ABSTRACT Gardnerycteris crenulatum is a bat species restricted to South America, being particularly rare in lowland rainforests. It is characterized by a diet composed mainly of arthropods and small vertebrates, with no confirmed evidence of fruit consumption. Here, we provide the first records of seeds in the diet of G. crenulatum. The seeds were found in the feces of two individuals captured in late-successional forests in the Colombian Amazon (one pregnant female and one adult male), that belonged to Piper sp. (n = 125) and Cecropia engleriana (n = 3). In germination experiments, only Piper seeds germinated (8%). Insectivores can potentially perform other functions than the role assigned to their corresponding guild. More research is needed on the natural history and ecology of G. crenulatum to elucidate its possible role as seed disperser.

RESUMEN Gardnerycteris crenulatum es una especie de murciélago restringida a América del Sur, siendo particularmente rara en los bosques húmedos de tierras bajas. Se caracteriza por una dieta compuesta principalmente de insectos, artrópodos y pequeños vertebrados, sin evidencia confirmada de consumo de frutos. En esta nota, reportamos los primeros registros de semillas en la dieta de G. crenulatum. Las semillas fueron encontradas en las fecas de dos individuos capturados en bosques de sucesión avanzada en la Amazonía colombiana (una hembra preñada y un macho adulto), pertenecientes a Piper sp. (n = 125) y Cecropia engleriana (n = 3). En experimentos de germinación, solo germinaron las semillas de Piper sp. (8%). Los insectívoros pueden realizar potencialmente otras funciones además del papel asignado a su gremio correspondiente. Es necesario desarrollar más investigaciones sobre la historia natural y la ecología de G. crenulatum para dilucidar su posible papel como dispersor de semillas.

Resumen A pesar de que las sabanas neotropicales han sido sometidas a procesos continuos de transformación del paisaje (por ejemplo, la agricultura, la industria de petróleo, gas e hidrocarburos), muy poco se sabe sobre la ecología e historia natural de grupos biológicos importantes como los mamíferos terrestres, y la información asociada con los aspectos comportamentales de las especies de mamíferos que habitan estos ecosistemas es especialmente escasa. El objetivo del estudio fue describir los patrones de actividad de mamíferos medianos y grandes en dos ecosistemas de sabana de los Llanos colombianos. Se instalaron 60 cámaras trampa en los dos ecosistemas durante 35 días (2100 días-cámara). Se describieron los patrones de actividad de nueve especies predominantemente nocturnas. No se encontraron diferencias en las distribuciones circadianas de mamíferos entre ecosistemas. Cuniculus paca Linnaeus 1758 y Dasyprocta fuliginosa Wagler 1832 mostraron patrones de exclusión explicados probablemente por la competencia, en tanto que otras especies como Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus 1758 y Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus 1758 mostraron patrones de actividad similares. Se destaca la importancia de las sabanas para la conservación de estas especies y se discute la relevancia de los estudios sobre patrones de actividad para la ecología y conservación de mamíferos en las sabanas neotropicales.

Abstract Neotropical savannas have undergone continuous processes of landscape transformation (e.g., agriculture, oil, gas, and hydrocarbon industry) and very little is known about the ecology and natural history of key biological groups such as terrestrial mammals while the information on behavioral aspects of mammalian species in these ecosystems is very scarce. Here, we aimed to describe the activity patterns of medium and large mammals in two savanna ecosystems in the Colombian Llanos. A set of 60 camera traps was installed in the two ecosystems for 35 days (2100 camera days). We described the activity patterns of nine predominantly nocturnal species. We found no difference in circadian distributions of mammals between ecosystems. Cuniculus paca Linnaeus 1758 and Dasyprocta fuliginosa Wagler 1832 showed patterns of exclusion probably due to competition whereas other species like Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus1758 and Myrmecophaga tridactyla Linnaeus 1758 displayed similar activity patterns. We highlight the importance of savannas for the conservation of these species and discuss the relevance of studies on activity patterns for mammal ecology and conservation in Neotropical savannas.

