Abstract

BIAVATTI, Theany; COSTA, Luciana M  and  ESBERARD, Carlos E. L. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2015, vol.22, n.2, pp.239-253. ISSN 0327-9383.

Many bats use isolated houses and buildings within forested areas as daytime shelters. The large use of buildings suggests that these may be attractive for many bat species to provide protection against predators and are suitable for reproductive and social interactions. We present an overview of published (since 2000) and unpublished data (2010-2013) on the use of buildings by bats in southeastern Brazil. Thirty-one published works were analyzed. Together with the authors’ data, we document 42 sites and 37 species of bats recorded to roost in buildings. Twenty-three species share shelters with other species. Molossus molossus was common in constructions of dis­turbed areas, was the most commonly captured insectivorous species in southeastern Brazil, and the one most frequently found under roofs. In other types of buildings, the most common species was Desmodus rotundus, observed in cohabitation with nine other species. Sampling in these roosts is important for providing data on the interactions between species. Additionally, this information could contribute to optimal management for minimizing public health problems.

Keywords : Adaptation; Colony; Interaction with humans; Roosts; Urbanization.

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