Keywords
Chiroptera
Biodiversity
Pollination
Seed dispersal
Biological control
Echolocation
Categories
How to Cite
Abstract
Written by a mastozoologist biologist from the Universidad de Antioquia, this article presents the biological overview of the order Chiroptera and its ecological importance, dispelling common myths about these mammals. The author describes their echolocation system and classifies their feeding habits into four categories linked to specific morphological adaptations. The text details their essential ecological function: pollinating more than 500 varieties of Neotropical plants, dispersing seeds that favor forest regeneration, and biologically controlling insect pests, in addition to mentioning the medical use of the vampire bat's anticoagulant saliva, closing with a warning about these species' vulnerability to human persecution.
References
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MUÑOZ, J. y CUARTAS-CALLE, C. A., 2001. Saccopteryx antioquensis n. sp. (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) del noroeste de Colombia. Actualidades Biológicas, 23 (75): 53-61.
FENTON, M. B., 1983. Just Bats. University of Toronto Press. 165. p.
HILL, J. E. y SMITH J. D., 1984. Bats a natural history. University of Texas Press, Austin, 243 p.
MUÑOZ, J. A.; CUARTAS-CALLE, C. A. y GONZÁLEZ, M, 2003. Murciélagos del área de jurisdicción de CORANTIOQUIA. Informe final.
MUÑOZ, J. A., 2001. Los murciélagos de Colombia. Sistemática, distribución, historia natural y ecología. Editorial Universidad de Antioquia - sede Medellín-.
TUTTLE, M. D., 1997. The world of bats. American Neighborhood Bats. University of Texas Press. Pág. 5-16. Sobre el autor * Biólogo (Mastozoólogo) U. de Antioquia.
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Copyright (c) 2006 Carlos Arturo Cuartas Calle