MORPHOFUNCTIONAL SEGREGATION IN MOLOSSID BAT SPECIES (CHIROPTERA: MOLOSSIDAE) FROM THE SOUTH AMERICAN SOUTHERN CONE

GIMÉNEZ, AL; GIANNINI, NP

HYSTRIX

ASSOC TERIOLOGICA ITAL

Año: 2016

0394-1914

Molossid bats exhibit a great diversity of size and skull morphology which likelyreflect differences in diet a trophic function and may be indicative of thedegree of resource partitioning and overlap in the group. We explored the morphofunctional variation of the skull in molossid from Argentina, where 18 species recorded,and are representative of the vast South American Southern Cone region. We measured 18 craniodental variables in 377 specimens representing all 18 species. We performed a multivariate analysis using craniodental variables, and we assessed theimportance of phylogeny and biogeography  in morphofunctional variation. The specimens distribution in morphospace showed a clear segregation between species on thebasis of skull size and morphological differences that can be related with prey selection, and associated with other important factors such as echolocation and flight. Our results highlighted that the morphological pattern observed was determined principally by the evolutionary history of the family, as we identified major events of expansion of occupied morphospace with the origination of large species such as those in Eumops as well as small species of Molossops and Cynomops. Our findings evidences that the joint effects of history, size and functional morphology boosted the evolution of Neotropical molossids and facilitated the coexistence of related species.