Degradation of forest environments in South Africa have greatly affected both the plants and animals that interact with these plants. It is therefore important to understand plant-animal interactions in forest ecosystems in an effort to develop strategies for forest conservation. Animal dispersal can assist in the restoration of forest plant diversity and consequently animal diversity. Wahlberg’s epauletted fruit bat (Epomophorus wahlbergi) occurs in the eastern part of South Africa and is known to feed on fruit, nectar, pollen and flowers. It is an important disperser of various indigenous and alien invasive forest fruit species. Little is known about the benefits these bats get from feeding on fruit. Furthermore, the buccal cavity and lingual adaptations of fruit bats in Southern Africa are unknown. This study investigated morphological and physiological adaptations for frugivory in E. wahlbergi. In particular, the palatal and lingual morphological structures of E. wahlbergi were examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results of this study showed that the morphological structures of tongue papillae in E. wahlbergi were similar to that of other fruit and nectar feeding bats. The structural arrangement of tongue papillae in E. wahlbergi probably allows food to move from the anterior part of the tongue and collect at the median line of the posterior part of the tongue, and thereafter move down to the pharynx. These bats had an elongated tongue, wide, flattened molar teeth, and a hard papillae structure observed on the upper palate at the posterior end of the buccal cavity. This papillae structure has not been described previously; and it appears that it is with this structure, together with the palatal ridges, and teeth that E. wahlbergi crushes fleshy fruit to extract the juices when feeding. Consequently palatal and lingual structures of E. wahlbergi showed morphological adaptations for efficiently feeding on fleshy fruit and nectar. South African indigenous and exotic fleshy fruits available to E. wahlbergi are found to be generally hexose dominant. These bats are suggested to have high glucose intake irrespective of sugar concentration to power their high energy demands due to flight. High glucose intake could result in increased blood plasma glucose levels which are detrimental to mammals of small body size. This study investigated the diel variations in blood plasma glucose concentrations of E. wahlbergi. Epomophorus wahlbergi’s blood plasma glucose concentration was lower (5.24 ± 0.38 mm ol/l) at 18h00 before feeding and increased during/after feeding (8.19 ± 1.24 mm ol/l), however bats appeared to regulate it within limits. Their range in concentrations was higher than the normal mammalian blood plasma glucose concentrations range. Consequently these bats appear to regulate their blood plasma glucose concentration although at a range higher than normal mammalian levels and thus reduce the negative consequences associated with hyperglycemia. The data obtained provide a baseline for comparison with free-ranging E. wahlbergi. Proteins are important in a diet to provide the required nitrogen and amino acids necessary for maintaining body tissues. Fruits, however, appear to have energy-rich but protein-limited foods. Frugivores that feed exclusively on fruit may therefore have difficulties in maintaining their protein requirements since fruits are generally high in sugar content but low in protein content. The importance of protein in the diet of E. wahlbergi was determined by measuring diet intake at varying levels of protein in the laboratory. Epomophorus wahlbergi were offered equicaloric 15 % glucose solutions with varying protein concentrations (2.58, 5.68, 7.23 g soy protein/kg H2O) and a solution with no protein. This was repeated using 15 % sucrose instead of glucose solutions. Epomophorus wahlbergi’s volumetric intake of the respective glucose and sucrose solutions varied among individual bats, with total volumetric intake highest for the solution with no protein (control) and lowest at 2.58 g/kg soy protein concentration solution for glucose and 5.68 and 7.23 g/kg soy protein concentration for sucrose. These bats appeared to prefer sugar solutions without or low protein, and their daily protein intake was relatively low. This suggests they have low-protein requirements, and this relates to their characteristic low-protein fruit available in the wild. Feeding and digestive efficiency has been widely studied in frugivorous and/or nectarivorous birds but relatively few studies have been done on bats, particularly African bats. Feeding on a liquid nectar diet and fruit juices could cause physiological challenges for nectarivores and/or frugivores as they have to balance water and energy intake from this liquid diet. Mammalian kidneys have to eliminate salts and nitrogenous wastes, conserve water during water restriction as well as excrete it when ingested in excess. Morphological renal characters are known to be reliable indicators of urinary concentrating abilities in mammals. Short digesta residence time is a digestive trait that is known to be associated with frugivory and this may be a problem since digestive efficiency is a function of the length of digesta retention time. Histological sections of E. wahlbergi kidneys and small intestines were examined under microscopy to determine water regulation and specialization for sugar absorption respectively. Cortex and medulla length measurements were taken to calculate the medulla: cortex ratio (M/C) and the percent medullary thickness (PMT). The observed M/C ratio and PMT of E. wahlbergi is typical of a mesic species. Epomophorus wahlbergi feeds on a watery diet and does not need to concentrate urine; therefore the medulla and cortex were more or less the same size. Analysis of the histological sections showed that the kidney structure of these bats allows efficient water regulation in a mesic environment. The microvilli of E. wahlbergi intestine were relatively long with a large surface area thus serves the purpose for efficient digestion and absorption of sugars in these bats. Future studies need to be done to determine the mechanisms by which these bats regulate their blood plasma glucose levels, and also determine intake on a selection of fruit in order to broaden research to adaptation of these bats on low-protein diets. This study contributes to a greater understanding of the physiological and morphological mechanisms that may affect fruit intake and consequently dispersal. It will contribute to a greater understanding of plant-animal interactions in southern Africa. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Piertermaritzburg, 2012.

