SOME CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE GIANT FRUIT-EATing BAT, Artibeus amplus (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) Paolo Ramoni-Perazzi, Damián Ruiz-Ramoni, Mariana Muñoz-Romo, Dirk Rafael Thielen Engelbertz and Irma Alejandra Soto Werschitz SUMMARY Artibeus amplus, a Phyllostomid distributed in northern good overall forest connectivity. The remnant suitable habitat Neotropics, has been included in the ‘Data Deficient’ cat­ (26.5%), located in the mountain ranges in western and north­ egory both in Colombian and Venezuelan red lists, but in the western South America, although widely fragmented might be ‘Least Concern’ category by the IUCN, even if its population considered adequate for the surviving of this bat species, since trend is unknown. The potential range of suitable habitat re­ recent evidence suggest high tolerance to human impact. In cently reported for this bat species exceeds the extensions conclusion, A. amplus should be considered of ‘Least Concern’ considered by the IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommit­ both at global and national levels, with caution at local levels. tee: 836,000km2, mainly in the Guiana Shield (73.5%), with Introduction quate information to make a this bat species both at glob- habitat exceeding 836,000km2 direct or indirect assessment al and local levels. in northern South America, Artibeus amplus is a bat of its vulnerability based on The IUCN Standards and using maximum entropy species described by Handley its distribution or population Petitions Subcommittee niche modeling, environmen- (1987) occurring at the status. On the other hand, the (IUCN, 2010) accepts five tal covariates and museum Northern Neotropics, which IUCN Red List of Threatened quantitative criteria to evalu- records. This surface is, by recently has received atten- Species considers it as of ate if a given taxon belongs far, greater than the ranges tion from the systematic (Lim ‘Least Concern’, even if its or not to a threatened catego- considered by the IUCN and Wilson, 1993; Lim et al., population trend is unknown ry (Critically Endangered, Standards and Petitions Sub- 2004), biogeographical (Lim (IUCN, 2012). Endangered or Vulnerable). committee previously men- et al., 2002, 2003; Ramoni- Discrepancies among na- One of these criteria is: “B. tioned (IUCN, 2010), suggest- Perazzi et al., 2012) and eco- tional and global red lists Geographic range size, and ing that this criterion does logical (Ruiz-Ramoni, 2010; regarding threat status are fragmentation, decline or not support the inclusion of Ruiz-Ramoni et al., 2011) not uncommon (Brito et al., fluctuations”, which includes A. amplus as facing any points of view. 2010). Thus, it must be con- two subcriteria: B1. Extent of threat level. Furthermore, The conservation status of sidered that global assess- occurrence, and B2. Area of most of the predicted suitable the species has not been ments adequate best at large occupancy. For example, an range of 614,000km2 (73.5%), evaluated in detail. Rodríguez spatial or supranational lev- extent of occurrence (B1) corresponds to the Guyana (1998) and Rodríguez and els, but that effective conser- <20,000km², or an area of shield, which has good over- Rojas-Suárez (2008), respec- vation efforts take place at occupancy (B2) <2,000km², all forest connectivity (Wade tively, in Colombian and Ven- national or local levels will list a given taxon as et al., 2003). ezuelan red lists, realistically (Mace et al., 2008). In this ‘Vulnerable’. It is also important to con- included A. amplus in the note, we present some con- Ramoni-Perazzi et al. sider that indirect evidence ‘Data Deficient’ category, siderations and comments on (2012) recently predicted a suggests that A. amplus may highlighting the lack of ade- the conservation status of potential range of suitable show some tolerance to habi- KEYWORDS / Artibeus amplus / Conservation / Neotropics / Phyllostomidae / Red List / Received: 03/15/2013. Modified: 05/05/2014. Accepted: 05/09/2014. Paolo Ramoni-Perazzi. Biolo- rida 5101, Venezuela. e-mail: Mariana Muñoz-Romo. Biologist, Dirk Rafael Thielen Engelbertz. gist, Universidad de Los An- [email protected] ULA, Venezuela. M.Sc. in Bio- Doctor in Tropical Ecology, des (ULA), Venezuela. M.Sc. Damián Ruiz-Ramoni. Biologist, logical Sciences, Universidad ULA, Venezuela. Researcher, in Systematics, Instituto de ULA, Venezuela. M.Sc. in Pa- Simón Bolívar, Venezuela. Ph.D. IVIC, Venezuela. Ecología A.C., Xalapa, Mexi- leontology, Universidad Autóno- in Ecology, Behavior and Evolu- Irma Alejandra Soto Werschitz. co. Researcher, Applied Zoo- ma de Barcelona, España. Estu- tion, Boston University, EEUU. Biologist, Universidad Nacional logy Laboratory, Biology De- diante de Doctoral Student, Professor, ULA, Venezuela. Autónoma de México. M.Sc. in partment, Faculty of Scien- Instituto Venezolano de Investi- Life Sciences, Instituto de Eco- ces, ULA. Address: Apartado gaciones Científicas (IVIC), logía A.C., Xalapa, México. Re- Postal 66, La Hechicera, Mé- Venezuela. searcher, ULA, Venezuela. 354 0378-1844/14/05/354-05 $ 3.00/0 MAY 2014, VOL. 39 Nº 5 AlgUNAS CONSIDERAciONES SOBRE EL ESTADO DE CONSERVAciÓN DEL MURciÉLAGO FRUGÍVORO GIGANTE, Artibeus amplus (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) Paolo Ramoni-Perazzi, Damián Ruiz-Ramoni, Mariana Muñoz-Romo, Dirk Rafael Thielen Engelbertz e Irma Alejandra Soto Werschitz RESUMEN Artibeus amplus, filostómido distribuido en el neotrópico nectividad global del bosque. El hábitat adecuado remanen­ septentrional, ha sido incluido en la categoría de ‘Datos De­ te (26,5%), ubicado en las montañas en el oeste y noroeste de ficientes’ de las listas rojas colombiana y venezolana, pero en Sudamérica, también puede considerarse adecuado para la so­ la categoría de ‘Preocupación Menor’ por la UICN, pese a que brevivencia de esta especie de murciélago aunque esté amplia­ su tendencia poblacional es desconocida. El ámbito geográfico mente fragmentado, pues evidencias recientes sugieren toleran­ del hábitat potencial reportado recientemente para esta especie cia al impacto humano. En conclusión, A. amplus debe conside­ de murciélago excede las extensiones consideradas por la Sub­ rarse de ‘Preocupación Menor’ tanto a nivel global y nacional, comisión de Peticiones y las Normas de la UICN: 836.000km2, pero con precaución a nivel local. principalmente en el Escudo Guayanés (73,5%), con buena co­ AlgUMAS CONSIDERAÇÕES SOBRE O ESTADO DE CONSERVAÇÃO DO MORCEGO FRUTÍVORO GigANTE, Artibeus amplus (Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) Paolo Ramoni-Perazzi, Damián Ruiz-Ramoni, Mariana Muñoz-Romo, Dirk Rafael Thielen Engelbertz e Irma Alejandra Soto Werschitz RESUMO Artibeus amplus, filostomideo distribuído no norte da re­ com boa conectividade global da floresta. O habitat apropria­ gião Neotropical, foi incluído na categoria de ‘Dados Deficien­ do restante (26,5%), também localizado nas montanhas a oeste tes’ das listas vermelhas colombianas e venezuelanas, mas na e noroeste da América do Sul, pode ser considerado adequado categoria de ‘Pouco Preocupante’ pela IUCN, apesar do fato para a sobrevivência desta espécie de morcego mesmo que ele de que a sua tendência populacional é desconhecida. O âmbi­ é fragmentado em grande parte, a evidência recente sugere to­ to geográfico do habitat potencial relatado recentemente para lerância de impacto humano. Em conclusão, A. amplus deve ser esta espécie de morcego excede extensões consideradas pela considerado ‘Pouco Preocupante’ tanto em nível global e nacio­ Subcomissão sobre as Solicitações e as Normas da IUCN: nal, com cuidado a nível local. 836.000km2, principalmente no Planalto das Guianas (73,5%), tat fragmentation and hu- the extensive substitution of man activities. Ruiz-Ramo- the original woody vegeta- ni (2010) studied the ecolo- tion (Seasonal Mountain gy of a colony of A. amplus Forest) decades ago by roosting in Las Escaleras grasslands for livestock Cave near Pregonero, Tachi- farming. In contrast, the ra State, Venezuelan Andes interpretation of the SPOT (Figure 1), where bat kill- 5 image from 01/29/2008 ings (mostly common vam- suggests that vegetation of pire bats Desmodus rotun­ the area is mainly of oligo- dus), garbage remains, bon- trophic origin correspond- fires and human fecal depo- ing to that of an open sa- sitions, evidence a high re- vanna, specifically a Sub- current human activity in- microthermic (9-12ºC) Tro- side the cave. pophilus (600-1400mm) The situation outside the cave does not match that expected for a tree-fruit Figure 1. Location of Pregone- consumer either, since the ro, in the Venezuelan Andes. surrounding landscape is Bottom-right: map of Venezu- mainly covered by grass- ela highlighting Tachira State; land with small patches of bottom-left: map of Tachira secondary forest surround- State highlighting the Uribante Municipality and indicating the ing rivers and creeks (Fig- location of Pregonero area; ure 1). According to Mon- top: satellite image of Pregone- asterio and Reyes (1980) ro area from SPOT 5 650-334 this landscape is anthropo- (01/29/2008). 1) Pregonero town; genic and was the result of 2) Las Escaleras Cave. MAY 2014, VOL. 39 Nº 5 355 Table I dríguez JP, Rodríguez JV habitat studies. Wildl. Soc. Results of the supervised classification of (2010) How similar are na- Bull. 31: 30-44 tional red lists and the IUCN Monasterio M, Reyes S (1980) three satellite images for an area of 20km Red List? Biol. Conserv. 143: ratio from Las Escaleras Cave Diversidad ambiental y vari- 1154-1158. ación de la vegetación en los Disturbed Savanna Forest Water Handley COJr (1987) New species páramos de los Andes Vene- of mammals from Northern zolanos. In Monasterio M 1987 70.7 19.4 9.0 0.9 South America: fruit-eating (Ed.) Estudios Ecológicos en 1996 75.9 17.9 5.5 0.7 bats, genus Artibeus Leach. In los Páramos Andinos. Univer- 2008 81.2 15.0 2.8 1.0 Patterson BD, Timm RM sidad de Los Andes, Mérida. (Eds.) Studies in Neotropical pp. 47-91. Amounts represent the relative surface coverage of different landscape units. Mammalogy: Essays in Honor Pacheco CE, Aguado MI, Molli- of Philip Hershkovitz. Field cone D (2014) Identification Museum of Natural History. and characterization of defor- Chicago, USA.