex. Compared to traditional comparisons of P ST to F ST , the migration-based estimates of F ST are unidirectional instead of bidirectional, simultaneously integrate variation among loci and individuals, and posterior densities of P ST and F ST can be compared directly. We found the evolution of higher call frequencies is inconsistent with genetic drift for the Hispaniolan population, despite many generations of isolation from its Puerto Rican counterpart. While the Hispaniolan population displays dimorphism in call frequencies, the higher frequency of the females is incompatible with sexual selection. Instead, cultural drift toward higher frequencies among Hispaniolan females might explain the divergence. By integrating Bayesian coalescent and trait analyses, this study demonstrates a powerful approach to testing genetic drift as the default evolutionary mechanism of trait differentiation between populations.

The micronucleus (MN) test of the human buccal mucosa was developed more than 30 years ago, although this technique has only recently been applied to wild mammals. This paper presents a pioneering study in the genotoxicological evaluation of the exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa of bats. The assay was applied to two insectivorous bat species (Noctilio albiventris and Pteronotus parnellii) sampled in riparian corridors located in the city of Palmas (capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins), with the results being compared with those obtained for a third insectivorous species (Nyctinomops laticaudatus), which has established a colony under a road bridge in the same region. This colony represents one of the largest molossidae populations ever recorded in Brazil. A significantly higher frequency of micronuclei was recorded in this colony, as well as a number of other nuclear abnormalities, including binucleated cells, cells with condensed chromatin and karyolysis, in comparison with the bats from the riparian corridors, indicating that the bats from the bridge colony are more susceptible to genotoxic damage. Thus, it is demonstrated the importance of the biomarker (MN) for use in wild animals and allows to conclude that colony bats are more susceptible to genotoxic damages.

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo confirmar la presencia del murciélago Pteronotus parnellii para el departamento de Córdoba y realizar comentarios sobre la distribución en Colombia. Para esto, se realizó una revisión de los registros reportados en la literatura y material colectado. Se encontraron nuevos registros en el suroccidente de Córdoba y se confirma la presencia de la especie en nueve departamentos, lo que contribuye al conocimiento de la especie en la región Caribe colombiana. This study aims to confirm the presence of the bat Pteronotus parnellii for the Department of Cordoba and to comment on the distribution in Colombia. For this, a review of the records reported in the literature, and collected material, was carried out. New records were found in the southwest of Cordoba and the presence of the species in nine departments is confi rmed, which contributes to the knowledge of the species in the Colombian Caribbean region.

Substantial knowledge of auditory processing within mammalian nervous systems emerged from neurophysiological studies of the mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii). This highly social and vocal species retrieves precise information about the velocity and range of its targets through echolocation. Such high acoustic processing demands were likely the evolutionary pressures driving the over-development at peripheral (cochlea), metencephalic (cochlear nucleus), mesencephalic (inferior colliculus), diencephalic (medial geniculate body of the thalamus), and telencephalic (auditory cortex) auditory processing levels in this species. Auditory researchers stand to benefit from a three dimensional brain atlas of this species, due to its considerable contribution to auditory neuroscience. Our MRI-based atlas was generated from 2 sets of image data of an ex-vivo male mustached bat's brain: a detailed 3D-T2-weighted-RARE scan [(59 ׫202F»63 x 85) μm3] and track density images based on super resolution diffusion tensor images [(78) μm3] reconstructed from a set of low resolution diffusion weighted images using Super-Resolution-Reconstruction (SRR). By surface-rendering these delineations and extrapolating from cortical landmarks and data from previous studies, we generated overlays that estimate the locations of classic functional subregions within mustached bat auditory cortex. This atlas is freely available from our website and can simplify future electrophysiological, microinjection, and neuroimaging studies in this and related species.

Resumen Este trabajo tiene como objetivo confirmar la presencia del murciélago Pteronotus parnellii para el departamento de Córdoba y realizar comentarios sobre la distribución en Colombia. Para esto, se realizó una revisión de los registros reportados en la literatura y material colectado. Se encontraron nuevos registros en el suroccidente de Córdoba y se confirma la presencia de la especie en nueve departamentos, lo que contribuye al conocimiento de la especie en la región Caribe colombiana. Abstract This study aims to confirm the presence of the bat Pteronotus parnellii for the Department of Cordoba and to comment on the distribution in Colombia. For this, a review of the records reported in the literature, and collected material, was carried out. New records were found in the southwest of Cordoba and the presence of the species in nine departments is confi rmed, which contributes to the knowledge of the species in the Colombian Caribbean region.

