Abstract

LOU, Salvador  and  YURRITA, Carmen L.. Análisis de nicho alimentario en la comunidad de murciélagos frugívoros de Yaxhá, Petén, Guatemala. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2005, vol.21, n.1, pp.83-94. ISSN 2448-8445.

We analyzed the food habits of the frugivore bat community of the subtropical rainforest of Yaxhá, Petén, Guatemala, by fecal analysis. We captured bats in three different plant communities (mature forest, flooded forest and early sucesional stages) over 11 months (february to december 1999). The purpose of the study was to determine de functional relationship between frugivore bats, through a food niche analysis. We developed a list of plants that the bats use as food. The results suggest that there is a selectivity in food choice by the bats. A clear resource partitioning exists based on the ecology and morphology of the frugivore bats. A major niche overlap exists between ecologically and morphologically similar bats.

Keywords : frugivore bats; community structure; food niche; Yaxhá; Petén.

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