Quirópteros da Reserva Biológica do Tinguá, Nova Iguaçu, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil (Mammalia, Chiroptera)

Abstract

This study reports the results of a chiropteran fauna survey conducted during the period from May to November 2000, April 2002 to January 2003, April 2004 to April 2005, October to November 2005 and March 2006 in the Tinguá Biological Reserve, Nova Iguaçu city, Rio de Janeiro State, Southeastern Brazil (22o 28 e 22o 39 S e 43o 13 e 43o 34 W). A total of 31 capture nights, in 14 sites at altitudes from 65 to 1270 m were performed in the Reserve region. The bats were caught in ground level mist-nets set in forest trails and clearings, in front of flowering and fruiting tree, next to buildings, crevices and cavities in rocks, hollow trees and over streams. One external (forearm length) and 13 cranial measurements were studied for each species. The measurements of male and female specimens were treated separately. The field works allowed the capture of 655 specimens of 28 species, belonging to four families, Emballonuridae (2 species), Phyllostomidae (19 species), Vespertilionidae (5 species) and Molossidae (2 species). It is emphasized the record of Lonchophylla bokermanni, Platyrrhinus recifinus and Myotis ruber, regarded as Vulnerable in the Brazilian Threatened Species List. Comments about taxonomic respects for all species are provided. The first occurrence of vespertilionid bat Myotis riparius in Rio de Janeiro State is reported. Saccopteryx leptura is recorded for second time for the Atlantic Forest of the Rio de Janeiro State. The species accumulation rate was more accelerated between third and seventh capture nights and after 21 nights. The species regarded to rare (e.g. Peropteryx macrotis, Saccopteryx leptura, Mimon bennettii, Micronycteris microtis, Artibeus cinereus Eptesicus brasiliensis, Myotis ruber) were sampled only after 21 nights. The expected number of species, obtained using the Chao indice, is 29,5 species. The Chaos s estimator suggests that the Reserve survey is 94, 9% complete. The species diversity, obtained using the Shannon indice, is 2,46. Carollia perspicillata is the most abundant species (26,79%) and the most distributed within the Reserve; it was sampled in 12 out of the 14 capture sites. A positive significant relationship between number of sites sampled and number species was recorded. Sites located at median altitudes (501 to 1000 m) are richer in species. Fifteen species are absent above 1000 m while seven species (Peropteryx macrotis, Saccopteryx leptura, Mimon bennettii, Platyrrhinus lineatus, Eptesicus brasiliensis, Myotis levis and Myotis ruber) were recorded exclusively above 500 m. New altitudinal limits are reported for four species in the Rio de Janeiro State: Peropteryx macrotis (820 m), Saccopteryx leptura (600 m), Tonatia bidens (820 m), and Artibeus cinereus (864, 985 and 1270 m). Results from present study show the significance of samples at different sites and elevated regions to increase species richness in bat surveys.