Reprodução de Artibeus lituratus e Carollia perspicillata (Chiroptera : Phyllostomidae) em fragmentos florestais na mata sul de Pernambuco

Abstract

Bats have several peculiar reproductive aspects that have evolved to fit the distinct ecological and environmental conditions, however remains one of the least known groups with respect to reproductive biology, especially in the Northeast of Brazil. It is known that phyllostomid reproductive patterns may have variable, which include: seasonally monstrous, seasonally polyestrous, aseasonally polyestrous and seasonally bimodal polyestry. Thus, the present study evaluated the reproductive patterns and spermatogenic activity and ovarian of bats Artibeus lituratus and Carollia perspicillata in South Mata of Pernambuco. Therefore, animals were collected by mist nets (12X 3 m) from September 2008 to October 2009, between 17:00 and 05:00. The specimens were classified according to the reproductive stage, as: (1) pregnant, (2) lactating, (3) pregnant and lactating, or (4) inactive (5) active if testes were descended, (6) or inactive if testes were not descended. For histological analysis, 10 males were randomly selected adults, (n = 5) and in the rainy season (n = 5) in the dry season and 10 adult females, of which (n = 5) and in the rainy season (n = 5) in the dry season for each species, totaling 40 individuals. Results indicated that both species have a greater proportion of females than males, suggesting that the formation of harems. The reproductive pattern displayed by both species was bimodal polyestry, with a peak in the dry season and another in the rainy season. A. lituratus presented reproductive peaks in the months of March and October and C. perspicillata for the months of March and October-November. The spermatogenesis in testing specimens were descended or tests were not descended and ovarian activity continued throughout the year.