Reproduction, seasonal morphology, and juvenile growth in three Malagasy fruit bats.

ABSTRACT: The island nation of Madagascar is home to three endemic species of Old World fruit bat in the family Pteropodidae: Pteropus rufus, Eidolon dupreanum, and Rousettus madagascariensis, all three of which are IUCN Red Listed under some category of threat. Delineation of seasonal limits in the reproductive calendar for threatened mammals can inform conservation efforts by clarifying parameters used in population viability models, as well as elucidate understanding of the mechanisms underpinning pathogen persistence in host populations. Here, we define the seasonal limits of a staggered annual birth pulse across the three species of endemic Madagascar fruit bat, known reservoirs for viruses of high zoonotic potential. Our field studies indicate that this annual birth pulse

SUBMITTER: Andrianiaina A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9841406 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature