16 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
Series 4, Volume 65, Supplement I 
of canyons opening onto ocean beaches (Hall and Bee, 1960). Areas with gaps in the canopy appear 
to be selected for movement, foraging, and night roosting (Gannon, 1991). Habitats used by this 
bat in Puerto Rico are in areas that are currently protected as reserves (El Yunque National Forest) 
or formerly protected as military reserves (Vieques Island). 
Foraging and Dietary Analysis. — Red fruit bats are primarily frugivorous. Wing mor¬ 
phology and attributes of echolocation calls suggest that the red fruit bat is adapted to slow flight 
in cluttered environments (Norberg and Rayner, 1987; Jennings et al., 2004). The relatively small 
home ranges (2.1 hectares) do not differ in area between males and females, and individuals show 
high site fidelity to a single feeding area, at least during the rainy season (Gannon, 1991; Gannon 
and Willig, 1994). Major dietary items are the fruits of Cecropia schreberiana, Manilkara biden- 
tata, and Prestoea montana (Gannon and Willig, 1992). It is a major seed disperser for M. biden- 
tata (Gannon et al., 2005). Ranges of radio-tagged red fruit bats increased markedly after Hurri¬ 
cane Hugo in 1989, indicating difficulty in obtaining food and suitable roosts (Gannon and Willig, 
1994). All information regarding diet, foraging, and habitats is based primarily on studies of the 
population at the Luquillo Experimental Forest, El Yunque National Forest. 
Roosting Habits. — On Puerto Rico these bats are not commonly associated with caves 
(Rodriguez-Duran, 1998), but instead they roost in foliage in the forest canopy (Gannon and Willig, 
1994). Roosting sites are included within foraging ranges, thus minimizing commuting distances 
(Gannon, 1991). Males and females roost solitarily, and do not form social groups. During the night 
they spend most of the time roosting in foliage to consume and digest food. Specific diurnal and 
night roost locations are changed almost daily, and appear to be selected opportunistically (Gan¬ 
non, 1991). 
Population Ecology. — Litter Size, Natality, and Female Reproduction: Litter size is 
one, based on embryo counts from about seven females (Tamsitt and Valdivieso, 1966; Jones et al., 
1971; Genoways and Baker, 1972); reproduction occurs throughout the year on Puerto Rico (Gan¬ 
non and Willig, 1992). Seven of 12 (58%) females captured in broadleaf tropical forest at the 
Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico during July 1969 were reproductive (Jones et al., 
1971; Genoways and Baker, 1972). Reproduction of red fruit bats was negatively impacted by Hur¬ 
ricane Hugo in 1989, with the proportion of juveniles in samples dropping from 3(M10% before the 
hurricane in 1989 to about 17% immediately afterwards and zero in 1991. The proportion of adult 
females pregnant or lactating declined from at least 55% to less than five percent (Gannon and 
Willig, 1994). We are unaware of any published literature with quantitative data concerning other 
demographic aspects of female reproduction, such as age at first reproduction and inter-birth inter¬ 
vals. 
Survival: We are unaware of any published literature with quantitative data on survival for 
this species. 
Mortality Factors: The most obvious mortality factor affecting red fruit bats is that their pop¬ 
ulations can be severely impacted by hurricanes (see above). Predation on red fruit bats appears to 
be very low (Gannon, 1991), but there are no published records of the impacts of predators, dis¬ 
ease, or parasites on mortality of this species. Nocturnal activity patterns of red fruit bats are not 
affected by moon phase, which is consistent with a reduction in visually oriented nocturnal preda¬ 
tors on the inhabited islands in comparison with mainland habitats (Gannon and Willig, 1997). It 
has recently been discovered that red fruit bats have been killed by turbines at wind-power gener¬ 
ating facilities in Puerto Rico (Rodriguez-Duran and Feliciano-Robles, 2015). 
Population Trend: These bats are rare throughout their very small range. Quantitative statis¬ 
tical evaluations of trends in populations of red fruit bats are unavailable (Ellison et al., 2003). Fol¬ 
lowing the occurrence of Hurricane Hugo in 1989, relative abundance (captures per mist-net hour) 
