The buffy flower bat (Erophylla sezekorni) is a neotropical leaf-nosed bat (Phyllostomidae) that is endemic to the Greater Antilles. Although this species is one of the most common and abundant species of mammals in the West Indies, very little is known about its ecology and evolution. To address this deficiency, I studied the genetic structure and mating system of the buffy flower bat on several islands throughout its range, focusing a more intensive study on the island of Exuma, Bahamas. I first studied the effects of ocean barriers on genetic diversification within Erophylla and two related endemic genera of endemic West Indian bats, Brachphylla, Phyllonycteris (Chapter II). I found evidence that ocean barriers inhibit gene flow and promote speciation within these genera. Focusing on genus Erophylla (Chapter III), I found that ocean channels usually act as barriers to gene flow among island populations within species. However, relatively shallow and narrow ocean channels formed semi-permeable barriers allowing gene flow between some island populations. Within the buffy flower bat, Erophylla sezekorni (Chapter IV), genetic diversity of mitochondrial DNA fragments was positively correlated with island size, with small islands having reduced genetic diversity. However, genetic diversity at several nuclear microsatellite loci was not correlated with island area and levels of genetic diversity were high for most island populations. In addition, island populations within the Great Bahamas Bank and Little Bahamas Bank showed high levels of gene flow between islands and showed no evidence of genetic bottlenecks. Populations of E. sezekorni on Exuma (Chapters IV and V) exhibited a polygynous mating system that included vigorous visual, acoustic, and olfactory male display behaviors. However, the social structure that I observed had a negligible effect on genetic diversity and genetic structure within these populations. Overall, the buffy flower bat exhibits very few of the genetic symptoms of island life, such as reduced genetic diversity and increased genetic isolation, and is evolutionarily adapted to persist on small oceanic islands.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-04-25T19:17:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Lorena de Oliveira Tabosa.pdf: 1511505 bytes, checksum: c4a8cc1e3bf15b12aca8fd957c712fee (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-25T19:17:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Lorena de Oliveira Tabosa.pdf: 1511505 bytes, checksum: c4a8cc1e3bf15b12aca8fd957c712fee (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-09-29 / CNPq / Studies on reproductive patterns, temporal and seasonal activity and use of space by animals can contribute to the knowledge about the coexistence of similar morphologically and phylogenetically related species in a particular region. The aims of this study wasanalyze the reproductive biology and coexistence of two nectarivorous species, Anoura caudifer and A. geoffroyi, on Santu?rio de Vida Silvestre da Serra da Conc?rdia in Valenca, RJ. Samplings were conducted from Novembrer 2010 to February 2015, near a cave in which the species sheltered and in nearby trails. Anoura caudifer presented reproductive restricted monoestrous seasonal pattern, with pregnant in higher rainfall and temperature months of. The frequency of pregnant, lactating were not uniform, with peaks in a few months. The sex ratio was 0.5 female to 1 male. Anoura geoffroyi presented pattern reproductive poli?strico bimodal, with evident peak in the rainy months and possible second peak in the middle of the year, probably becausefemales migrated to another refuge. Frequencies of pregnant and lactating have not been uniform. The sex ratio was 1.6 to 1 female male. Although active males of both species were found in all months of the year, were porssible observe a pattern in response to female reproductive pattern. Differences in male and female physiology in response to high or low food availability may be the reason why only females are influenced by the increase in annual rainfall. Anoura caudifer and A. geoffroyi showed similar patterns in activity time, with peaks in the first two hours of the night, characteristic for nectarivorous and frugivorous bats. The frequency of A. caudifer capture proved to be similar in the cave trail and in other sampling sites, regardless of the presence of A. geoffroyi, which occurred almost entirely, on the trail of the cave. Probably this species employ different strategies to minimize a possible competition, as the differentiation in use of space in the Santu?rio da Conc?rdia. / Estudos sobre os padr?es reprodutivos, temporais e sazonais da atividade de animais, assim como o uso do espa?o, podem contribuir para o conhecimento sobre a coexist?ncia de esp?cies morfologicamente semelhantes e filogeneticamente relacionadas em uma