Plantations are widespread throughout temperate regions, and the area of plantation land cover is predicted to get larger in the future. Interest in ensuring sustainable plantation management is also growing, as it is increasingly recognised that productive areas should play a role in biodiversity conservation. Plantation landscapes can comprise the majority of forested cover in some countries, but taxon-specific guidance can be lacking, due to plantations often being under surveyed. Therefore, despite substantial incentives existing to ensure that plantations meet various ecological criteria, plantation managers lack the information necessary to implement effective management plans. Many bat species have undergone widespread declines in recent decades, attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly of forested habitat. In many temperate countries, historical deforestation has resulted in very low native tree cover, and subsequently, considerable replanting with non-native commercial coniferous plantations has taken place. Species specific habitat surveys have often demonstrated avoidance of conifer plantations by bats, which has been attributed to a lack of roosts and low invertebrate prey abundance. Furthermore, widespread lepidopteran declines have been partly attributed to afforestation with non-native conifer, but moth associations with commercial coniferous plantations are usually only studied for pest species. Bats present a particular challenge in plantation landscapes; tree cover is important to many species to a greater or lesser extent, and in the United Kingdom, destruction of a roost site is illegal, regardless of whether it was deliberate or accidental. However, the extent to which bats associate with non-native commercial plantations is relatively unexplored. This is the first study to explicitly test bat associations with Picea sitchensis plantations (using acoustic detectors, trapping and radio tracking), and shows that, contrary to expectations, they may be an important habitat for breeding populations of Pipistrellus spp., particularly P. pygmaeus. High levels of activity were recorded for both P. pygmaeus and P. pipistrellus, despite little difference in dipteran abundance between different stand types, both species preferentially foraged in felled or less dense stands. This suggests that bats preferentially forage in areas with less acoustic and physical clutter, which will increase foraging efficiency. The impacts of felling in non-native commercial coniferous plantations on foraging activity was tested, for the first time, using a Before – After – Control – Impact experimental design. Bat activity (specifically P. pipistrellus and Nyctalus) increased after felling, particularly in smaller stands. In contrast felling had significant, negative impacts on moth abundance, species richness and diversity, and these effects remain after constraining for functional trait similarity. Reductions in richness and diversity in response to felling were similarly large for both rare and abundant species. Therefore, while bats may benefit from clear fell practices, albeit as long as the size of patches is small, moth populations could benefit from a shift towards other forestry methods, iv such as continuous cover forestry. These results also have implications for the recent, but increasing practice of siting wind turbines in commercial coniferous plantations, as pre-installation preparation involves clearing small patches of forest which may attract foraging bats; post felling monitoring should be carried out to examine potential impacts on bat populations. The presence of broadleaf trees in and around plantations significantly increased moth richness, mostly through increased occurrence of rare species. Broadleaf woodlands (defined as land spanning more than 0.5 ha, with trees higher than 5m and a combined cover of shrubs, bushes and trees above 10%), also had higher functional redundancy than plantation sites. For a diverse moth population to persist in plantation landscapes, preserving remnant patches of broadleaf trees is essential. There was little difference in bat activity between broadleaf woodlands and plantation sites. However, bat abundance, particularly that of reproductively active females, was greater in broadleaf sites compared to plantations. This was particularly true for Myotis and Nyctalus spp., very few of which were trapped in commercial plantations. Therefore, although reproductively active female Myotis bats are present in the surrounding landscape, they do not appear to associate with plantations themselves. This may reflect a lack of roost availability; both P. pygmaeus and P. pipistrellus preferentially form large maternity colonies in buildings, but for Myotis and Nyctalus spp. which roost switch regularly and often use trees, it is unlikely many suitable roosts exist within the plantations themselves. Many substantial P. pygmaeus maternity