Competing hypotheses explaining species' use of resources have been advanced. Resource limitations in habitat and/or food are factors that affect assemblages of species. These limitations could drive the evolution of morphological and/or behavioural specialization, permitting the coexistence of closely related species through resource partitioning and niche differentiation. Alternatively, when resources are unlimited, fluctuations in resources availability will cause concomitant shifts in resource use regardless of species identity. Here, we used next-generation sequencing to test these hypotheses and characterize the diversity, overlap and seasonal variation in the diet of three species of insectivorous bats of the genus Pteronotus. We identified 465 prey (MOTUs) in the guano of 192 individuals. Lepidoptera and Diptera represented the most consumed insect orders. Diet of bats exhibited a moderate level of overlap, with the highest value between Pteronotus parnellii and Pteronotus personatus in the wet season. We found higher dietary overlap between species during the same seasons than within any single species across seasons. This suggests that diets of the three species are driven more by prey availability than by any particular predator-specific characteristic. P. davyi and P. personatus increased their dietary breadth during the dry season, whereas P. parnellii diet was broader and had the highest effective number of prey species in all seasons. This supports the existence of dietary flexibility in generalist bats and dietary niche overlapping among groups of closely related species in highly seasonal ecosystems. Moreover, the abundance and availability of insect prey may drive the diet of insectivores.

Riparian areas often are assumed to be necessary sites for foraging by insectivorous bats because of high insect availability and ease of movement and echolocation in the forest. However, effects of vegetation clutter and insect availability on bat activity have not been compared between riparian and nonriparian areas. We used autonomous recorders to evaluate the effects of vegetation structure, insect mass, and assemblage composition on the activity of the aerial insectivorous bat Pteronotus parnellii along stream channels and nonriparian areas in a tropical rainforest in central Brazilian Amazonia. We quantified vegetation clutter using horizontal photographs, captured nocturnal insects with light traps, and recorded bat activity for 110 nights (1,320 h) in 22 sampling plots. Pteronotus parnellii was more active in sites with dense understory vegetation, which were more common away from riparian zones. Bat activity was related to insect availability (mass and composition), independent of the habitat type. Ability to detect insects on vegetation and avoid obstacles should not restrict the activity of P. parnellii in cluttered sites. This suggests that mass and species composition of insects had stronger influences on habitat use than did vegetation clutter. Pteronotus parnellii probably selects cluttered places as feeding sites due to the availability of higher quality prey. © 2015 American Society of Mammalogists.

Se estudiaron los patrones de emergencia y estados reproductivos de las poblaciones de murciélagos en cuatro cuevas de la República Dominicana. Se capturó un total de 12 especies: Mormoops blainvillei, Pteronotus parnellii, Pteronotus quadridens, Chilonatalus micropus, Natalus major, Artibeus jamaicensis, Brachyphylla pumila, Erophylla bombifrons, Macrotus waterhousii, Monophyllus redmani, Phyllonycteris poeyi y Eptesicus fuscus. Los murciélagos se capturaron de forma más o menos continua entre las 18:15 y 23:00h. De un total de 1,445 ejemplares a los cuales se les determinó el sexo, 969 fueron machos (67.1%). Los resultados obtenidos con respecto a la actividad reproductiva muestran cómo las especies presentes en las cuevas se encuentran en estados reproductivos diferentes, registrándose ejemplares preñadas o lactantes, pertenecientes a dos familias dominantes: Mormopidae y Phyllostomidae. Además, que se contrastaron reportes de Cuba y Puerto Rico donde se muestra que algunas especies podrían tener épocas reproductivas más largas que las reportadas actualmente.

The partially submerged Impossivel-Ioio cave system located in the karst region of Chapada Diamantina in Bahia (Brazil) has recently been the target of extensive paleontological studies. Here we provide the first report of fossil bats from this cave system, in which we recognize six species based on humeral remains: Furipterus horrens, Chrotopterus auritus, Mormoops cf. megalophylla, Pteronotus gymnonotus, Pteronotus parnellii, and Noctilio leporinus. Morphology of the humerus of these taxa is described in a comparative framework to document taxonomic assessments and provide a basis for future studies of fossil bat faunas. The relevance of the new records reported here is evaluated at a broader continental scale, as well as in contrast with the recent bat fauna of the region. The record of Noctilio leporinus stands as

Echolocation in bats requires a precise temporal processing of complex signals. This processing of time includes the encoding of echo-delay, which gives an estimation of target distance, and sound duration, which is considered to be important for own sound or echo recognition. In this study, we report that delay-tuned neurons in the inferior colliculus of the mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) are also tuned to sound duration. Collicular delay-tuned neurons showed three types of duration tuning: short-pass (12 of 64), band-pass (16 of 64), and long-pass (17 of 64). The remaining 19 delay-tuned neurons are not selective for sound duration. All short-pass and 10 band-pass neurons' characteristic delays were similar to characteristic duration. In six band-pass neurons, characteristic delay was different from characteristic duration. Neurons processing unmatched delay and durations could be participating in complex kinds of processing where the same neuron has different functions depending on the activated neural network.

