Abstract This study aimed to analyze the diet and trophic niche breadth of an insectivorous bat very common in an urban environment in southern Brazil. To analyze the feeding habit of Molossus rufus, it was necessary to collect fecal samples in urban colonies in the city of Maringá, State of Paraná. Samplings occurred from November 2018 to September 2019, including rainy and dry seasons. The fragments found in the samples were identified up to the level of order or family whenever possible. Percentage of volume and frequency of occurrence, Feeding Index (IAi%), PERMANOVA, and trophic niche breadth were used. Thus, a total of 140 samples were obtained, 92 for the rainy season and 48 for the dry season. In terms of percentage of volume, the diet consisted mainly of Hymenoptera (46.9%) in the rainy season and Coleoptera (39.2%) in the dry season. The results for standardized trophic niche breadth were Ba = 0.36 for the rainy season and Ba = 0.37 in the dry season, indicating a low food diversity. In conclusion, there was a food preference on the part of M. rufus according to the season evaluated, with Hymenoptera and Coleoptera being the most relevant dietary items.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: We investigated the occurrence of relapsing fever (RF) causing Borrelia genus spirochetes in synanthropic bats from the municipality of Maringá, Paraná, South of Brazil. METHODS: Tissue samples from the wings of bats were collected monthly from April 2013 to February 2014 and extracted DNA was used to evaluate the presence of RF causing Borrelia spp. RESULTS: All bat tissues tested negative for RF causing Borrelia spp. CONCLUSIONS: Borrelia spp. do not occur in chiropterans from Maringá.

Resumo: Morcegos provocam medo, são considerados pouco carismáticos para a população em geral e são raras as divulgações de seus benefícios ecológicos. Os livros didáticos podem acrescentar ou reforçar alguns equívocos, estereótipos e mitificações, além de falhas conceituais, informações incorretas ou de cunho discriminatório. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar o conteúdo sobre quirópteros dos livros didáticos, disponíveis na biblioteca municipal e em escolas públicas de Assis, São Paulo, além de avaliar como são veiculadas as informações pelas editoras com influência educacional. Dos 33 livros avaliados, apenas 26 continham informações sobre morcegos. Havia poucos erros conceituais ou informações distorcidas, mas, a qualidade informativa foi considerada insatisfatória e os discursos, superficiais. Constatou-se a necessidade de enfatizar as informações sobre os diversos papéis ecológicos dos morcegos e da inclusão de informações médico-sanitárias e profiláticas como forma de contribuição à saúde pública brasileira.

Abstract: Bats cause fear; they are not considered charismatic by the general population and the disclosure of their ecological benefits are rare. Textbooks can add or strengthen some misconceptions, stereotypes, and myths, as well as conceptual flaws, incorrect information or negative discrimination. This study aimed to analyse the content on chiropters in textbooks available at the municipal library and public schools of Assis, São Paulo, Brazil, and to evaluate how information is transmitted by publishers with educational influence. In 33 reviews of books, only 26 contained information about bats. There were a few misconceptions or misinformation, but the informative quality was considered unsatisfactory and the text superficial. It found there was a need to emphasize information about the several ecological roles of bats and to include medical and prophylactic health information as a contribution to the Brazilian public health.

Streblidae e Nycteribiidae são encontradas exclusivamente em associação com morcegos. Este trabalho teve como objetivo investigar a diversidade de insetos ectoparasitas encontrados em morcegos da Reserva Biológica das Perobas, Estado do Paraná, Brasil. O trabalho foi realizado nos meses de maio, junho e agosto de 2008 e fevereiro, março e abril de 2009. Para a captura dos morcegos, foram utilizadas 32 redes-de-neblina, totalizando esforço de captura de 43.520m².h. A coleta de ectoparasitas foi feita manualmente ou com auxílio de pinça reta de ponta fina. Os espécimes foram conservados em álcool 70% e identificados com auxílio de microscópio estereoscópico. Os dados foram analisados por meio do estimador não paramétrico Bootstrap e estatística descritiva. As espécies de ectoparasitas identificadas foram: Aspidoptera falcata Wenzel, 1976, Megistopoda proxima (Séguy, 1926), Megistopoda aranea (Coquillett, 1899), Paratrichobius longicrus (Miranda Ribeiro, 1907), Trichobius tiptoni Wenzel, 1976 e Basilia quadrosae Graciolli & Moura, 2005. A curva de riqueza estimada indicou tendência à ocorrência de outras espécies de ectoparasitas na unidade de conservação, haja vista que não foi alcançada a assíntota horizontal. Os dados obtidos corroboram com os verificados em outras regiões do Brasil e contribuem com as informações sobre a diversidade do grupo no bioma Mata Atlântica do noroeste do Paraná.

Streblidae and Nycteribiidae are exclusively found in association with bats. The main objective of the present work was to investigate the diversity of bat flies found in bats from the Perobas Biological Reserve, state of Paraná, Brazil. The work was performed in the months of May, June and August, 2008 and February, March and April, 2009. For the capture of bats, 32 mist nets were used, totalizing a capture effort of 43,520 m²h. Ectoparasite capture was made manually or through the aid of a forceps. Specimens were conserved in 70% alcohol and identified with the aid of a stereoscopic microscope. Data was analyzed by means of a non parametric Bootstrap and descriptive statistics. Bat flies species identified were: Aspidoptera falcata Wenzel, 1976, Megistopoda proxima (Séguy, 1926), Megistopoda aranea (Coquillett, 1899), Paratrichobius longicrus (Miranda Ribeiro, 1907), Trichobius tiptoni Wenzel, 1976 and Basilia quadrosae Graciolli & Moura, 2005. Estimated richness curve indicates tendency to the occurrence of other ectoparasitic species in the conservational unit, since a horizontal asymptote was not achieved. The data obtained is corroborated by the respective data in other Brazilian regions and contribute with information about the group diversity in the Atlantic Forest Biome from the northwest of Paraná.