determinada regi?o. Este trabalho teve objetivo de analisar aspectos da biologia reprodutiva e da coexist?ncia de duas esp?cies nectar?voras, Anoura caudifer e A. geoffroyi, no Santu?rio de Vida Silvestre da Serra da Conc?rdia, em Valen?a, RJ. Foram realizadas amostragens de novembro de 2010 a fevereiro de 2015, pr?ximo a uma gruta na quais essas esp?cies se abrigavam e em trilhas existentes no local. Anoura caudifer apresentou padr?o reprodutivo mono?strico sazonal restrito, com ocorr?ncia de gr?vidas nos meses de maior pluviosidade e temperatura. A frequ?ncia de gr?vidas, lactantes n?o foi uniforme, havendo picos em dois meses. A propor??o sexual foi de 0,5 f?mea para 1 macho. Anoura geoffroyi apresentou padr?o reprodutivo poli?strico bimodal, com pico evidente nos meses chuvosos e segundo poss?vel pico no meio do ano, pelo fato das f?meas migrarem para outro ref?gio. As frequ?ncias de gr?vidas e lactantes n?o foram uniformes. A propor??o sexual foi de 1,6 f?mea para 1 macho. Apesar de serem encontrados machos ativos sexualmente, de ambas as esp?cies, em todos os meses do ano, pode-se observar um padr?o em resposta ao padr?o reprodutivo das f?meas. Diferen?as na fisiologia de machos e f?meas em resposta ? alta ou baixa disponibilidade de alimento pode ser motivo pelo qual somente as f?meas s?o influenciadas pelo aumento da pluviosidade anual. Anoura caudifer e A. geoffroyi apresentaram padr?es de atividade hor?ria semelhantes, com picos nas duas primeiras horas da noite, caracter?sticos de morcegos nectar?voros e frug?voros. A frequ?ncia de captura de A. caudifer mostrou-se similar na trilha da gruta e nos demais locais amostrados, independente da presen?a de A. geoffroyi, que ocorreu quase em sua totalidade, na trilha da gruta. Provavelmente as esp?cies empregam diferentes estrat?gias para minimizar uma poss?vel competi??o tr?fica, como a diferencia??o no uso do espa?o no Santu?rio da Conc?rdia.

Zahlreiche Forschungsarbeiten haben gezeigt, dass nicht nur Menschen, sondern auch Tiere konstante individuelle Unterschiede im Verhalten aufweisen. Zu verstehen warum sich diese Verhaltensunterschiede im Laufe der Evolution entwickelt haben, ist ein Ziel dieses Forschungsbereiches. In dieser Arbeit wurde untersucht wie verschiedene Modulatoren das Nahrungssuchverhalten von Blütenfledermäusen (Glossophaginae) beeinflussen um individuelle Verhaltensunterschiede zu quantifizieren und theoretische Vorhersagen zu testen. Alle Experimente wurden in naturnaher Umgebung mit programmierbaren, künstlichen Blüten durchgeführt. Es wird angenommen, dass die Plastizität von Verhalten ein generelles Merkmal ist in dem sich Tiere unterscheiden, da manche Individuen allgemein stärker auf Reize aus der Umwelt reagieren könnten als andere. Um diese Vorhersage zu testen, wurde die Nahrungsverfügbarkeit experimentell manipuliert und zwei Arten von Verhaltensplastizität in denselben Individuen gemessen. Die Ergebnisse unterstützen diese Annahme jedoch nicht, da die beiden Arten von Verhaltensplastizität nicht korrelieren. Neben Umwelteinflüssen können auch innere Merkmale wie die Stoffwechselrate das individuelle Nahrungssuchverhalten beeinflussen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die Individuen in ihrem täglichen Energieverbrauch unterscheiden und dass diese Unterschiede mit dem Explorationsverhalten während der Nahrungssuche korrelieren. Zusätzlich kann das individuelle Nahrungssuchverhalten auch von sozialen Faktoren beeinflusst werden. Bei limitierter Nahrungsverfügbarkeit verteidigen einzelne Männchen Blüten gegen andere Männchen, jedoch nicht gegenüber Weibchen. Individuelle Unterschiede in der Aggression und Aktivität werden dagegen nicht von der sozialen Gruppenzusammensetzung beeinflusst. In dieser Arbeit wurden nicht nur individuelle Unterschiede im Nahrungssuchverhalten von Blütenfledermäusen bestimmt, sondern auch Vorhersagen aus dem Bereich der Persönlichkeitsforschung bei Tieren überprüft. / Animal personality research has shown that animals express individual differences in their behavior that are consistent over time and/or across situations. Furthermore, animal personality research aims to understand how these individual differences in behavior evolve and how they are maintained within populations. This thesis focuses on how different modulators influence the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaginae) in order to investigate consistent individual differences in their behavior and to test predictions proposed in the field of animal personality. All experiments were conducted in a semi-natural environment by using a setup of computer-controlled artificial flowers. One prediction of animal personality research is that behavioral plasticity is a single trait in which individuals differ because some individuals might be generally more responsive to changes in the environment than others. In order to test this