Composição de colônia e reprodução de Molossus rufus (E. Geoffroy) (Chiroptera, Molossidae) em um refúgio no sudeste do Brasil

• Autor(a) principal: Esbérard,Carlos
• Data de Publicação: 2002
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Zoologia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101-81752002000400021
• topic: Molossidae; Molossus rufus; colony composition; roost; reproduction

In this study carried out in the Biological Reserve of Poço das Antas, Rio de Janeiro state, southeastern Brazil, a roost of Molossus rufus (E. Geoffroy, 1805) was sampled one night per month, from November 2000 to October, 2001. The colonies in this species can exceed more than five hundreds, being present both sexes. The total number of animals captured was higher in the spring and declined in the autumn and winter. Between April to July the proportion of males overcome the females, while in other months the females prevailed. Molossus rufus have seasonal reproduction. Females arrived by July and the number increases until November. Few animals remained in this roost during colder months. Such fact suggests that females and great part of the males leave this roof after the end of the reproduction. Pregnant females were captured between September, October, November and February. Lactating females were observed in August, October, November, December and February. Active males were observed in all months, being overcome by males with abdominal testes only in July.