colonies were identified in and around Galloway forest, with some holding more than 500 individuals. All maternity colonies were in buildings, and most inhabited (and one uninhabited) buildings within the plantation contained a roost. Although females occasionally used old or dead deciduous trees as temporary roosts, there was no evidence of roosting in crop trees such as P. sitchensis. During this study, the Forestry Commission installed 36 bat boxes; within 6 months over 90% had been used, with a number of harems found inside. This fast uptake compared with bat use of boxes in other locations reflects the paucity of appropriate structures for either roost or harem use in commercial plantations. Twelve bats were captured while foraging, tagged with small radio transmitters, and followed for between 2 and 6 nights during 2014 and 2015. All but one tagged female preferentially foraged within the plantation, with individuals selecting equally riparian habitats and felled stands. Tagged females which roosted furthest from the plantation had the largest home ranges; one individual flew nearly 40km each night to reach foraging areas distant from her roost, suggesting that the food availability within the plantation was sufficient to render such a long journey energetically viable. v These results have important implications for bat populations in and around commercial coniferous plantations. Far from being avoided by bats, plantation landscapes may constitute an important habitat type for both P. pygmaeus and P. pipistrellus, likely due to the high abundance of nematoceran diptera in plantation woodlands. Furthermore, plantation forests support a similar richness of moth species to urban and agricultural woodlands, including a number of declining species of special conservation concern. A list of management recommendations to benefit both bat and moth populations in commercial plantations is presented at the end of this thesis.

M.Sc. (Biodiversity and Conservation) / The relative activity levels of the Egyptian free-tailed bat (Tadarida aegyptiaca) and Cape serotine bat (Neoromicia capensis) were monitored in eight study areas spanning across the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape of South Africa. The detected activity levels were then used to study the habitat use and temporal distribution (across the night and months of monitoring period) of both species. The effect of weather conditions (namely temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation and barometric pressure), moon phase and moonlight on activity was also examined. The understanding of these aspects of the ecology of N. capensis and T. aegyptiaca were then used as guidelines to conserve these species with regards to wind farm development in South Africa. Bat activity was monitored by means of a total of seventeen passive monitoring systems consisting of SM2BAT+ bat detectors. The monitoring systems were deployed on the study areas to detect and record bat echolocation calls on a continuous basis throughout the night. Activity was recorded for a variable length of time, between 3 and 12 months, for each study area. The bat detectors were powered by solar energy systems. Habitat use by these species was analysed by comparing the activity amongst the different study areas. Both species showed considerable activity in most study areas depicting them to mostly be generalists inhabiting many habitats across the country. Bat activity amongst the different land use types, vegetation types and climate regions was studied. N. capensis showed significantly higher activity in a fruit farming area and T. aegyptiaca was significantly less abundant in dry and arid conditions than cooler humid environments. The preference for habitat based on altitude and height above the ground was assessed. The highest activity occurred in coastal regions of 0 – 500 m altitude. N. capensis was found to prefer activity at canopy height, and T. aegyptiaca is more of an opportunistic species making use of the most profitable vertical airspace at any one time Analysis of the hourly and monthly distribution of bat activity showed that it can be highly variable across a range of temporal scales from all study areas. On a broad scale, N. capensis was found to limit nightly activity within the first four hours of sunset, mostly peaking within the second hour. T. aegyptiaca tends towards peak activity within the first three hours of the evening, thereafter sustaining more or less constant activity until the ninth hour after sunset. For both N. capensis and T. aegyptiaca, activity in the Eastern Cape is greater over the months of September to March. Western Cape activity shows a general increase into the warm months of September – December followed by a decrease over the hot months of January and February. From the limited data set, activity in the Northern Cape seems to be highest over the months of November, December and April...

Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The Moche fineline painting corpus contains hundreds of representations of winged figures, but these have never been analyzed as a group. This thesis is an investigation of these winged figures, focusing on iconographic methodology. I have identified and categorized representations of birds (ducks, the Falconidae family, owls,hummingbirds, vultures and condors, etc.), mammals (bats) and insects (dragonflies) in the fineline paintings. Special attention has been paid to genus and family, including the attributes and behaviors of these animals. This has yielded several important observations about how the Moche represented and linked winged figures. In the second part of this thesis I use semiotic analysis to consider winged figures as symbols rather than naturalistic representations. I also examine anthropomorphic winged figures, and analyze the interpretive possibilities and the implications of these interpretations. / text

The long-term effects of large-scale changes in forestry, agriculture and other land use on habitats and the large-scale expansion of wind farming  affects bats foraging environments. In order to predict consequences of exploitations on local bat species and populations, good surveys are important. To get good background information for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) it  is crucial to rapidly assess which areas are most important for bats. The aim of this work was to measure the importance of the two types of forest environment for bats foraging : forest areas located close to or far from the lakes. Bat activity and species diversity was measured with automatic ultrasound recorders in 211  nights of fieldwork at 155 locations in 23 areas in different parts of Sweden during June, July and the first two weeks of August 2011 and 2012. A total of 11 species were recorded in forest far from lakes and 8 species in forest close to lakes. Eptesicus nilssonii , Myotis sp. and Pipistrellus pygmaeus were the most common taxa in both habitat types. Activity levels were higher in the vicinity of lakes compared to forests far away from lakes. Species diversity calculated on base on Chao 2 was similar for both types of habitats . The results suggest that the forests close to lakes are the most important habitats to surveys for bats in Sweden and that inventory efforts should be primarily invested in them.

Orientador: Helio Langoni / Resumo: Atualmente dentre as doenças emergentes a maioria são zoonoses, e os morcegos desempenham papel importante como fonte de infecção e transmissão de agentes infecciosos. Histoplasmose e criptococose são doenças fúngicas relatadas em diversas espécies animais, podendo seus agentes serem isolados de grutas, cavernas, solo e fezes de animais. Paracoccidioidomicose, doença fúngica mais importante no Brasil, acomete principalmente populações de baixa renda, na zona rural e já foi relatada em animais silvestres e domésticos. Desta forma, o objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar a detecção molecular dos fungos Histoplasma capsulatum, Cryptococcus spp. e Paracoccidioides brasiliensis em quirópteros no município de Botucatu e região, SP. O delineamento do estudo foi de série de casos, a partir de morcegos recolhidos e enviados pela Vigilância Epidemiológica municipal de 12 cidades da região Centro-Oeste de São Paulo para o diagnóstico de raiva, no período de abril de 2015 a maio de 2016. Foram coletados pulmão, baço, fígado e intestino de 172 quirópteros, e avaliados pelas técnicas de nested-PCR e cultivo microbiológico. A prevalência encontrada para H. capsulatum foi de 8,14% (14/172), com um morcego positivo somente no cultivo microbiológico, 12 na técnica de nested-PCR, e um animal positivo em ambos os métodos. Dois morcegos foram positivos para Cryptococcus spp. e dois para P. brasiliensis pela técnica de nested-PCR. Como auxílio do software Autocad® foi realizado georreferenciame... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

Orientador: Helio Langoni / Resumo: A vigilância epidemiológica para o vírus rábico (VR) tem como um dos seus pilares o diagnóstico laboratorial. Devido à mudança do perfil epidemiológico da Raiva nas últimas décadas, a vigilância passiva de quirópteros em áreas urbanas é de grande importância, tendo em vista que esses animais passaram a ocupar o papel de principais transmissores do vírus a humanos e animais no Brasil. O objetivo desse estudo foi fornecer um panorama sobre a situação epidemiológica da infecção por VR em quirópteros no município de Botucatu e região. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo de dados epidemiológicos de vigilância passiva, com base no diagnóstico de Raiva em quirópteros no período de 2003 a 2018, realizado no Serviço de Diagnóstico de Zoonoses (SDZ) da Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” Campus de Botucatu. Um total de 4.271 quirópteros foram submetidos ao SDZ por 42 municípios da região de Botucatu, São Paulo. O diagnóstico de infecção pelo VR foi realizado utilizando-se a imunofluorescência direta e o isolamento viral em camundongos. Realizou-se um levantamento de informações referentes aos quirópteros positivos quanto ao local de recolhimento, ocorrência de sinais clínicos e de contato com outros animais ou homem. Foram elaborados mapas para ilustrar o local de recolhimento dos quirópteros positivos no município de Botucatu. O percentual de positividade em todo o período foi de 1,3% (57/4.281). O município de Botucatu foi responsável por 76,8% (3.289/4.271) das amo... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Epidemiological surveillance for rabies virus (RV) has laboratory diagnosis as one of its pillars. Due to a change in the epidemiological profile of rabies in the last decades, passive surveillance of bats in urban areas is of great importance, considering that these animals have become the main transmitters of RV to humans and animals in Brazil. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of the epidemiological situation of RV infection in bats in the city of Botucatu and region. This is a descriptive study of epidemiological data on passive surveillance, based on the diagnosis of rabies in bats from 2003 to 2018, performed at the Zoonoses Diagnosis Service (SDZ) of the São Paulo State University at Botucatu. A total of 4,271 bats were submitted to SDZ by 42 municipalities in the region of Botucatu, São Paulo. The diagnosis of RV infection was made using direct immunofluorescence and the biological test. A survey of information regarding positive bats was performed, collection point data, occurrence of clinical signs and contact with other animals or man. Maps were elaborated to illustrate the location of positive bats in the municipality of Botucatu. The percentage of positivity in the period was 1.3% (57/4.281). The municipality of Botucatu was responsible for 76.8% (3,289/4,271) of the bats received in the period and 70.2% (40/57) of positive bats. The percentage of positivity of the municipality was 1.2% (40/3, 289). The 57 positive bats belonged to 11 genera ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Com o controle da raiva nos cães do Estado de São Paulo nos últimos 20 anos, a raiva em animais silvestres, sobretudo nos quirópteros, assume crescente importância, visto que, atualmente, estes são os principais reservatórios para a raiva neste Estado. Apesar dos morcegos manterem ciclos epidemiológicos da raiva há centenas de anos, somente a partir da década de 50 a raiva em morcegos insetívoros foi reconhecida como um problema de saúde publica. Desde então foram feitos muitos avanços na compreensão da raiva nestes animais. Atualmente, o vírus da raiva (RABV) já foi detectado em 37 espécies de morcegos brasileiros, tendo sido determinadas quatro linhagens genéticas específicas associadas a quatros gênero/espécies destes morcegos, três destas exclusivas de morcegos insetívoros. Entretanto, apesar da importância da raiva em morcegos insetívoros, estudos voltados a um conhecimento mais amplo das implicações da diversidade de amostras de RABV detectadas nos mesmos aplicados à Epidemiologia Molecular são escassos. Assim, a presente investigação teve por objetivos estabelecer genealogias para amostras de RABV isoladas de diversas espécies de morcegos insetívoros do Estado de São Paulo a partir de seqüências parciais dos genes N (40 amostras) e G (45 amostras), avaliar a existência de linhagens gênero-específicas do RABV e determinar os marcadores moleculares para sua diferenciação. Foram encontradas linhagens específicas de RABV para os gêneros Myotis, Epitesicus e Nyctinomops e três prováveis linhagens circulantes nos gêneros Tadarida, Histiotus e Lasiurus. Além disso, esta pesquisa revelou marcadores moleculares de aminoácidos específicos para os gêneros Myotis, Eptesicus e Nyctinomops, contribuindo para um melhor entendimento da epidemiologia molecular da Raiva e da relação entre o RABV e gêneros diversos de quirópteros. / As a result of the control of canine rabies in São Paulo State in the last 20 years, rabies in wild animals, mainly in bats, has assumed an increasing importance as the last are currently the most important rabies reservoirs in this State. Despite the fact that bats have maintained epidemiological cycles of rabies for centuries, only in the 50s rabies in insectivorous bats was recognized as a threat for Public Health and several advances have been achieved since then for the comprehension of rabies in these animals. Rabies virus (RABV) has already been detected in 37 species of Brazilian bats and four specific genetic lineages associated to four genera/ species of bats have been determined, three of these exclusive to insectivorous bats. Nonetheless, despite the importance of insectivorous bats rabies, studies on a more comprehensive knowledge on the implications of the diversity of RABV strains detected on these are scarce. Thus, the present investigation aimed to establish genealogies for RABV strains isolated from diverse species from insectivorous bats from São Paulo State based on partial N (40 strains) and G (45 strains ) genes, assess the existence of genus-specific lineages of RABV and to determine molecular markers for its differentiation. Specific RABV lineages where found for the genera Myotis, Epitesicus and Nyctinomops and three other probable lineages circulating in the genera Tadarida, Histiotus and Lasiurus where found as well. Furthermore, this investigation revealed amino acids molecular markers for the genera Myotis, Eptesicus and Nyctinomops, contributing to a better understanding of rabies molecular epidemiology and the relationship amongst RABV and diverse genera of bats.

