Tent construction by bats of the genera Artibeus and Uroderma

Abstract

Herein, I describe new styles of tents cut and utilized by Artibeus anderseni, A. glaucus, A. gnomus, A. phaeotis, A. toltecus, A. watsoni, Uroderma bilobatum, and U. magnirostrum; review and summarize the literature on tent use by Artibeus and Uroderma; and discuss the effectiveness of tents as diurnal roosts. Artibeus anderseni alters the shape of Heliconia leaves by cutting the lateral nerves and interconnected tissue extending out from the midrib. Artibeus glaucus cuts the basal lateral nerves in Xanthosoma, causing the two sides of the leaf to collapse downward around the midrib. Artibeus phaeotis cuts the lateral nerves and interconnected tissues in both banana and Heliconia imbricata; the basal cuts veer out from the midrib such that a distinctive V-shaped enclosure is formed by the hanging leaf Artibeus toltecus cuts the basal nerves on Anthurium, causing the sides of the leaf to fold down around the midrib to form a pyramidshaped tent. Artibeus watsoni was found to make four distinctive styles of tents, including simple V-shaped cuts on bifurcated palms, cuts of a few side veins on aroids to produce a rounded pyramid, elongate J-shaped cuts on banana and Heliconia, and polygonal cuts on Carludovica palmata. Artibeus watsoni has the greatest repertoire in tent styles, and uses the most diverse array of plant species and leaf shapes. Two styles of tents constructed by Uroderma bilobatum are reported for the first time, one on the large pinnately leafed palm Scheelea rostrata and the second on banana. The common denominator between the Uroderma bilobatum tents reported herein and those previously described is that all are on large, broad leaves and all have a distinctive V-shaped pattern cut by the bats. Uroderma magnirostrum also creates an inverted elongate V-shaped tent on pinnately leafed palms. All New World tent-makers described to date are tropical members of the phyllostomid subfamily Stenoderminae. Each species of tent-making bat has one or more distinctive style of tent. Bats select leaves of specific shapes, sizes, and angles for tent construction. Most species appear to be obligate tent- roosters. Tents provide bats with a cryptic diurnal roost site, in addition to providing shelter from both the sun and rain and an early warning to the approach of predators.