28 



Mexico) in midsummer the studied colonies were formed of both sexes. My own ob- 

 servations in Ecuador during July 1983 dealed with botli sexes within the same large 

 colony including pregnant and lactating females. In Veracruz (Mexico) Hall & Dalquest 

 (1963) found mixed colonies with more tlian 1000 individuals. 



According to Wilson (1974) who compiled data of pregnant females for all months over 

 tlie year Glossophaga occured to be polyestric at most of the collecting sites. 



Reproductive patterns and ontogeny of G. soricina have been studied extensively (Bleier 

 1979; Rasweiler 1972, 1974, 1979; Wilson 1979) and are reported by Alvarez, WiUig, 

 Knox Jones & Webster (1991): ovulation is spontaneous and usually one ovimi is released 

 per cycle. Ovulation may occur from either ovary, but tends to alternate between both. 

 Menstruation and ovulation take place at approximately the same time. The two-cell 

 development stage is acliieved on day 2 or 3 after fertilization, the 8-cell stage by days 5 

 to 7, the 32-cell stage by day 8, and the blastocyst stage by day 10. Tlie embryo is 

 contained within the ampulla of the oviduct until day 12 or 13, by which time the Zona 

 pellicucida usually is lost. Implantation occurs in the uterotubal junction on days 12 to 14. 

 Rasweiler (1974) divided the process of implantation into eight stages and Hamlett 

 (1935)described the embryonic growth tliereafter. Glossophaga shows a discoidal and 

 haemochorial placenta. Tlie occurance of menstruation and mterstitial implantation 

 suggests that Glossophaga might posess considerable potential for development as an 

 animal model in human reproductive research (Rasweiler 1974). 



Wilson (1979) found pregnant G. commissarisi in January, February, April, July and 

 September. Tliis indicates a bimodal polyestrus. LaVal & Fitch (1977) report a seasonal 

 polyestRis on G. commissarisi in Costa Rica, their data on pregnant females refer to 

 February/March and October. 



According to Wilson (1979) G. longiwstris nurses its youngsters during rain period; the 

 data of capture show pregnant or lactating females from February to September. 

 Webster (1983) collected pregnant G. leachii (containing one single fetus each) in 

 February, April, June, July, August, September and November. Nursing mothers were 

 obtained in February, March, June and November. 



G. mexicana is supposed to be monestric, the duration of breeding season remains unclear: 

 a pregnant female was collected in March, a lactating specimen in May. Other females 

 caught in February, March, April, May and August gave no evidence of reproductive 

 activity. Four males taken in June had testicle diameters of 4 nmi; the testes of another 

 male captured in July measured 8x6 nmi (Webster & Jones 1985). 

 Monophyllus: Buden (1975) reports pregnant M. redmani (each with a single fetus): on 

 28th January he obtained one female on Middle Caicos (Bahamas), its fetus with crown 

 rump lengtli of 20 nmi. On 3rd December and 24th February (on Hispaniola) three 

 specimens containing fetuses of 16-19 nmi length. One from Puerto Rico was gravid on 

 5th February. 



Pregnant females of M. plethodon were taken on Dominica between 24th March and 22nd 

 April. Crown-runip-length of fetuses variied from 17 to 24 nmi; the larger ones were 

 caught later. Males captured at the same time had testes 4-4,5 mm long (Roman & Jones 

 1975). 



Lichonyctens: On Costa Rica, Gardner, LaVal & Wilson (1970) reported a nursing female 

 collected together with a male young on 9th January. Another specimen taken in March 

 contained a 14 mm embryo. In Guatemala pregnant females are also dated in February 

 (Wilson 1979). 