A 1.0-ms echo delay from an emitted bio-sonar pulse at 25 °C corresponds to a 17.3-cm target distance. In the auditory cortex of the mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii, neurons tuned to a specific delay (best delay) of an echo from an emitted pulse are clustered in the FF, dorsal fringe and ventral fringe areas. (“FF” stands for the frequency-modulated components of a pulse and its echo.) Those delay-tuned neurons are systematically arranged in the FF area according to their best delays and form a 18-ms-long delay axis. Using the neurophysiological data, the theoretical acuity at a 75% correct level was computed as just-noticeable changes in (a) the location of maximally responding delay-tuned neurons, (b) the location of the center of all responses in the FF area, and (c) the weighted sum of responses of all delay-tuned neurons. The acuity is range-dependent: the shorter the target range, the higher the acuity is. The just-noticeable changes in target range are 7.57–46.2, 0.50–2.32 and 0.22–2.53 mm at the target ranges of up to 140 cm for (a), (b) and (c), respectively. When the dorsal and ventral fringe areas are included in the computation, the just-noticeable changes become smaller than those in the FF area alone. Those acuities computed are comparable to certain behavioral acuities.

The bio-sonar pulse of the mustached bat, Pteronotus parnellii parnellii, consists of four harmonics of constant frequency (CF1-4) and frequency-modulated (FM1-4) components. The CF and FM components carry velocity and distance information, respectively. In the auditory cortex of mustached bats, the CC (“C” stands for constant frequency) and DIF (dorsal intrafossa) areas consist of CF/CF neurons tuned to a combination of pulse CF1 and echo CFn (n = 2 or 3). They show facilitative responses to pulse-echo stimuli with specific frequency differences, corresponding to Doppler shifts. Their facilitative responses are sharply tuned to a specific relative target velocity (best velocity). Compared with CC neurons, DIF neurons are tuned to higher velocities and to larger CF1 amplitudes, and adapt faster to repetitive pulse-echo stimuli. The great majority of CC neurons are suited for the processing of velocity information during cruising and target-directed flight, whereas the majority of DIF neurons are suited for the processing of velocity information when the bat is emitting loud pulses at low repetition rates during cruising flight. CC and DIF neurons are broadly tuned to 0–2-ms echo delays and not suited for ranging.

International audience; We screened blood from 59 bats from French Guiana for Bartonella spp. PCRs were positive for 13.6% and culture was positive in one Noctilio albiventris and one Pteronotus parnellii, as well as in Ornithodoros hasei ticks collected from bats. Two isolated strains represent possible two new species.

Recent genomic analysis of two bat species (Pteropus alecto and Myotis davidii) revealed the absence of the PYHIN gene family. This family is recognized as important immune sensors of intracellular self and foreign DNA and activators of the inflammasome and/or interferon pathways. Further assessment of a wider range of bat genomes was necessary to determine if this is a universal pattern for this large mammalian group. Here we expanded genomic analysis of this gene family to include ten bat species. We confirmed the complete loss of this gene family, with only a truncated AIM2 remaining in one species (Pteronotus parnellii). Divergence of the PYHIN gene loci between the bat lineages infers different loss-of-function histories during bat evolution. While all other major groups of placental mammals have at least one gene member, only bats have lost the entire family. This removal of inflammasome DNA sensors may indicate an important adaptation that is flight-induced and related, at least in part, to pathogen-host co-existence.

One of the major challenges to understanding the evolution of Neotropical bats concerns our capacity to successfully scrutinize phylogenetic patterns associated with cases of cryptic species complexes. In this study Pteronotus parnellii is examined as a selected example of a known lineage of mormoopid bat that potentially contains several cryptic species. A samples of 452 individuals from 83 different localities, essentially covering its entire mainland distribution, was evaluated using two genetic markers: COI (mitochondrial) and DBY (nuclear) genes. The findings of this study strongly support the hypothesis of high genetic variability and identify at least six lineages within P. parnellii, some of which appear to be cryptic species.

Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae), Old World leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae), and several species of moustached bats (Mormoopidae), including Parnell’s moustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii), Paraguayan moustached bat (Pteronotus paraguayensis) and Mesoamerican moustached bats (Pteronotus mesoamericanus) emit pulses with long constant frequency (CF) components and have evolved mechanisms for separating the pulse and echo in frequency. This approach to echolocation—high duty cycle (HDC) echolocation—depends largely on Doppler shift compensation (DSC). In 1968, Schnitzler discovered that the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) compensates for flight-induced Doppler shifts in the CF component of echoes by adjusting their call frequency, ensuring a stable echo frequency during flight. This significant behavioral adaptation is supported by an acoustic fovea, a striking morphological and physiological specialization occurring from the peripheral to the central auditory system in HDC bats. The auditory fovea has neurons with high sensitivity to the narrow frequency range of the CF components of echolocation calls of HDC bats. Doppler shift compensation of the frequency that dominates the echolocation calls maintains the frequency within the narrow range of the acoustic fovea. This combination of CF calls, HDC echolocation, and DSC allows fine-frequency analysis of acoustic glints in echoes from insects fluttering their wings, which makes these bats very effective at detecting flutter.

Dietary differentiation can be a key mechanism for the coexistence of syntopic species with similar niches. On the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, three species of bat from the family Mormoopidae — the Antillean ghost-faced bat (Mormoops blainvillei), sooty mustached bat (Pteronotus quadridens), and Parnell's mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii portoricensis) — are aerial insectivores that roost in the same caves. To investigate the possibility of dietary differentiation, we estimated the percent volume and percent frequency of occurrence of the orders of arthropods consumed by these three species of bat, using standard fecal analysis. We also compared dietary diversity among species, as well as the amount of dietary overlap, with respect to season and habitat. Lastly, this study used canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), a method of ordination, to assess the effects of species, sex, age, reproductive condition, season, and habitat on intraspecific differences in the diet of the Puerto Rican Mormoopidae. Eight orders of arthropods were found in the diet of these mormoopids, with Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera being major staples. The CCA revealed differences in diet among the three species, suggesting that dietary differentiation is at least one mechanism for coexistence. In addition, the variables habitat and season correlated significantly with the diet of M. blainvillei and P. quadridens, whereas habitat and sex correlated with the diet of P. p. portoricensis. Thus, our study shows dietary differences among the three species of Mormoopidae living in the same caves on Puerto Rico, as well as intraspecific differences within the diet of each species.

A new nematode species, Spirura mexicana n. sp., is described from specimens recovered from the esophageal mucosa of the Parnell's mustached bat Pteronotus parnellii, Davy's naked-backed bat Pteronotus davyi, Wagner's mustached bat Pteronotus personatus, and the ghost-faced bat Mormoops megalophylla in the State of Morelos, Mexico. This nematode is characterized by having a relatively short prostoma, 5–6 pairs of caudal papillae, and a smooth distal end of the tail in females. This is the first species of Spirura described from bats in the New World.

One role of the inferior colliculus (IC) in bats is to create neuronal delay-tuning, which is used for the estimation of target distance in the echolocating bat's auditory system. In this study, we describe response properties of IC delay-tuned neurons of the mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii) and compare it with those of delay-tuned neurons of the auditory cortex (AC). We also address the question if frequency content of the stimulus (pure-tone (PT) or frequency-modulated (FM) pairs stimulation) affects combination-sensitive interaction in the same neuron. Sharpness and sensitivity of delay-tuned neurons in the IC are similar to those described in the AC. However, in contrast to cortical responses, in collicular neurons the delay at which the neurons show the maximum response does not change with changes in echo level. This tolerance to changes in the echo level seems to be a property of collicular delay-tuned neurons, which is modified along the ascending auditory pathway. In the IC we found neurons that showed a facilitated delay-tuned response when stimulated with FM components and did not show any delay-tuning with PT stimulation. This result suggests that not only is echo delay-tuning generated in the IC but also its FM-specificity observed in the cortex could be created to some extent in the IC and then topographically organized at higher levels.

