Habitat use, roost characteristics and diet of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis

• Autorzy: Gerlach J. , Taylor M.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis is a Critically Endangered species endemic to the Seychelles islands of Mahé and Silhouette, with historical records from Praslin and La Digue islands. Published descriptions exist for only one active roost containing 32 bats. The present study located the species only in coastal boulder field caves with stable cool temperatures and access into palm woodland or marsh habitat. At one roost gaps in the woodland are used for foraging and the natural woodland appears to be important for the conservation of the species primarily as foraging habitat. A second roost on Silhouette island has been located near a large, insect rich marsh habitat. Faecal analysis demonstrated that at this site C. seychellensis feeds predominantly on marsh associated Ceratopogonidae (Diptera), in contrast to Curculionidae (Coleoptera) in palm woodland. This dietary plasticity indicates that food is not limiting for this species. The decline in this species may have been caused by habitat alteration caused by invasive plants obstructing roost entrances; conservation of the species requires active habitat management.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Chiropterologica
• Rocznik: 2006
• Tom: 08
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.129-139,fig.,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Gerlach J.

• University Museum of Zoology Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, U.K.

autor

Taylor M.

Bibliografia

• Allen, M. E. 1989. Nutritional aspects of insectivory. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Michigan State University, Michigan.
• Baillie, J. E. M., C. Hilton-Taylor, and S. N. Stuart (eds.). 2004. 2004 IUCN red list of threatened species. A global species assessment. IUCN, Gland, 1783 pp.
• Ball, N. 2004. A possible high-altitude roost of Seychelles sheath-tailed bats Coleura seychellensis. Phelsuma, 12: 136-140.
• Bowler, J., I. Bullock, J. Cadbury, J. Gerlach, and J. Hunter. 1999. The ecology and conservation of Aride island, Seychelles. Phelsuma, 7: 38-57.
• Burgess, H., and N. Lee. 2004. A behavioural study of the Silhouette sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis. Phelsuma, 12: 69-77.
• Gerlach, J. (ed.). 1997. 1997 Seychelles Red Data Book. NPTS, Seychelles, 122 pp.
• Gerlach, J. 2004. The bats of Silhouette island, Seychelles. Phelsuma, 12: 78-90
• Gerlach, J. In press. Invertebrates associated with the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis. Phelsuma.
• Hutson, A. M., S. P. Mickleburgh, and P. A. Racey (comp.). 2001. Microchiropteran bats: global status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN, Gland, x + 258 pp.
• Joubert, F. 2004. A preliminary investigation into the general ecology, status and habitat of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis (Emballonuridae). Phelsuma, 12: 54-68.
• Kusch, J., and S. Idelberger. 2005. Spatial and temporal variability of bat foraging in a western European low mountain range. Mammalia, 69: 21-33.
• Kusch, J., C. Weber, S. Idelberger, and t. Koob. 2005. Foraging habitat preferences of bats in relation to supply and spatial vegetation structures in a western European low mountain range forest. Folia Zoologica, 53: 113-128.
• Matyot, P. 1995. The sheath-tailed bat Coleura seychellensis Peters, 1868 (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) rediscovered on Silhouette island. Phelsuma, 3: 74-76.
• McWiluam, A. N. 1987. The reproductive and social biology of Coleura afra in a seasonal environment. Pp. 324-350, in Recent advances in the study of bats (M. Fenton, P. Racey and M. V. Rayner, eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 482 pp.
• McWilliams, L. A. 2005. Variation in diet of the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana). Journal of Mammalolgy, 86: 599-605.
• Nicoll, M. E„ and J. M. Suttie. 1982. The sheath-tailed bat, Coleitra seychellensis (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) in the Seychelles islands. Journal of Zoology (London), 197: 421-426.
• Pavey, C. R., and C. J. Burwell. 2000. Foraging ecology of three species of hipposiderid bats in tropical rainforest in north-east Australia. Wildlife Research, 27: 283-287.
• Racey, P. A. 1982. Ecology of bat reproduction. Pp. 57-103, in The ecology of bats (T. H. Kunz, ed.). Plenum Press, New York, 425 pp.
• Sauer, J. D. 1967. Plants and man on the Seychelles coast. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, 518 pp.
• Scott, H. 1914. Mallophaga, Aphaniptera, and Diptera Puparia. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 2 (Zoology), 17: 161-167.
• Thomas, O. 1915. Notes on bats of the genus Coleura. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 15: 576.
• Wright, E. P. 1868. Notes on the bats of the Seychelles group of islands. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 2: 436-438.