Visitas de morcegos fitófagos a Muntingia calabura L. Muntingiaceae) em Brasília, Centro-Oeste do Brasil

Resumo

Muntingia calabura L. is a neotropical plant which occurs from Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil. This plant is a common tree in several Brazilian cities and it has been used in the streets and urban parks’ arborization. Bats are known as night visitors of this tree, which fruits are available to the bats along the year. We observed three bat species (Artibeus lituratus, Platyrrhinus lineatus and Glossophaga soricina) visiting M. calabura in urban areas of Brasília, Mid-Western Brazil, between 1994 and 1999. The bat visits started at 18:00 h and ended at 20:00 or 20:30 h. The bats generally defecated while flying around the trees and dispersing feces and calabura’ small seeds on the walls, windows, cars and ground. Pet animals, mainly cats, were observed catching bats, and this can represent a problem to public health although no rabies positive bats were found in Brasília. Because of its potential of attracting bats and of its all year fruit production, M. calabura is not an appropriated tree to be used in the street’s arborization although it could be recommended to urban parks and other conservation areas.