Detección ultrasónica de murciélagos insectívoros en cafetales de La Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala

A groundbreaking study in Antigua Guatemala reveals that ultrasonic detection methods can identify a diverse range of insectivorous bat species, significantly increasing the known richness by 87.5% compared to traditional mist-netting techniques. The research, conducted in three coffee plantations, recorded five species—including two not previously documented in the country—and one genus using Anabat™ II detectors. Notably, the study confirmed a 100% complementarity between acoustic and mist-netting data at family, genus, and species levels, underscoring the effectiveness of ultrasonic monitoring for bat biodiversity assessment. Among the findings, Molossus rufus exhibited feeding behavior characterized by high pulse repetition rates in its 'buzz' calls. The study also highlights the potential presence of two threatened Eumops species, emphasizing the need for further specimen collection to update Guatemala's species registry.

Kraker, C., & Pérez, S. (2012). Ultrasonic detection of insectivorous bats in coffee crops of La Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala. Revista Científica, 22(1), 43–53. https://doi.org/10.54495/rev.cientifica.v22i1.122