Temporal variation of the bat diversity from Arequipa region, Peru

Medina C.E.; Bocardo E.F.; Morales J.A.; López E. · Acta Zoologica Lilloana (2024) · DOI: 10.30550/j.azl/2034

Resumen

Information about bats in the Arequipa region dates back to the 1980s, which mainly focuses on documenting the species richness for the Region, however little has been studied the changes of alpha or beta diversity of the group. Therefore, here we present the first analyze of the diversity of bats in the Arequipa region during spring and winter. Five sampling locations located between 85 and 1600 m.s.n.m. were evaluated in the years 2018 and 2019. Mist nets were used for 3 to 4 consecutive nights in both seasons. A total of 13 bats species were recorded, of which the “Chiribaya Bonnet Bat” Eumops chiribaya (Molossidae) and the “Arequipa Cinnamon Bat” Lasiurus arequipae (Vespertilionidae) stand out, due to that are rare and endemic to Peru. The bats Mormopterus kalinowskii and Histiotus montanus were the most abundant species during spring, while Promops davisoni and M. kalinowskii during the winter season. Species richness and diversity were similar between seasons, with a predominance of insectivorous species. It is expected that the information presented here will serve as a reference for future studies focused on the conservation of bats in Peru.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional de San Agustín de Arequipa