Resumen Homoeoneuria Eaton, 1881 es un género de la familia Oligoneuriidae, cuya distribución geográfica se encuentra poco documentada, especialmente en la región norte de Suramérica. Confirmamos aquí el registro del género Homoeoneuria en Colombia, con lo que su distribución en Suramérica se amplía con respecto a los registros conocidos en Brasil, Perú y Argentina. La confirmación se hizo en tres ninfas del departamento del Cesar halladas sobre sedimentos limo-arenosos en la transición de las regiones Andina y Caribe.

Abstract Homoeoneuria Eaton, 1881 is a genus of the Oligoneuriidae family whose geographical distribution remains poorly documented, especially in the Northern region of South America. Here we confirm the record of Homoeoneuria in Colombia, thus extending its distribution in South America beyond the records from Brazil, Peru, and Argentina. The confirmation was done on three nymphs from the department of Cesar found on sandy-silt sediments in the transition between the Andean and Caribbean regions.

Abstract New World bats are involved in key ecological processes and are good indicators of environmental changes. Recently, trait-based approaches have been used in several taxa to better understand mechanisms underlying species assemblages, biotic interactions, environmental relationships and ecosystem functions. However, despite the relevance of bats on ecosystem dynamics, so far, there is no conceptual framework that relies on the measurement of bat traits to address functional studies. Here, we present a set of 50 bat biological traits, which are suitable to assess environmental stressors and can potentially affect ecological processes. Several examples were provided to show the applicability of this framework in the study of Neotropical bat ecology. We suggest some considerations regarding trait-based approach including the importance of intraspecific variation, correlations between traits, response-effect framework, global dataset, and future directions to assess the reliability of functional relations across species and Neotropical regions by using traits. This could be helpful in tackling ecological questions associated with community assembly and habitat filtering, species diversity patterns along environmental gradients, and ecological processes. We envision this paper as a first step toward an integrative bat functional trait protocol held up with solid evidence.

Abstract Dietary studies of insectivorous bats are critical for a comprehensive analysis of their ecological role in pest control. Several factors including seasonality, reproductive status and sex may influence dietary specialization. However, data on insectivorous bat diet are scarce, especially in Mormoopidae family. Here, we analyzed the dietary variation of Mormoops megalophylla (Peters, 1864) between sexes, reproductive states and climatic seasons in Macaregua cave, located in Northeastern Andes of Colombia. We collected fecal samples and vaginal smears from 377 individuals. We assess differences between sexes in the frequency of insect consumption and we estimate dietary breadth in reproductive and non-reproductive bats. Moormops megalophyllahas a highly specialized diet, selecting primarily for Lepidoptera insects. There were no differences between sexes, but wider dietary breadth was found in reproductive bats in comparison to non-reproductive bats. Probably, the specialization on Lepidoptera insects is explained by the high amounts of caloric energy that these insects can offer. It was remarkable the upward trend in Lepidoptera consumption from reproductive bats during the wet season, when moths are available. By contrast, non-reproductive bats increased Lepidoptera consumption in the dry season, possibly to prepare for the next reproductive events. The analysis of diet over time suggests variations between climatic seasons and reproductive states; that is, when bats are reproductively active, they increase the amount of Lepidoptera consumption in the wet season to supply their energy requirements during reproduction. These results provide key information about the ecology of M. megalophylla in the northern part of its South American distribution.

Abstract: Oil palm plantations have become a major agricultural landscape in the Neotropics, especially in Colombia, the largest oil palm producer in the region. The Orinoco, or Llanos, region of eastern Colombia is predicted to increase expansion for palm oil acreage over the coming decades, with implications for biodiversity loss. Describing dietary diversity of frugivorous bats is a functional approach to understanding the effect of oil palm dominated landscapes on bat-fruit interactions. Our objective was to characterize the diet of the dominant (most abundant) bat species present in an oil palm landscape from the Colombian Llanos. We compared diet breadth of bat species on the basis of Levin’s index and we assessed differences in the frequency of seed consumption through Chi-square tests (χ2). We calculated diet overlap with a Morisita-Horn index. We characterized diet breadth and overlap for four taxa (three species and one species complex) of bats from 149 fecal samples and 344 individual bats, from which we identified 13 seed species. Dietary composition differed significantly among bat species, as did diet breadth. Diet breadth was highest in Carollia spp. and lowest in Sturnira lilium. The greatest degree of diet overlap ocurred between Artibeus lituratus and A. planirostris and the lowest overlap between S. lilium and all the other species. Considering the functional identity of the plants dispersed by bats in our sample, where most of them are pioneer species that colonize disturbed areas, it is fundamental to preserve habitats such as forest fragments that maintain bat assemblages with diverse diets in agriculturally disturbed landscapes. This may have important implications in future restoration process at these sites.

