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- Title
Characterization of Desmodus rotundus (E. Geoffroy, 1810) (Chiroptera, Phyllostomidae) shelters in the Municipality of São Pedro - SP.
- Authors
Mialhe, P. J.
- Abstract
Surveillance of hematophagous bats is an important public health measure for the prevention and control of rabies epi-demics in domestic herbivorous animals. The aim of this study was to locate and georeference D. rotundus shelters in the Municipality of Sao Pedro - SP, Brazil, and verify their nature (artificial or natural), surrounding landscape and dis-tance from main rivers. To do this, two samples were taken of populations in shelters, with an interval of six months be-tween them, capturing all the bats existent in shelters with fewer than 20 individuals and approximately 20% of the bats present in shelters with over 20 individuals in order to quantify their gender and age distribution. The majority of D. rotundus (67%) were verified to be artificial and the remainder (33%) natural. Of the six artificial shelters found, five were located in abandoned houses and one in a rain water drainage channel. There were no signs of D. rotundus in other rural buildings and viaducts located in the proximities of pastures. In spite of the majority of D. rotundus shelters being artificial, the three most populated shelters were maternity colonies, two being located in grottos and only one in an ar-tificial shelter (rain water drainage channel ). The remaining shelters were occupied by only male individuals. With the exception of one shelter, all the other shelters were at a distance of less than 3 km from the main bodies of water in the study area, corroborating studies that have reported that the main rivers in the State of Sao Paulo are the main geo-graphic features related to the presence of D. rotundus. It was also verified that 67% of the shelters were inhabited by only male individuals, which confirms other studies conducted in the State of Säo Paulo, in which over 60% of the groups of Desmodus contain only male individuals.
- Subjects
SAO Pedro (Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil); SAO Paulo (Brazil : State); BRAZIL; DESMODUS rotundus; BLOODSUCKING animals; CITIES &; towns; RABIES prevention; PUBLIC health surveillance
- Publication
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2013, Vol 73, Issue 3, p521
- ISSN
1519-6984
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1590/S1519-69842013000300009