Notes on bat diversity at Berenty Private Reserve and Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southern Madagascar

Authors

  • Krista Fish Colorado College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/mcd.v7i1.7

Keywords:

Chiroptera, Microchiroptera, bat, chauve-souris, Berenty, Beza Mahafaly, aride, Madagascar, dortoir, régime alimentaire, diet, roost, diversité, diversity

Abstract

Surveys of bat diversity are rare for the southern domain of Madagascar. Mistnetting for bats took place at Berenty Private Reserve in southeastern Madagascar during a six months study in 2009 and at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwestern Madagascar for one month in 2011. At Berenty, Hipposideros commersoni, Triaenops rufus, Myotis goudoti, and Miniopterus spp. were captured along trails and clearings inside forests. Two bats, T. rufus and Miniopterus sp., were captured near the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve. These captures increase the known bat diversity reported for both sites, but more surveys at Berenty and Beza Mahafaly are recommended.

 

RÉSUMÉ

Dans le Sud de Madagascar, les études sur les chauves-souris sont rares. Des opérations de capture furent conduites dans la réserve privée de Berenty dans le cadre d’une étude de six mois en 2009 puis dans la Réserve Spéciale de Beza Mahafaly pendant un mois en 2011. Avant cette étude à Berenty, la biodiversité microchiroptère de la réserve était méconnue. Hipposideros commersoni, Triaenops rufus, Myotis goudoti et Miniopterus spp. furent capturés le long des sentiers et dans des clairières à Berenty. La capture de T. rufus et de Miniopterus sp. près de Beza Mahafaly porta à sept le nombre d’espèces de chauves-souris répertoriées sur le site. Pour les deux réserves, il est souhaitable de mener d’avantage d’études dans des habitats variés et à des saisons différentes. Des spécimens de référence et des échantillons de tissus devraient être collectés afin de faciliter les identifications de certaines espèces de Miniopterus. Il est également nécessaire d’estimer la disponibilité en insectes et en dortoirs à Berenty, à Beza Mahafaly et dans d’autres localités malgaches afin de déterminer les facteurs limitants de ces sites.

Author Biography

Krista Fish, Colorado College

Department of Anthropology, Visiting Assistant Professor

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Published

18-05-2012

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Section

Short Notes