prediction, resource availability was manipulated and two types of behavioral plasticity were quantified within the same individual. However, the two types of plasticity did not correlate and therefore this hypothesis was not supported. Individual foraging behavior can not only be modulated by changes in the environment but also by individual differences in internal traits like metabolic rates. Experiments confirmed that individual differences in daily energy expenditure correlated with consistent individual differences in exploration. Additionally, foraging behavior can also be modulated by social factors. When resources are limited some males started to defend flowers against other males but not against females. Furthermore, it could be shown that individual differences in aggression and activity are internally driven and not influenced by changes in the social group composition. This thesis not only assessed individual differences in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding bats but also investigated predictions proposed in the field of animal personality research.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:31:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2716.pdf: 908379 bytes, checksum: 3f284b6f24e475f00a773fb73133b0a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-03-09 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / (Attraction and reward of nectar-feeding bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) by the plant Bauhinia holophylla (Fabaceae) in a Brazilian savanna) In facultative mutualisms, species compete strongly with each other for partners. It is expected that sympatric plant species pollinated by the same guild of animals invest heavily in attracting partners. Thus, we investigated interactions between Bauhinia holophylla and bats to test whether: (1) this plant is visited mostly by bats and if it assures attraction of bats through typically chiropterophilic floral traits; and (2) bats adjust their foraging behavior to the temporal pattern of nectar production by flowers. We worked in a Cerrado area in southeastern Brazil, recording floral visitors and their foraging pattern. We determined nectar production and how its concentration varied throughout the night. Three species of bats were the main legitimate visitors. Bauhinia holophylla floral characteristics followed predictions of the chiropterophyly syndrome: brush format, white color, sweet odor, crepuscular anthesis, nocturnal nectar production and flowers exposed on branches. Bats visited flowers more often at dusk, there were differences in the main hours of overflight, reconnaissance flight and visitation. Solute concentration in nectar was always highest at the beginning of the night and fell gradually thereafter. Bats did not visit more flowers when nectar concentration was higher. We conclude that in this interaction dependence is asymmetric, following patters of other facultative mutualisms, because Bauhinia holophylla depends on bats for its pollination, but bats presumably do not depend on it for food. / (Interação mutualista entre morcegos nectarívoros (Chiroptera) e a pata-devaca Bauhinia holophylla Steud. (Fabaceae) em uma área de cerrado: atração e recompensa) Nos mutualismos facultativos, espécies competem fortemente entre si por parceiros. Portanto, espera-se que plantas simpátricas e polinizadas por uma mesma guilda de animais invistam muito na atração dos parceiros. Investigamos a interação entre a pata-de-vaca Bauhinia holophylla e seus polinizadores, a fim de testar se: (1) essa planta é visitada principalmente por morcegos e se ela garante a atração dos morcegos através de características florais tipicamente quiropterófilas e (2) os morcegos visitantes ajustam seu comportamento de forrageio ao padrão temporal de oferta de néctar pelas flores. Trabalhamos em uma área de cerrado no sudeste do Brasil, registrando os visitantes florais e seu padrão de forrageio. Determinamos a produção do néctar e o padrão horário de variação na sua concentração. Três espécies de morcegos foram os principais visitantes legítimos. As características florais de Bauhinia holophylla seguiram predições da teoria da síndrome da quiropterofilia: forma de pincel, cor branca, odor adocicado, antese crepuscular, produção de néctar noturna e exposição na folhagem. Os morcegos fizeram mais visitas ao anoitecer, havendo diferenças nos horários principais de sobrevôo, vistoria e visitação. A concentração de solutos no néctar era sempre alta no início da noite e depois diminuía. Os morcegos não concentraram suas visitas às flores nos horários de maior concentração do néctar. Concluímos que nesta interação a dependência é assimétrica, seguindo o padrão de outros mutualismos facultativos, pois Bauhinia holophylla depende dos morcegos para sua polinização, mas estes parecem não depender exclusivamente dela para sua alimentação.