In the Doppler-shifted constant frequency processing area in the primary auditory cortex of mustached bats, Pteronotus parnellii, neurons respond to both social calls and to echolocation signals. This multifunctional nature of cortical neurons creates a paradox for simultaneous processing of two behaviorally distinct categories of sound. To test the possibility of a stimulus-specific hemispheric bias, single-unit responses were obtained to both types of sounds, calls and pulse-echo tone pairs, from the right and left auditory cortex. Neurons on the left exhibited only slightly higher peak response magnitudes for their respective best calls, but they showed a significantly higher sensitivity (lower response thresholds) to calls than neurons on the right. On average, call-to-tone response ratios were significantly higher for neurons on the left than for those on the right. Neurons on the right responded significantly more strongly to pulse-echo tone pairs than those on the left. Overall, neurons in males responded to pulse-echo tone pairs with a much higher spike count compared to females, but this difference was less pronounced for calls. Multidimensional scaling of call responses yielded a segregated representation of call types only on the left. These data establish for the first time, a behaviorally directed right-left asymmetry at the level of single cortical neurons. It is proposed that a lateralized cortex emerges from multiparametric integration (e.g. combination-sensitivity) within a neuron and inhibitory interactions between neurons that come into play during the processing of complex sounds.

Se hace la descripción de la colección de murciélagos del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural de Santo Domingo. Se atiende a la composición de la colección y la distribución geográfica de sus especímenes; se hace una actualización taxonómica. Se examinaron 723 especímenes, pertenecientes a seis (6) familias, 17 géneros y 18 especies, estando representadas todas las especies reportadas para La Hispaniola. Todos los géneros son monoespecíficos, con excepción de Pteronotus Gray, 1838 con dos especies. Las fechas de colecta datan desde 1961 y se extienden hasta el 2008, correspondiendo la mayor parte de registros a la Región Suroeste de la República Dominicana. Las especies más abundantes en la colección resultaron ser generalistas en cuanto a selección de refugios, tales como los filostómidos Artibeus jamaicensis y Macrotus waterhousii y el molósido Molossus molossus. Cabe destacar la presencia de especies de cuevas calientes (Pteronotus parnellii, P. quadridens, y Phyllonycteris poeyi), así como especies raras: Chilonatalus micropus, Lasiurus minor y Natalus major.

The gene Prestin encodes a motor protein that is thought to confer the high-frequency sensitivity and selectivity that characterizes the mammalian auditory sys- tem. Recent research shows that the Prestin gene has undergone a burst of positive selection on the ancestral branch of the Old World horseshoe and leaf-nosed bats (Rhinolophidae and Hipposideridae, respectively), and also on the branch leading to echolocating cetaceans. Moreover, these two groups share a large number of convergent amino acid sequence replacements. Horseshoe and leaf-nosed bats exhibit narrowband echolocation, in which the emitted calls are based on the second harmonic of a predominantly constant frequency (CF) component, the frequency of which is also over-represented in the cochlea. This highly specialized form of echolocation has also evolved inde- pendently in the neotropical Parnell's mustached bat (Pteronotus parnellii). To test whether the convergent evolution of CF echolocation between lineages has arisen from common changes in the Prestin gene, we sequenced the Prestin coding region (*2,212 bp,(99% coverage) in P. parnellii and several related species that use broadband echolocation calls. Our reconstructed Prestin gene tree and amino acid tree showed that P. parnellii did not group together with Old World horseshoe and leaf-nosed bats, but rather clustered within its true sister species. Comparisons of sequences confirmed that P. parnellii shared most amino acid changes with its congeners, and we found no evidence of positive selection in the branch leading to the genus of Pteronotus. Our result suggests that the adaptive changes seen in Prestin in horseshoe and leaf-nosed bats are not necessary for CF echolocation in P. parnellii.

Vocalizations emitted within a social context can trigger call-specific changes in the emotional and physiological/autonomic state of the receiver. The amygdala is implicated in mediating these changes, but its role in call perception remains relatively unexplored. We examined call and pitch selectivity of single neurons within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) by recording spiking activity in response to 5 pitch variants of each of 14 species-specific calls presented to awake, head-restrained mustached bats, Pteronotus parnellii. A response-wise analysis across neurons revealed seven types of temporal response patterns based on the timing and duration of spiking. Roughly half of the responses to different call types were significantly affected by changes in call pitch. A neuron-wise analysis revealed that ∼12% (8/69) of the neurons preferred the same pitch across all call types. Ninety-three percent (93/100) of neurons were excited by at least one call type and 76% exhibited either complete or transient suppression to one or more call types. The majority of neurons preferred fewer than half of the 14 different simple-syllabic calls. A call-wise analysis of spiking activity revealed that call types signaling either threat or fear most consistently evoked increases in the spike rate. In contrast, calls emitted during appeasement tended to evoke spike suppression. Our data suggest that BLA neurons participate in the processing of multiple call types and exhibit a rich variety of temporal response patterns that are neither neuron nor call specific.