Record of opportunistic insectivorous feeding in Artibeus lituratus (Olfers, 1818) (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) in an urban park in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Abstract

Frugivorous bats are commonly recorded in altered areas and also in cities, occupying urban areas such as squares and parks. As part of a project to monitor urban bats, specimens were captured in a forest fragment with high anthropic pressure, and their fecal samples were analyzed in the laboratory. One of these samples, belonging to an individual of Artibeus lituratus, contained only insect parts, where we could identify five orders and nine families in about 200 fragments. Coleoptera was considerably more abundant, corresponding to 71.6% of the total sample; Scarabaeidae was the most consumed family (26.1%), followed by Carabidae (17.3%). Individuals of Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera were less consumed, respectively accounting for 6.5, 4.4, and 4.4% of the total fragments. The consumption of hemipterans of the family Cimicidae, bugs known to inhabit bat shelters, was noteworthy. The consumption of insects by these bats may indicate a plasticity in the diet due to lack of primary food preference, since the sample was obtained in winter, when there is a low production of fruits in the area. Although more studies are needed, the importance of fecal residue analysis is highlighted for understanding the ecological relationships of bats, especially in altered areas.