Activity cycle, feeding and reproduction of Molosus ater (Chiroptera : Molossidae) in Brazil.

Abstract

In a study of a colony of approximately 500 Molossus ater inhabiting the roof os a house inManaus, Amazonas, Brazil, there was no relationship between season and daily food consumption or capture efficiency, idicating that variation in food abundance, if it occurred, did not significantly influence food consumption. Absence of reproduction was associated with negative snergy balance evidenced by decreasing weigth. Pregnancy without subsequent production of offspring was associated with sinergy balance favorable enough to suport pregnancy, but not lactation. Only when energy balance was good, as evidenced by increasing weight, did females successfully produce offspring. Females were reproductively active during most of the year. This indicated that females do not predict the best season for weaning offspring, contrary to what has been proposed in the literature. Because pregnancy occured throughout most of the year, but only a few young survived, pregnancy was not a good indicator of the season of successful reproduction. In the absence of direct evidence of survival of the young, lactation can be used to indicate successful production of offspring.