Resumen: Las plantaciones de palma aceitera se han convertido en uno de los principales paisajes agrícolas en el Neotrópico, especialmente en Colombia, el mayor productor de palma de aceite en esta región. La Orinoquía, o llanos, región oriental de Colombia, es una de las principales áreas de expansión de este cultivo para las próximas décadas, con posibles implicaciones para la pérdida de biodiversidad. La descripción de la dieta de los murciélagos frugívoros aporta un enfoque funcional para comprender el efecto de los paisajes dominados por la palma aceitera en las interacciones murciélago-fruto. Nuestro objetivo fue caracterizar la dieta de las especies dominantes presentes en un paisaje de producción de palma de aceite en los Llanos Colombianos. Comparamos la amplitud de la dieta de las especies de murciélagos usando el índice de Levins y también evaluamos las diferencias en la frecuencia de consumo de semillas a través de la prueba Chi-cuadrado (χ2). Para evaluar la superposición de la dieta entre las especies, calculamos el índice Morisita-Horn. Caracterizamos la amplitud y sobreposición de la dieta de cuatro taxa (tres especies y un complejo de especies) de murciélagos con 149 muestras fecales de 344 individuos, en las cuáles identificamos 13 especies de semillas. La composición y amplitud de la dieta varió significativamente entre especies de murciélagos. La amplitud de la dieta fue mayor para Carollia spp. y menor para Sturnira lilium. El mayor grado de solapamiento de dieta se presenta entre Artibeus lituratus y A. planirostris y el menor entre S. lilium y todas las demás especies. Considerando la identidad funcional de las plantas dispersadas por los murciélagos en nuestra muestra, donde la mayoría son especies pioneras que colonizan hábitats perturbados, es fundamental preservar fragmentos de bosques que mantienen conjuntos de murciélagos con diversas dietas en los paisajes agrícolas. Esto puede tener implicaciones importantes en el proceso de restauración futura en estos sitios.

Abstract The Colombian Orinoquia region is characterized by a high diversity of mammals, which is associated with complex ecosystems that include large extensions of Neotropical savannas (known locally as “Llanos Orientales”). Despite accelerated anthropogenic transformations in savanna ecosystems, the knowledge to design effective conservation strategies, such as the distribution of mammal assemblages, is still lacking for this region. In this paper, we evaluate if assemblages of medium and large mammals (i.e., species richness, relative abundance and the contribution of the different trophic guilds) are homogeneous across the Colombian Llanos by comparing three savanna ecosystems: floodplains savannas associated with an Andean river, aeolian floodplains savannas and highland savannas. After a sampling effort of 3,150 camera trap/days, we recorded 16 mammal species from the three savanna ecosystems. We compared the three assemblages and their constituent trophic guilds by ANOSIM and SIMPER non-parametric permutation tests. The three assemblages differed in composition, structure and trophic guilds. The floodplains savannas, associated to an Andean river, present the highest diversity, contrastingly, the high-plain associated with the Guyanese Shield presents the lowest diversity. This pattern could be explained due to the greatest floristic diversity, complex vegetation structure and more fertile soils present in the riparian forests of the floodplains savannas, despite being the most anthropogenically transformed. The carnivores were the most variable category and herbivores were the most abundant. Our results show that the diversity of medium and large mammals is heterogeneously distributed in the Colombian Llanos. Therefore, it is necessary to implement targeted conservation strategies according to the characteristics, local fragility of each ecosystem in the territory and each species response by local conditions.

RESUMEN El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el grado de asimetría fluctuante en los rasgos alares y en los dígitos de tres especies comunes de murciélagos (Artibeus lituratus, Artibeus planirostis y Carollia perspicillata) en sistemas ganaderos extensivos del departamento de Córdoba, Colombia. Para esto, se analizaron ejemplares de la Colección de Mamíferos del Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia). La asimetría fluctuante se evaluó usando 11 rasgos alares. Para evaluar la existencia de asimetría, se usaron contrastes no paramétricos. Finalmente, se realizaron análisis no paramétricos de varianza con el fin de evaluar si existían diferencias entre los dígitos. En total, 114 ejemplares fueron analizados (A. planirostris= 40, A. lituratus=33, C. perspicillata= 41). Los resultados no mostraron diferencias estadísticas (p>0.05) para la mayoría de rasgos alares. La poca variación alar se debió a su importancia en el vuelo y a la alta tolerancia de estas especies a la perturbación. Las hipótesis de "Mortalidad diferencial" y "Gran madre" son discutidas. Los resultados de este trabajo sugieren que los sistemas ganaderos no afectan severamente a estas especies. Futuros estudios deberían considerar l tipo de manejo para conocer cuál proporciona mejores condiciones para los murciélagos.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyze the degree of fluctuating asymmetry in wing traits and digits of three common bat species (Artibeus lituratus, Artibeus planirostis and Carollia perspicillata) in extensive livestock systems from Córdoba department, Colombia. To do this, specimens from the Mammalian Collection at the Museo Javeriano de Historia Natural of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia) were analyzed. All specimens belonged to fragments of tropical dry-forest immersed in extensive livestock systems of Córdoba department. To parse out fluctuating asymmetry, 11 wing traits were used. To assess the existence of asymmetry, nonparametric U test was applied. Finally, to evaluate the existence of significant differences among digits, nonparametric one-way analysis of variance were carried out. In total, 114 specimens were analyzed (A. planirostris=40, A. lituratus=33, C. perspicillata=41). The results showed no statistical differences (p> 0.05) in most of wing traits. Little variation in wing traits was due to its relevance on flight performance and the high tolerance to perturbation of these bat species. "Differential-mortality" hypothesis and "Big Mother" hypothesis are discussed. Results from this work suggest that livestock systems do not severely affect these species. Further studies should consider the type of management to know which one provides better conditions for bats.

Several anthropogenic pressures are threatening biodiversity and may increase in the next years, altering eco- logical processes and ecosystem services. Biological collections offer a rich source of information to develop studies of functional ecology and biodiversity conservation. Key information related to morphology, physiology and life history could be obtained through functional traits provided by specimens in biological collections. Additionally, museum collections present a great potential for document changes of habitat disturbance, using response/effect framework, functional diversity measures, and fluctuating asymmetry approaches. Despite limitations of specimens in data such as abundance, imprecisions in specimen´s georeferencing, errors in taxonomic identification and the poor preservation state of some specimens, biological collections contain vast data banks, which could be useful in the contribution of key information for land use management and conservation planning.

Varias presiones antropogénicas amenazan la biodiversidad y pueden aumentar en los próximos años, alterando procesos ecológicos y servicios ecosistémicos. Las colecciones biológicas ofrecen una abundante fuente de información para desarrollar estudios de ecología funcional y conservación de la biodiversidad. Información clave relacionada con morfología, fisiología e historia de vida puede ser obtenida a través de los rasgos fun- cionales proporcionados por los ejemplares de colecciones biológicas. Adicionalmente, las colecciones de los museos presentan un gran potencial para documentar cambios en la perturbación del hábitat usando el marco de efecto/respuesta, las medidas de diversidad funcional, y el enfoque de asimetría fluctuante. A pesar de las limitaciones de los especímenes en datos como la abundancia, imprecisiones en la georreferenciación de los especímenes, errores en la identificación taxonómica y el mal estado de conservación de algunos ejemplares, las colecciones biológicas contienen enormes bancos de datos que podrían ser útiles en el aporte de información clave para el manejo del uso del suelo y los planes de conservación.