Orientador: Eliana Morielle Versute / Coorientador: Rejane Maíra Góes / Banca: Sebastião Roberto Taboga / Banca: Sandra Regina de Carvalho Marchesin / Resumo: A morfologia da glande peniana de 11 espécies de morcegos molossideos e de uma espécie de morcego vespertilionideo foi analisada histomorfologicamente após os procedimentos de diafanização, cortes histológicos e colorações por HE e Tushmann's blue. De maneira geral o pênis das espécies analisadas apresenta três tecidos eréteis, sendo dois principais, o tecido cavernoso e o tecido cavernoso difuso e outro menos desenvolvido, o tecido esponjoso da uretra. Os dois primeiros são bem desenvolvidos, compondo a maior parte da massa peniana. Diferenças na quantidade e na localização desses tecidos foram observadas nas espécies em todos os gêneros. Com exceção de E. furinalis e das espécies de Eumops, as demais apresentaram projeções epidérmicas espiniformes no revestimento externo do pênis, as quais variam pouco em morfologia, diferenciando no tamanho e na distribuição pela glande. O báculo está presente no interior da glande nas espécies dos gêneros Molossus, Nyctinomops e Eumops, onde variou significativamente na morfologia e tamanho, e ausente nas espécies dos gêneros Cynomops, Molossops e Neoplatimops. A variabilidade observada no báculo evidencia sua importância como um caracter taxômico, e indica que as semelhanças morfológicas são observadas nas espécies congenéricas. Os resultados evidenciaram um grande potencial por parte da glande peniana do báculo como caracteres taxonômicos, principalmente em relação ao nível de família e gênero, e também são importantes para distinção de espécies. Em conclusão, os dados do presente estudo geraram informações inéditas sobre a macro e a micro anatomia da glande peniana em Chiroptera, as quais poderão ser úteis em estudos taxonômicos comparativos e sobre aspectos reprodutivos do grupo que não foram ainda avaliados / Abstract: The glans penis morphology of eleven molossid and one vespertilionid species of bats were analyzed histomorphologycaly after diaphanization procedures, histological sections and hematoxylin- eosin and Tushmann's blue staning. In general the penis of the analyzed species has three erectile tissues, with two main, the cavernous tissue and diffuse cavernous tissue and other one with lesser developement, the spongy tissue of the urethra. The two first are well developed, making the most part of penile mass. Differences in the number and localization of these tissues were observed in species of genera. Except for E. furinalis and species of Eumops, the others showed spiniform epidermal projections in the outer covering of the penis, which vary little in morphology, differing in size and distribution over the glans. The baculum is present inside the glans on the species of the genus Molossus, Nyctinomops and Eumops where varied significantly in morphology and size, and were absent in species of the genera Cynomops, Molossops and Neoplatimops. The variability observed in the baculum shows its importance as a taxonomic character, and indicates that the morphological similarities are observed in congeneric species. The results demonstrated a great potential exhibited by the glans penis and baculum as taxonomic characters, mainly to the family and genus level, but also important for species distinction. In conclusion, the present study generated new information about the macro and micro anatomy of the glans penis in Chiroptera, which may be useful in future comparative and taxonomic studies on reproductive aspects of the group that have not been evaluated yet / Mestre