Body mass index and glucose variations during the night in free-ranging Artibeus planirostris (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

By

Azeredo, Luane Maria Melo
Silva Ximenes, Monique
Alves Pereira, Kleytone
Aguiar Fracasso, Maria Paula
Serramo Lopez, Luiz Carlos

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2019-5-28

Original Publication

Nature conservation

Volume

36

Pages

1--8

Subjects

blood metabolites , Body condition , foraging

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2012-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zoologia.36.e28027

 

Abstract

Body condition is an important measure to estimate the energy reserve of an organism. Scientists frequently use body condition indices (BCIs) with morphometric measures but direct measurements, such as blood glucose, seem to be more reliable. We observed oscillations in the body condition and glucose indexes of individuals ofArtibeusplanirostris(Spix, 1823) during 13 nights in the field. We assume that if glucose levels are proportional to feeding state and body condition is a measure of energy reserve, blood glucose and BCI should be positively correlated and both are expected to increase during the night as the bats leave their diurnal roost to feed. To test this, we examined the relationship between blood glucose levels, BCI and reproductive phase of free flying male bats (n = 70) for 12 hours after sunset for 13 nights. Bats were captured in Reserva Biológica de Guaribas (Paraíba, Brazil) using mist nets. Blood glucose was analyzed with a portable glucometer. Supporting our assumptions, the number of hours after sunset and BCI presented significant positive correlations with glucose levels inA.planirostris. Reproductive phase did not present a significant correlation with any other variables. As we predicted, glucose level can be used as proxy for morphometric BCI and it can be measured with a simple portable glucometer. The increase both in glucose and BCI around the night can be explained by the efficient assimilation of nutrients present in fruits ingested by bats and the quick metabolism that increases the levels of glucose (an other nutrients) in blood, increasing the body mass.