Bat diversity from the Río La Novia Conservation Concession, Ucayali, Peru

Abstract

Purús is a Peruvian Amazonian province with little information on its biodiversity, especially on small mammals. This work aims to document the bats diversity in the region by developing intensive inventories at the Río La Novia Conservation Concession, located on the right bank of the La Novia River, Purús, Ucayali Department. We surveyed the study area in the wet and dry seasons of 2015 using mistnets set on the ground and canopy, achieving a total sampling effort of 725 NN (12-m mist nets/night). As result, we recorded 32 bat species that include four new records for Purus province, and two new records for the Ucayali department (Eumops cf. delticus and Molossops temminckii). The seasonal accumulation curves were adjusted to the Clench model; however, the asymptotes were not reached, suggesting that more fieldwork is needed. Non-surprisingly, Phyllostomidae was the most diverse family (24 species). Also, we found that Carollia perspicillata and Artibeus planirostris have the higher relative abundance and that the frugivorous bats were the most abundant trophic guild. Our results suggest that the abundance and composition of bats in the Río La Novia are probably related to seasonal changes, as seen in other primary forests. Considering that Purús maintains one of the few pristine forests in western Amazonia, we suggest that more surveys are needed for a better understanding of bat´s diversity and bat assemblage patterns in tropical forests.