Seed predation by the wrinkle-faced bat Centurio senex : a new case of this unusual feeding strategy in Chiroptera

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Publication Date

January 2016

Abstract

Complex animal–plant interactions are present in the Neotropical bat family Phyllostomidae. Many of these interactions are still unknown, mainly due to the paucity of information available on the diet and habits of these species. The wrinkle-faced bat, Centurio senex , has been always considered as an enigmatic species. However, emerging evidence has partially elucidated the feeding ecology of this bat, confirming adaptations to consume hard food items. In addition to this information, here we show evidence of the predation of the seeds of Sideroxylon capiri (Sapotaceae) by C. senex . Bats employed principally deep unilateral bites to process the seeds. Our observations show that endocarp hardness has important implications on the ecological interaction between C. senex and S. capiri , due to the bats inability to puncture seeds with harder endocarps, causing an alternation between predation and dispersal of seeds. Nutritional rewards could be related to the predatory behavior documented. However, additional information is needed to clarify seed predation and seed dispersal patterns that exist between the 2 species. Complejas interacciones planta-animal existen en la familia de murciélagos neotropicales Phyllostomidae. Muchas de estas interacciones continúan desconocidas, principalmente debido a la escasez de información disponible sobre la dieta y hábitos de estas especies. El murciélago de cara arrugada, Centurio senex , ha sido siempre considerada una especie enigmática. No obstante, evidencia emergente ha dilucidado parcialmente la ecología de alimentación de este murciélago, confirmando adaptaciones para el consumo de alimentos duros. Adicionalmente a esta información, aquí presentamos evidencias de la depredación de semillas de Sideroxylon capiri (Sapotaceae) por parte de C. senex . Los murciélagos emplean principalmente mordiscos profundos unilaterales para procesar las semillas. Nuestras observaciones muestran que la dureza del endocarpio tiene importantes implicaciones sobre la interacción ecológica ent

Keywords

Bite Force, Endocarp, Endosperm, Feeding Behavior, Seed Dispersal, Seed Hardness, Seed Predation, Sideroxylon Capiri

Document Type

Article

Notes

Journal of Mammalogy, Vol. 97, no. 3 (2016).

Identifier

SFS0071533_00001

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