First Findings on the Dietary Pattern of the Eastern Water Bat Myotis petax (Hollister, 1812) Feeding near Lake Baikal (Using Coproscopy Data).

The trophic relationships between bats (Chiroptera) and Lake Baikal biota have been assessed based on microscopic studies of Myotis petax feces (n = 22). From 82 to 86% of samples had fragments of exoskeletons of caddis flies (Trichoptera) and dipterans (Diptera). These taxa include mainly aquatic and semiaquatic species. Many species from these taxa are endemic to Lake Baikal. Terrestrial insects are found in studied samples less frequently (Hymenoptera 41%, Neuroptera 27%, and Heteroptera 9%). Morphological analysis has revealed fragments of Baikal amphipods in two fecal samples of M. pretax. Further molecular studies will make it possible to detect greater invertebrate taxa diversity in fecal samples of bats feeding near Lake Baikal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]