Temperature and pups influence daytime roosting behavior of the great fruit-eating bat, Artibeus lituratus, in an urban southern Brazilian habitat

Urbanization affects animal behavior, making ethology crucial for understanding its full impact. Artibeus lituratus is the most captured bat species in urban environments in Brazil, yet its ethology has never been studied in the country. Furthermore, there is much to be uncovered about the roles temperature and offspring play in influencing bat behavior. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the behavior of a group of roosting A. lituratus, and to test the influence of temperature and presence of offspring on their behaviors. A group of A. lituratus was observed roosting under palm leaves, on the Campus of Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense. Ad libitum sampling was used for behavior description, whereas Scan sampling was used to analyze the activity patterns and test the influence of temperature and offspring. Sixteen behaviors were distinguished. The bats were observed during daytime, and were the most active between 09:00 and 16:00, and lowest at 07:00, 8:00, and 17:00. Ambient temperature was positively correlated with behaviors "active" and "self-grooming", and negatively correlated with "inactive". "Allogrooming" was more abundant when offspring were present. This study provides the first ethological insights into A. lituratus in Brazil, emphasizing the roles of temperature and offspring in shaping their behavior.